Need to know what the best machete type blade would be for the following

D

Delon

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Sep 23, 2005
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I am currently a member of a SAR team, which mainly ends up working in places very overgrown with blackberry bushes. I am looking for a good machete type knife for cutting trails through this crap.

I have looked at the websites of HI and Coldsteel among others.

What is your guys opion on that is best to cut through this vine type crap ?



Thanks,
 
I don't know what would be best, but I'm extremely impressed with my HI khukuri if that makes any difference. Replaced my axe.
 
Becker knives are great. I have the BK9 and crewman and love them. For you you should look at the patrol machete or brute. I have heard nothing but great things about both. Worth takin a look.
 
I too love the HI khukuri for most large cutting chores. I have been experimenting with a Woodmans Pal that a friend gave me for Christmas also www.woodmanspal.com is the web address. It might be a good choice also for that sort of vegetation since you can chop with it and you can also use the hook like part to pull cut items in a bad position. I have not done extensive testing yet since not much thin greenery to slice in Maine in winter. I will know better come summer, but it seems a cool niche tool.
 
I traded my HI kukri to a friend for a CS kukri and have never looked back. I'm also very happy with my Kershaw outcast but I think the blade isnt conducive to brush and its fairly light weight.
 
I am not aware of the qualities of a Blackberry bush, so my input may be of limited value. Down here we have dewberries everywhere. They are not very substantial plants (in terms of the thickness of their "branches"), and grow in low sprawling bushes that are bigger around than they are tall. Every part of the bush is covered with stickers that although not as thorny as roses or cactus will still rip open skin that is not protected. Are the two berry plants similar? I have one of the larger CS Latin machetes, the long reach afforded by it help me get at the plants with less worry about the hand holding the tool. Although it came out of the box dull (the "edge" was actually a "flat"), once an I got an edge to form on it I was very impressed with its cutting abilities. The Latin machete does do quite well on Oak and Mesquite branches that are smaller than my wrist, and any hardwood stalk the diameter of a finger (thumb) yields to a single blow. The Kukri may "chop" better, though it will likely force you to get closer to the work than a longer machete. Hope that helps
 
talk to Yangdu and tell her what you need. I would say a kobra, chainpuri, chitlangi or sirupati would be good so long as you don't have heavy chopping to do. Heavy chopping for a khuk would be branches thicker than your leg. For grasses I'd take a long machete but for 1"-2" branches one of the lighter khuks would be good. As far as machetes I have a Martindale that's pretty good. Good hunting.

Frank
 
I know about the low dewberry bushes here in Texas and about the much taller blackberry bushes that grow in Louisiana. I hate to bad mouth any kind of knife or machete but If I had to cut my way though a blackberry maze I would use a pair of Loppers that we use to cut up small limbs in yardwork. This is a device that works similar to a pair of scissors with handles about four feet long. The blades are curved and cut limbs very well. The reason I would not use a chopping device such as a machete is because if you chop into the bush near the ground the top of the long limbs is going to lash back at you like a whip and you will get a lot of briars in your hide. I know from experience because I have tried this.
 
I like my ontario machete, and I've been looking at the CS panga; they're so cheap!
 
I worked in Arkansas for years, walking transect lines through dense briars, vines, and thorns. IMO, those things are best if left attached to the ground. If you swing at them with a blade, they're likely to whip around and get 'ya. Again just my opinion, if you must clear briars or blackberry bushes from an area, use a pair of sharp snippers and a long-handled rake to pull them aside.

Good Luck with that, I wouldn't go back there for anything,
-Bob
 
okc18_field_orange.jpg


I would suggest the 18” Ontario machetes with the molded D-guard handles (available in blaze orange so that they are easier to find if you set them down in the brush). The D-guards do help protect you hands but not everyone likes them (they are easy to saw off if need be).

http://www.ontarioknife.com/machetes.html


I would get the machetes sharpened professionally by a knife maker and get some of the 3”/credit card size DMT hones to maintain the edges in the field.

http://www.dmtsharp.com/products/diasharp.htm


The plastic GI scabbard (made specifically for the 18” Ontario machete) is a good way to carry these machetes safely. These are set up with hangers for the old style GI pistol belts, but are best carried attached to a pack or slug diagonally across the torso with a baldric or a sling which can be rigged up to the pistol belt attachment.

LINK

Small bypass pruners would come in handy for cutting the black berry stickers when there is not enough room to safely swing a machete.






- Frank
 
frank kI would get the machetes sharpened professionally by a knife maker and get some of the 3”/credit card size DMT hones to maintain the edges in the field. [/QUOTE said:
I just use a mill bastard file-the steel is relatively soft, and takes a wicked edge.
Click to expand...
 
If you have room to swing a long blade your best bet is a long thin machete. A long thin blade is a fast blade. Since light bushes yield when you swipe at them you need all the speed you can get to clip through them before they are displaced. Thin blades will also pass through the plants with less force and hence cut rather than push on the vines. You will also be further from thorns with a long blade. A cheap Tramontina machete with 22-inch blade may really work better than more expensive machetes with shorter/thicker blades:
http://www.ebladestore.com/knives/TT-522.html?

I would just sharpen it with a 12 inch mill bastard file or some type of power sander.
 
I agree with both Swollenshoulder and Jeff Clark. Being from the "Big Thicket" part of East Texas, originally, I've used a machete since the age of 12 to cut my way through cow vines, blackberry vines...you name it. I now use one to cut through mesquite, cedar, and oak along with various vines. It's been my experience that the lighter and thinner the vine or limb is, the longer and thinner your blade should be... for speed of swing and to keep your blade hand out of the thorns. Just be sure to keep it sharp so it'll cut rather than just push the vegetation around. Like the others have said, I just keep a bastard file with me for touch-ups when needed. A bigger file keeps your hand a safer distance from the business edge of the machete.

Just my two cents worth.
 
If I remember my berry bushes right, a kukhri would be a horrendous choice. Way too heavy and powerful, you'll be doing tons of work and mostly pushing the bushes out of the way. I'd be looking at a classic, light-and-fast machete, probably in the 18"+ range to keep my hands out of the stickers.

Tramontina is a fine, inexpensive choice. And of course I could have saved my breath because I see Jeff told you all that two posts above me.
 
Joe Talmadge said:
If I remember my berry bushes right, a kukhri would be a horrendous choice. Way too heavy and powerful, you'll be doing tons of work and mostly pushing the bushes out of the way.
Click to expand...

While there are massive models going over 3/4" thick and weighing pounds, there are also ones forged out of files and are really sharp in hand, I have used the intermediate ones to cut grasses and various light vegetation and they make better models for that than the ones I havs used.

However machetes are way cheaper and if all you need to cut is light material then they are all you need. The initial edge profiles are *WAY* to obtuse though, you need to hog off a huge amount of material to get them to work optimally.

You can do it with a file but this is a lot of work with a 22" blade. However you generally only cut with the tip region so start there with the reprofiling.

-Cliff
 
I like a long handle cane knife myself, can get em for $8 each at the feed store back home.
 
A lighter kukri [ 18 oz] would be my choice for a knife. The best tool would be a heavy duty weed wacker with steel blade !!
 
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