Machete Question

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Hi, I'm new to the forum and didn't see a "Machete/chopper" section so I figured I'd just post this here.

I need a machete and I'm looking at getting the ESEE Lite, i really like the style and from what i've read/heard, everyone says it's a really good blade. My question is this, if their blade blanks are made by Imacasa what's the difference between the blanks that Imacasa uses on their machetes and the blank they make for ESEE? Because the price difference is quite a bit. I understand that with the ESEE you're getting a much more refined look, and the logo, and the REALLY nice and comfortable micarta handles. But beyond that, what's the difference?


Also, I really like the fiddleback forge machete's and I'd like to get everyone's input on how those hold up during use.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks guys.:D
 
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The ESEE LM has exactly the same blade as the other Imacasa, El Salvador model. The price difference is the micarta handle, and logo. The micarta handle is made well, and big. I sanded mine down just a bit for my shorter fingers.
The Fiddlebacks will have the best ergonomic handle, and although I don't own one, my Fiddlebacks have great handles. The blade will be of equal quality to the ESEE's, but the handles will be the biggest noticable difference.
Condor and Imacasa make great machete blades, as long as you use the right one for the task at hand.
Even Fiddback Forge's 12" is a bit thicker than the others. As they get longer they generaly need to be lighter, for all day swinging.
Ontario machete's, some models, are 1/8" thick, and their 18" at that thickness is a bit tiring to swing through soft material.
Look at the Bark River modded Ontario machete, it's pricy, but comes with micarta handle scales and a great looking sheath. They are at Knives Ship Free, worth looking at.
Oh yeah, Blind Horse Knives also has a new machete, a South American made blade.
 
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Pont in my question above is that what you're cutting determines what's best to cut it with...machetes are designed specific to the task.
 
I like machetes made from ATS-34 and S7. I think they are cool. I make mine here in Hawaii where we have all types of terrain. I recommend a thin machete for the lighter stuff and a 1/8 inch or 3/16 machete for woodier material.



Ross



My machete website:
http://www.akiblades.com
 
I have a military machete that a I've had for over 30yrs. I looks just like the ones Ontario knife company sells. It's still a badA$$ don't know if they made it but if they did it kicks butt
 
foxx said:
The ESEE LM has exactly the same blade as the other Imacasa, El Salvador model. The price difference is the micarta handle, and logo. The micarta handle is made well, and big.


Oh yeah, Blind Horse Knives also has a new machete, a South American made blade.
Click to expand...

The blade is actually the same as found on the 18" Eco-Survivor model, not the El Salvador. The thickness is the same as the stainless El Salvador, but in 1075 rather than 420HC. The 1075 El Salvador has an 1/8" thick blade.

Also, the Blind Horse Knives machete is also an Imacasa--so it's actually Central American rather than Southern. :D I also thoroughly agree--pick the pattern based on the target. And this is not just thick vs. thin, long vs. short. The actual mass distribution throughout the blade, the shape of the blade itself, and the location of the cutting edge or edges will play a strong role in determining which piece is best for your needs.

Contrary to MacheteMan1 I tend to prefer blades less than or equal to 1/8" even when dealing with full blown trees and the like. Rather than thick blades, I prefer WIDE. This concentrates the mass BEHIND the cutting edge, where it's most useful. Less "work" (in the physics sense) is required for the blade to bite deep because you aren't losing as much energy from matter displacement. Just don't go so thin that the blade becomes droopy! Nothing worse than a flaccid machete! :D:D:D...:eek:
 
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Strange that 42 blades thinks I like thicker blades. Most of my stuff is 1/16” thick. For heavy material I recommend 1/8” or even 3/16” for the real monsters among us. But I like 1/16” for general use.
Ross


Custom machetes at:
http://www.akiblades.com
 
I said for heavy targets I preferred stuff that was still thinner than that. Just personal preference. ;):thumbup:
 
I have a fiddleback 16" machete and would recommend it to anyone willing to spend that kind of money on a machete. Andy's handles are the best, and the thin edge he puts on them gets super sharp.

I've never been much of a fan of the ESEE handle.
 
I actually really like the handle they use on the Eco-Survivor--the contours are superb for a variety of grips, including doing levering cuts from the chest.
 
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FortyTwoBlades said:
I said for heavy targets I preferred stuff that was still thinner than that. Just personal preference. ;):thumbup:
Click to expand...
Agreed. I tried my ESEE Junglas on my papaya tree and it was slow going, plus I had to pry the blade out of the tree frequently. My coworker's old and rusted hatchet with a few chips in the edge could out-cut it by a large margin, and that thing is dull enough for you to be able to grab the edge with your bare fingers and not cut yourself.

Kinda makes me wonder why the Junglas exists really.
 
Noctis3880 said:
Agreed. I tried my ESEE Junglas on my papaya tree and it was slow going, plus I had to pry the blade out of the tree frequently. My coworker's old and rusted hatchet with a few chips in the edge could out-cut it by a large margin, and that thing is dull enough for you to be able to grab the edge with your bare fingers and not cut yourself.

Kinda makes me wonder why the Junglas exists really.
Click to expand...

Because people wouldn't stop asking for it. Jeff didn't even really want to make it, but caved so people would just shut up about it! :D:D:D Seriously, that's basically what happened. He joked about calling it the "ESEE-OPM" or Over-Priced Machete, and outright told folks a $6 Tramontina would be a better tool. People still bought boatloads anyway. :p
 
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I own,Imacasa,Cold Steel,Blind Horse,BarkRiver,Ontario,and a few that I cant remember the name of.

I believe that YOUR intended use is all that counts,as well as how deep your pockets are.

A cheap Ontario or Imacasa that is sharpened well [ think file and NOT stones ] well do most anything that all others will do.

AND you wont cry if you lose or break it.

I use my higher end ones as camp/food blades as well as a bit of batoning in camp.
 
A lot of good tips there. I personally think the ESEE LM isn't worth it. If you like it and can afford it, get a Fiddleback instead. You get options (size and shape) and they actually come with a usable edge.

If you don't want to spend the money then go with a Condor, Ontario, or other inexpensive machete. They have served many cultures well for many years and that's not a bad reason to try them.
 
You might want to get a couple of Tramontinas and try them out before spending more. I find my 18" Tramontina to be a good workhorse.
 
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Thanks for all the feedback guys! I really appreciate it. I think I'm gonna go the cheaper route IE: Tramontina/condor/imacasa and see how those work before I shell out some bigger bucks for a machete. And I'm not apposed to modding the crap out of one of the cheaper machete's, even if I need to put a better handle on it. (which sounds like fun anyway) :D
 
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For reference putting a better handle on a Tramontina won't be easy because of the shape of their tangs. The handles are slotted and slip onto the tang before being riveted. Putting a better handle on a wood or micarta handled Condor will largely be unnecessary as they have great handles to begin with. So if you want to go that route I advise going with a wooden-handled Imacasa. I've done plenty of mods to those in the past. :thumbup:
 
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Anyone using a machete to chop down a tree should learn how to choose the proper tools for their work. You could try to fillet fish with a chainsaw also, but don't expect much success there, either.
 
I have an Ontario that I have used for more than 20 years,it has the shorter thicker blade which is better for limbs and small trees. The locals that do field work around here buy either Ontario or Cold Steel macheteS
 
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