Machette questions.

J

jasperjb

Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Messages
217
Hi there BF!
So, I'm looking at getting a machette as I may be moving to a new house and I need to clear a lot of little trees and roots near a fig tree.
I'll obviously use it for clearing through bush and all that kind of good stuff.
So, how do I maintain a machette? Would a sharpmaker + strop suffice, or do I need something bigger?
Also.. what machette would you recommend? I'm thinking the Esee Junglas, but that's a bit pricy to beat (although I would USE it if you guys reckon it's worth the extra money).
What blade style should I get for hacking through bush/small trees?

Thanks,
Jasper.
 
First off you should ask FortyTwoBlades what type to get. :D

A Sharpmaker won't cut it for an actual machete... I use a mill file and sandpaper, and sometimes a 400 grit diamond stone.
 
A file and coarse stone will work for establishing a usable edge. Machetes usually have awful factory edges. For roots I wouldn't spend too long sharpening as it is likely to be dulled working that close to the ground(or in the ground?).
 
operator said:
A file and coarse stone will work for establishing a usable edge. Machetes usually have awful factory edges. For roots I wouldn't spend too long sharpening as it is likely to be dulled working that close to the ground(or in the ground?).
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I'm going to really be beating this knife. I think I'll get the Junglas. I've never free-hand sharpened before. Do you think a 10 inch blade is too big for the sharpmaker?
 
jasperjb said:
I'm going to really be beating this knife. I think I'll get the Junglas. I've never free-hand sharpened before. Do you think a 10 inch blade is too big for the sharpmaker?
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Ooh, hold your horses, you don't need a Junglas just to chop stuff. Of course it would work fine but if you're not interested in spending a lot of money there are much more affordable options.

You could do the Junglas on the Sharpmaker, in sections might be easier.
 
I really wouldn't want to be bouncing a Junglas off of rocks or dirt. I would get a Condor or Ontario machete and a file. They will chop as good or better than the Junglas and you won't have to spend much.
 
wroughndt said:
I really wouldn't want to be bouncing a Junglas off of rocks or dirt. I would get a Condor or Ontario machete and a file. They will chop as good or better than the Junglas and you won't have to spend much.
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True that. I think I'll get like 2 cheapish cold steel machettes, perhaps the 24inch latin one :D.
I kind of want the Junglas for a bit of eye candy, I don't know what I would use it for though. Ideas?
 
Tramontina..and a file.

Save your high dollar machetes for cutting grass.

Moving is fun, isn't it?

Best.
 
Unk said:
Tramontina..and a file.

Save your high dollar machetes for cutting grass.

Moving is fun, isn't it?

Best.
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Could you please provide links pretty pretty please? :D
I'm just unsure what kind of file and what kind of Tramontina.
Thanks!
 
I agree that you'll want to skip on the Junglas. They call it a machete but it's really more of a big chopping knife and you'll tire yourself out swinging that to cut lighter targets though it'll do fine on wood.

If you're taking out lots of little trees and roots I'd go with something like an Imacasa "spoonbill" bolo, Condor bolo, or Imacasa colima. The partial back edge is great for root chopping since it can be kept a little more broadly angled for durability during "grubbing" use and the primary edge kept sharp and thin for taking out the little trees and any other targets where the risk of hitting dirt or rocks is minimal. The broad sweet spot lends some good "oomph" to the cut when tackling the heavier targets. In terms of setting the initial edge and sharpening them up I offer that as a service on the models I sell but if doing it yourself without a sharpening grinder I'd spend about a half hour with a good sharp file followed by a medium then fine stone. :)
 
ive no experience with the junglas, cold steel or condor machetes but i can say that tramontina and imacasa products will do just fine for the work you are describing. tramontina are slightly cheaper but if you arent buying for employees to abuse then i would go with imacasa lol.
i maintain mine with a file and one of those 'canoe' stones. never stropped anything but id suspect that stropping would be overkill as a machete is a real rough-and-tumble tool. one bad swing into a rock, hidden fencepost, fence wire or the ground would probably undo that stropped edge.
like the above poster(s) said, you will need to spend some time filing to get any kind of usable edge. i use whatever cheap file i can find from a hardware store.
imacasa machetes have a rough bevel placed on the blade at the factory but there is like, i dont know, a millimeter or so of rough metal between the edges of the bevel. takes me more than half an hour to get one ready to use lol.
its a little different, sharpening a machete vs a pocketknife. i hold a machete still and move the file or whatever whereas with a pocketknife the stone is stationary and you move the blade across it. ymmv. (lol as an aside, have sharpened more machetes than pocketknives. i can get a real nice edge on a machete but the best i can say about my pocketknives is that i can get them sharper than when i started lol)
i prefer a machete with a 24" blade or thereabouts. also, ymmv.
 
if the roots are big and you're clearing saplings etc. you might want something with a bit of weight behind it like a golok or parang, the thinner machete blades like on the tramontina are better for grasses and vines, but the more woody the stuff the more the thinner blades are likely to bounce.
 
Likewise you could always forgo the machete for root chopping purposes and use a cutter mattock instead. That would make a much wider range of machetes good choices for the other aspects of the work.
 
I would recommend the Marbles (Imacasa) 14" Bolo machete. It comes pre-sharpened from the factory and the rounded tip should work well for chopping at roots. Also, it's very inexpensive (about $15) so you won't feel bad if/when it gets dinged up (there's a YouTube review on it). I agree with Goosey regarding maintenance: a file and various grades of sandpaper should be more than adequate to maintain an effective edge on any machete.
 
Shaggy said:
I would recommend the Marbles (Imacasa) 14" Bolo machete. It comes pre-sharpened from the factory and the rounded tip should work well for chopping at roots. Also, it's very inexpensive (about $15) so you won't feel bad if/when it gets dinged up (there's a YouTube review on it). I agree with Goosey regarding maintenance: a file and various grades of sandpaper should be more than adequate to maintain an effective edge on any machete.
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For those not in the know the Marble's is produced by Imacasa under contract. It's the same as the "spoonbill" bolo but with the edge sharpened from the factory and that awful orange powder coat instead of a clear lacquer coat.
 
Goosey said:
First off you should ask FortyTwoBlades what type to get.
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believe...when it comes to machetes, imo he's the go-to guy
im very happy with the Condor i bought from him. i have used it to do everything from clearing brush,
chopping down small trees (2-3" in diameter), and splitting small logs for firewood. it is an excellent tool that is worth far more than what i paid for it.
 
woody d said:
believe...when it comes to machetes, imo he's a go-to guy
im very happy with the Condor i bought from him. i have used it to do everything from clearing brush,
chopping down small trees (2-3" in diameter), and splitting small logs for firewood. it is an excellent tool that is worth far more than what i paid for it.
Click to expand...

Fixed that for ya'--don't forget Joezilla! Thanks for the kind words, and I'm glad you're enjoying your Condor. :D
 
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