Machete for work?

C

cckw

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May 24, 2008
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I want to get a couple machetes for my brother to use on his farm. The USGI machetes have a good reputation, so am going with that, but have a question on vintage.

How will the WW-2 pieces hold an edge compared to current production?

I will be rehandling whatever I get with some nice wood, so any WW-2 piece would already have a bad handle and not be one collectors would want.
 
We won the war and those machetes were used as we took the war to Japan.They were used hard in the islands.It is a basic simple tool.It may not be as good as the 6.95 ones at Walmart.I do not know.It has a history of victory.You may want to check out the ones Gerber makes.
 
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Unless you get into some of the South American production current Machete's the edge retention is going to range from on par to a lot better with the old WWII blades. I have some older machetes probably 40+ years old and I'd hate to have to replace them if they were lost or stolen.
This is actually a better question for Wilderness & Survival here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=692 maybe a mod will move it so you don't have to ask again.
What are you looking to do with the machete? There might be a better answer.
 
I didn't consider the survival forum for this subject because the only guy I know personally that does those forums never actually does any of the stuff, just talks about it with a Pepsi on one hand and bag of Doritos in the other :) So I forget that some of those guys really get out there and do the stuff.

It will be used for chopping weeds on my brothers farm. He does some organic gardening.

Below is a WW-2 blade that I redid. It was the first blade I ever put a handle on so want to keep this one. It was made in Sheffield England. I haven't chopped anything with this one. As my sig line might indicate I have great interest in WW-2 so if those blades are about as good it would be more gratifying to refurb a couple more of those.

cknife1.jpg

cknife2.jpg
 
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Whether you go new steel or 60 year old steel you're going to have to re-handle it anyway might as well start out with some history! My current passion is HI's Khukuri's but all of the wishful thinking in the world won't make a 20" Ang Khola out hack a good cheap machete on springy underbrush. Post the pictures when your are done and if you want some cool wood to work with contact BurlSource. The one you just posted is pretty sweet:thumbup: Walnut?
WS&S has some armchair commandos but its a pretty good brain trust if you can sort the wheat from the chaff. There is an ongoing debate in there; machete versus axe versus large knife reading a few of them and it gives you a very good view of the pros&cons of each.
 
oldschool45 said:
Whether you go new steel or 60 year old steel you're going to have to re-handle it anyway might as well start out with some history! My current passion is HI's Khukuri's but all of the wishful thinking in the world won't make a 20" Ang Khola out hack a good cheap machete on springy underbrush. Post the pictures when your are done and if you want some cool wood to work with contact BurlSource. The one you just posted is pretty sweet:thumbup: Walnut?
WS&S has some armchair commandos but its a pretty good brain trust if you can sort the wheat from the chaff. There is an ongoing debate in there; machete versus axe versus large knife reading a few of them and it gives you a very good view of the pros&cons of each.
Click to expand...

I'm already there,, the walnut on this one came from Burl Source and I have a few other wood types on the way from him. I could almost just do a burl collection. buy the blocks and sand and polish and put on display until I have a knife for them
 
I love the look of walnut my immune system however doesn't. I had to quit working with it, flu like symptoms for a week after even with a respiratory isn't worth it.
If you want an neat wood working trick/amusement for existing knives try making a Saya or wooden sheath for your fixed blades. Nice thing is you can used some neat woods that are too soft to use on handles but look really cool.
 
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