Machete for the everglades?

B

B.B.M

Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
200
I'm taking the Pathfinder advanced class in the everglades this March. and I'm not sure on what machete to take with me, currently i have the cold steel kukri and a 18 tramintina. but i'm considering picking up a new one the condor line has really caught my eye especially the golok. what do you guys think? Also how will a leather sheath hold up in the swamp? feel free to offer any suggestions on other brands/models I do want to keep the price around $60 though.
 
the leather sheaths are nothing special but they work. Not sure how the humidity and other stuff will really effect it. the condor golok is a great blade but the edge is crazy stupid thick. I didn't think it worked that great for the green stuff or really chopping. I like the parang more. if I was going I would probably take a true to form machete. probably my fiddleback forge 12 incher in a kydex sheath or maybe the blind horse machete in that nice kydex sheath. a bit more than you are looking to spend though. for about 20 dollars more you can rock the condor boomslang which is a beast.


if you could find one I just saw that condor pack golok and it looks killer at 62 dollar msrp but I googled and didn't see any for sale. have fun in the class and definitely give us a AAR.
 
Treat the leather well and it will treat you well-swamp or not. Something heavy like gunstock wax or shoe polish/mink oil should get the job done.
 
Big fan of a sharp tramontina 18 for florida brush and weeds. You'll need figure out a sheath of some kind for it though.
 
B.B.M said:
I'm taking the Pathfinder advanced class in the everglades this March. and I'm not sure on what machete to take with me, currently i have the cold steel kukri and a 18 tramintina. but i'm considering picking up a new one the condor line has really caught my eye especially the golok. what do you guys think? Also how will a leather sheath hold up in the swamp? feel free to offer any suggestions on other brands/models I do want to keep the price around $60 though.
Click to expand...

The leather ought to hold up just fine--I've gotten mine damp plenty of times and while it's best to avoid getting them wet it's not going to kill them. I don't mean to make it sound like the name is the reason why I'm suggesting it, but you might try the Condor Swamp Master might be a good choice for you. It's the smaller version of the Viking, which is a personal favorite of mine (though that one would be a little big for your purposes!) It has a lot of chopping power for hard or dead wood while remaining pretty easy to carry or pack, and it's relatively light. The partially sharpened back edge is fantastic for hooking cuts on green vegetation, wood plants, or grasses. The fact that it's stainless is just a bonus. Normally I don't trust stainless machetes as far as I can throw them, but Condor has proven to me time and time again that they know how to make it work.

Your Tramontina should do well for you, too, or the above-mentioned Eco Survivor (formerly called the Eco Lite.) Great handle ergos on that one.

grunt soldier said:
if you could find one I just saw that condor pack golok and it looks killer at 62 dollar msrp but I googled and didn't see any for sale. have fun in the class and definitely give us a AAR.
Click to expand...

You can't find any because they aren't out just yet. Last I heard was April.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
The leather ought to hold up just fine--I've gotten mine damp plenty of times and while it's best to avoid getting them wet it's not going to kill them. I don't mean to make it sound like the name is the reason why I'm suggesting it, but you might try the Condor Swamp Master might be a good choice for you. It's the smaller version of the Viking, which is a personal favorite of mine (though that one would be a little big for your purposes!) It has a lot of chopping power for hard or dead wood while remaining pretty easy to carry or pack, and it's relatively light. The partially sharpened back edge is fantastic for hooking cuts on green vegetation, wood plants, or grasses. The fact that it's stainless is just a bonus. Normally I don't trust stainless machetes as far as I can throw them, but Condor has proven to me time and time again that they know how to make it work.

Your Tramontina should do well for you, too, or the above-mentioned Eco Survivor (formerly called the Eco Lite.) Great handle ergos on that one.



You can't find any because they aren't out just yet. Last I heard was April.
Click to expand...

The swamp master is very nice the stainless steel kinda throws me though would it hold up to battoning? i do a lot of battoning with my machetes.

how heavy are the golok and parang? I really like the looks of both but the thickness seems a might much. I might be wrong but i don't really foresee a lot of Brushy vegetation clearing so much as sapplings and the like
 
the14" El Salvador machete looks interesting kinda of middle of the road at 1/8 thick, hows the handle on them? are the rubber?
 
Hi I got the esee's, lite machete and love it, very durable blade for it's thickness.
 
The El Salvador machete has a hard engeneered molded plastic handle with a moderate texture to it.

With mink oil, apply a moderate thickness coat and get it warm-set it by the fireplace or something-kinda glazes the oil over the leather for complete, even coverage.
 
B.B.M said:
The swamp master is very nice the stainless steel kinda throws me though would it hold up to battoning? i do a lot of battoning with my machetes.

how heavy are the golok and parang? I really like the looks of both but the thickness seems a might much. I might be wrong but i don't really foresee a lot of Brushy vegetation clearing so much as sapplings and the like
Click to expand...

My Viking, Combat, and Bush Knife machetes (all stainless) have held up fine with batoning. The back edge might chew up a baton a little, but batons are disposable. :)

The 14" El Salvador and Eco Survivor would be easier on a baton, but I think the Swamp Master would really excel.
 
Been eyeing the kabar cutlass really nice looking machete, the problem with machetes they are just to many to chose from:D.....the golok is still kinda calling my name though
 
I personally don't really consider their Cutlass a machete--it's really more in the "chopping knife" category. Their "Grass Machete" is closer to being within the realm of the machete definition. Just my opinion though. :)
 
Martindale, 24" Latin style....wood handle...plastic handle ok too...
I wouldn't baton anything....especially a machete.... But that's just me...YMMV..

Doc_Savage
 
anybody have pics of the condor swamp master or the thai enp? doesn't seem to be a lot of info out there on them.
 
That Ka-Bar Cutlass is a great value, but it's not a machete. It's too thick and heavy. It's flat like a machete, with a hollow grind and a "V" edge. That's where the similarity ends.
 
B.B.M said:
anybody have pics of the condor swamp master or the thai enp? doesn't seem to be a lot of info out there on them.
Click to expand...

I can try to snap a few later today, I think! I'm out of Enep knives until Tuesday but I have the Swamp Master and the Enep machete. :)
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I can try to snap a few later today, I think! I'm out of Enep knives until Tuesday but I have the Swamp Master and the Enep machete. :)
Click to expand...

I was fixing to order the golok and you was out of stock.....maybe thats a sign:) the whole thick machete vs thin machete is driving me crazy i was actually checking out the mora machete, which looks very interesting at only 7oz and then there is the condor bolo which is kind of middle of the road at 1/8 thickness
 
I had the same situation. I needed something light enough to pack and not to long. My main goal was to clear a path when dragging out shot animals. I got tired of walking into branches at eye level while dragging hogs/deer at night. I went with the 12" Ontario from 42blades. It is the perfect size IMO as I can strap it to my pack or carry it on my hip if needed. IT cuts really well, better than my BK9 and with the convex edge 42 puts on it I could cut 1/2 hemp rope almost as well as I do with my skinning knives. I recommend buying it from 42 blades vs a non convexed model. The extra $ is worth it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top