Much difference between 12" machetes and 10"chopper knives

[Shotgun]

This machete won't make any ting sounds:

Must be broken. I'll PM you my address so I can dispose of it.

 

[stabman]

Must be broken. I'll PM you my address so I can dispose of it.

Heck no...I got it in trade at General Gun for pretty much an equivalent value of things.
That's harder than making a dug-out canoe from a giant Redwood with a rusty spoon!!!

 

[stabman]

Here's a few choppers:

 

[PayetteRucker]

Ontario's 1095 is a very good balance of strength and edge retention for a machete, but the ergonomics and areas of efficiency are going to be different between a large, thick, heavy knife and a longer thin machete. If you're bushwacking and processing lots of green stuff, obviously a light thin machete is going to be more efficient at clearing stuff. It will bite deeper with less resistance. However the softer steel is going to lose its edge faster than a finely heat treated and thick flat ground Junglas. The Junglas has the weight and strength to process large amounts of hardwoods efficiently without rolling, denting and dulling the edge. As it bites its thick profile will chip out material whereas the machete will sink in and leave a slice. Deliberate V notching will be necessary for chopping with the machete, there's some small level of skill involved. However swinging the thick profiled Junglas at green stuff, bushwacking thick plants in your trail and processing green fibers for cordage or shelter materials won't be as efficient. It really depends on what you're doing, your natural fauna and the skill set you want to utilize. You could always get a Junglas and an Ontario or Tramontina machete. The Fiddleback is ideal but that's not to say a regular old 6 dollar Tramontina isn't a fantastic tool for the job.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Here's a few choppers:

Mmmmm Clax...

Who made that funky middle one? I don't recognize it.

Ontario's 1095 is a very good balance of strength and edge retention for a machete, but the ergonomics and areas of efficiency are going to be different between a large, thick, heavy knife and a longer thin machete. If you're bushwacking and processing lots of green stuff, obviously a light thin machete is going to be more efficient at clearing stuff. It will bite deeper with less resistance. However the softer steel is going to lose its edge faster than a finely heat treated and thick flat ground Junglas. The Junglas has the weight and strength to process large amounts of hardwoods efficiently without rolling, denting and dulling the edge. As it bites its thick profile will chip out material whereas the machete will sink in and leave a slice. Deliberate V notching will be necessary for chopping with the machete, there's some small level of skill involved. However swinging the thick profiled Junglas at green stuff, bushwacking thick plants in your trail and processing green fibers for cordage or shelter materials won't be as efficient. It really depends on what you're doing, your natural fauna and the skill set you want to utilize. You could always get a Junglas and an Ontario or Tramontina machete. The Fiddleback is ideal but that's not to say a regular old 6 dollar Tramontina isn't a fantastic tool for the job.

All true! At the bare minimum, if you get a Junglas at least get a Tramontina for comparison's sake. What's a few extra bucks on the order?

 

[stabman]

Who made that funky middle one? I don't recognize it.

That one was made by me.
The handle edges are slightly more rounded now than in that pic, as I have contoured it to fit my hand better. I had to actually use it to find out where the hot spots were.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I like it! Nice work, Stabby! :thumbup:

 

[stabman]

I like it! Nice work, Stabby! :thumbup:

Thanks.
It turned out the way I wanted, which was nice.
It was surprising how much time in design work it took to make a relatively simple handle. The amount of cardboard handle templates which got tossed aside could have made starting a fire really easy.

 

[Rick Marchand]

Making a simple knife can be a very complex undertaking.

BTW.... one of my bladesmithing protoges mistook the Kerambit trainer for a piece of scrap and beat on it until I slapped it out of his insolent hands! It did not survive. I think your next project might have to be to make another. Why don't you come over sometime?

 

[Scottman]

ON soft wood like cedar, for "chopping" I foudn the 14 inch tramontina bolo to be just as effective "chopper" as the junglas.

 

[stabman]

Making a simple knife can be a very complex undertaking.

BTW.... one of my bladesmithing protoges mistook the Kerambit trainer for a piece of scrap and beat on it until I slapped it out of his insolent hands! It did not survive. I think your next project might have to be to make another. Why don't you come over sometime?

I could do that.
It would be nice to try an actual forge for a change instead of jury rigging a hole in the ground with some charcoal and bricks and some pipe.