martindale, golok, parang

S

scrappy

Joined
Jul 7, 2007
Messages
852
I own a handful of khukuris and really like them. I bought a valiant golok and the handle broke on the second day I used it. I am going to have someone from hear rehandle it. I would like to try another golok or siniliar heavy machete. any suggestions? I would prefer to buy them in the us to lessen shipping time. I looked at martindale macthetes. some are nearly 3/16 thick. was the jungle knife discontinued? what do you think of the martindale golok 2?
thanks
 
I thought there would be some feedback on other heavy machetes or golok style knives. I guess they aren't as popular as khukuris.
 
A surveyor told me that the old Collins machetes were the best, he buys them off the bay; the newer ones break too often according to him, and he's been obtaining machetes for his team for decades. However they are meant for grasses & small branches, not heavy chopping. Sorry to hear about your golok, I just bought one here with the same idea, a heavy do-it-all machete. I do not believe that Valiant has distributors in the US, no idea about KH.
 
I have a Martindale Golok. It works well enough, though the steel is very soft. I gave it a convex edge with my belt sander.
 
the golok is pretty good, though as has been mentioned it is very soft, they really benefit from a rehandling job, or at th very least then the handle smoothing off a bit
 
I had a No.2 golok and after I sanded the handle to match the tang and sharpened it I thought it was going to work well. When I used it I found that it was not for me; the blade was a little too short and thick for a machete and it didn't chop as well as I thought it would and there was a lot of feed back through the handle when chopping hardwood.
 
I thought they no longer made the golok. are they still making them?or is this old stock that is rare and so it has a high price?
 
The Bark River golok is one of my favorite knives. Cutts like a laser and will perform big and small tasks with ease.

walk2610007.jpg
 
I assume KSF is trying to sell off their old stock, if its true about BRKT not making them anymore.
 
Check out the bolos from Reflections of Asia. Villager grade workers for $30 shipped. Not wall hangers but the real deal. I've had two Martindales and wasn't impressed by their fit & finish (no better than the Tramontinas). I won't get another Martindale but I might get another RoA bolo. I'd also get another Tram for light work.

Frank
 
I bought a Martindale Latin model off the Bay ,even though I had to reprofile the handle a bit and give it a slight convex edge I thought it was great value for money.In my humble opinion a thin machete(distal taper) such as the Martindale is better suited to softer and thinner material,while I use my Khuk on more robust materials-saying that I can take off a one inch soft wood branch cleanly with the former,I agree the steel may seem softish,but it is medium carbon and really easy to sharpen in the field with a file.
 
silverfox
thank you. I think I will pick a couple up.

perksy, is ther a difference between the first and second run of goloks?
 
scrappy, by all accounts the overall design is the same, but the used better bolts on the handle and made it a little stronger.
 
There is a different steel on the new Bark River goloks but for all practical purposes it's the same great knife.
 
When I first used my Martindale Golok on deadfall I wasn't impressed.
I convexed the edge on a Hoodoo hone and it was a little better.
Green wood is another story.
The golok is a terror on the Mimosa and mystery tree branches that overhang my driveway.
apricot.jpg

Here it is with some trimmings from the neighbor's apricot tree.
The smaller branches just 'snicked' off, one after another :D
 
The Martindales I have and have owned were all pretty much useless as issued. Once I sharpened them up and thinned out the edges a bit the performance was hard to beat :) I had a Golok a while back and sold it to a friend who works search and rescue. He loves the Golok and uses it quite a bit. I have since gotten another for my own use and it has served me well.
 
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