need some chopper recommendations

P

Pietje010

Joined
Dec 30, 2005
Messages
420
Im looking for a decent chopper. I will be using it in the garden, when hiking and on camping trips. So it has to be able to splitting logs, clearing small areas of bush, making shelter, batoning dead wood and other big blade stuff.

Preferences:
- Blade about 9-11 inch
- Full-flat (or almost full-flat)
- combie bowie and/or droppoint shaped blade/tip
- Tough steel (like 1095) and around a quarter inch thick
- Some kind of sheath is handy
- Im a fan of big and round handles (like the Becker’s) and shock absorbing material will be wishful in a chopper

Because it sits home most of the time, the blade doesn’t need to be to really expansive (around 50-70 euro). btw he prices in Europe are ridiculous and importing is hard because high shipping costs and that conus only thing ;)


Affordable…between 50-70
Ontario SP 5 Survival Bowie
Ka-Bar Heavy Bowie (14 ¼ long)

In consideration…between 80-120
Ontario RTAK2 (bit thin blade)
Becker BK9 (if a good second hand one will ever be available)
Ranger RD9

Nice but wont do….130-200
Scrap Yard Dog Father
Cold Steel Trail Master (carbon-V)

Dream on stuff…
SRKW Battle Rat
Busse Battle mistress

What do you recommend and why!? other recommendations are welcome to! I already did some searching but thought starting a new thread will be more useful.
 
I'd say the ka-bar heavy bowie, many have beat the hell outa' them and they keep coming. Give it a shot, you wont regret it.
 
Your question prompted me to take my new Kabar HB out for a quick spin in the alley. I also brought a CS LTC light kukhri and a Gransfors Bruks mini-hatchet along for comparison. I found the Kabar to be a very pleasant chopping tool, with a wide comfortable grip and bird's-beak pommel that aides in retention. Woodchips flew. It does best on branches between 3/4 to 3" thick. On smaller stuff the LTC is quicker, as one would expect from a machete, and on bigger stuff the GB is superior since it is a high-end pocket chainsaw. But the Kabar is serviceable for all ranges and I must say I was impressed at the comfort as well as the swift chopping progress.

Considering the cost, & NOSS4's destruction tests showing how much abuse it can take, & the low price I would say this knife will fit your needs. Also, if you find the wide handle too big it's easy to pare the material down to the size that is best for you. As opposed to the Becker, for example.
 
I'd check your local 'dump store' which has a good selection of military style knives. Paying the inflated prices as a result of import duty is sheer madness.
 
I second the CS Khurki

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For $24.99-$29.99 for a 3mm (0.11811024" may be a little on the thin side for you) thick 1055 steel just cannot be beaten... Now they come in all pretty shapes and sizes too :)

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The Remingtons are a very good value as well, I've handled them in 440C and N690 very thick spines and decent price to boot

tango1-clip.jpg
 
For what you mentioned there are only three that I would consider. If you can get a Dogfather at it's original price of 139, i'd get it first. Then I would go for the RD9 at $130 and then I would go for the HI AK 15 inch for whatever it currently is which is probably near $100. All three of these will spank anything in their price range and hold their own with anything at any price.
 
I agree with Cobalt. I don't have any experience with HI. The other knives are awesome.
 
I've been doing some serious backyard duty and the Ontario Spec8 Machete has stood tall so far. The section for prying at the front of the blade has proved flawless. This would also be a great in the back of the truck. Great tool at a great price.

Matador-
 
Stubai said:
I'd check your local 'dump store' which has a good selection of military style knives. Paying the inflated prices as a result of import duty is sheer madness.
Click to expand...

this county is lacking cool stores like that. But I will look for it!


Cyanide Ride said:
I second the CS Khurki

For $24.99-$29.99 for a 3mm (0.11811024" may be a little on the thin side for you) thick 1055 steel just cannot be beaten... Now they come in all pretty shapes and sizes too :)
Click to expand...

I had a CS Kukri machete. Didn’t like it at all.


Cobalt said:
For what you mentioned there are only three that I would consider. If you can get a Dogfather at it's original price of 139, i'd get it first. Then I would go for the RD9 at $130 and then I would go for the HI AK 15 inch for whatever it currently is which is probably near $100. All three of these will spank anything in their price range and hold their own with anything at any price.
Click to expand...

Would like to buy the Dogfather for 130usd (no shipping) but im not a established Busse customer (if you order from outside the US you have to be one). So I can only buy them from the exchange forum at around 180-200usd
 
Of those you listed, I have experience with the Ontario SP5 and the Becker BK9.

The SP5 is a good value. I am not generally a fan of Kraton/rubber handles, but I find Ontario’s Spec Plus handles to be comfortable and secure without being overly abrasive or bulky. The SP5’s blade shape reminds me of the Marbles Trailmaker’s and is a decent chopper and is capable of doing some light machete work also (obviously a longer blade would be better for this). The SP5’s sheath is not great, but usable.


The BK9 is also a good value. Once I fixed the rattle, I liked the Becker sheath a lot better than the SP5’s. The Becker handles are nice in that they are bolted on to the full (Skeltonized) tang, but I find them to be a little too bulky and slick.


Of the two I would pick the SP5, if for no other reason that it handles and performs a little better for me than the BK9.





- Frank
 
I think I would go with the RTAK II. I think the micarta handles would hold up well. You might check out Noss4's site www.knifetests.com for a test of the RTAK.

John
 
Noss4 tests things to destruction. There is nothing scientific or even useful about what he does.
 
AG Russell has a nice chopper from Browning, designed by Reggie Barker and James Crowell. It has a 10" flat ground blade that has a drop point, and is 1/4" thick hi carbon steel. Handles are micarta. Looks like a nice leather sheath with it also. All of this for $139.00 which looks like a good price to me.:thumbup:
 
I have seen the tests of the RTAK2 and the Ka-bar Heavy Bowie from Noss4. Both very impressive and it shows that is a very rugged knifes. But I miss the ‘’chopper efficiency’’ in those test’s.

Anyway a other, more useful, review of the Ka-Bar shows that is it a very nice outdoor-chopping-tool also...and that is what Im looking for. maybe i go for the ka-Bar. But keep the recommendations coming guys.



@Stubai; do you have a name of that store? a lil Dutch shop advertisement will not hurt
 
If I am in the US, the Dogfather is avail. for purchase from one of the Busse bros.? I thought (from the Scrap Yard site) that they are no longer available retail?
 
Cold Steel Trail Master Bowie in SK5, or Cold Steel Gurkha Kukri also in SK5 steel. I have a Trail Master in SanMaiIII (but a bit pricey), and I have used the hell out of it. The CS Kukri will chop even better. I have found a CS kukri for $86 US, and the trailmaster for $88 and I think that is a super steal for either. either one will work, but even with my own SanMai trailmaster I am always eyeing the Kukri for it's additional weight and chopping power. Those prices were at www.knifecenter.com the cheapest I have found for these two so far. I only recommend stuff that I have used my self. I have 10 different cold steel products from cheap to expensive and all are worth what I paid and more. Give it a look.
 
I have two of the Ka-Bar HB's and beat the hell outta both on a regular basis, holds a good edge and is easy to sharpen.

I striped the coating off of one of them for better penetration, so far no problems with rust with normal care.

Finish is horrible under blade coating had to do a lot of sanding and still cannot get some of the deeper grind marks out, but still well worth the $40.00 I paid
 
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