Optimizing a Machete

pict

pict

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Jan 7, 2003
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For a while now I have been refining my machete blades to better handle some of the wilderness survival tasks I do most often in the bush. This has been a slow process of learning and adaptation, but I now have a system that works for me and I thought I´d share it here. I mainly do these mods on Tramontina machetes but I also have a 12 inch Ontario and a Saico set up like this. This works for me YMMV.

1. File the entire back of the blade flat to remove the rough surface.

2. Round off the spine from the point to about 2/3 back towards the handle. This makes it much easier to grip the back of the blade without wearing out your hand. Leave the bottom 1/3 of the blade spine with a right angle squared off back.

3. File and sand the wood/plastic handle to match the tang. This works wonders for not ripping up the hand.

4. File a 2 inch section at the base of the blade into a flat scandi grind. This portion will stay sharp as it is rarely impacted when chopping.

5. Convex the forward portion of the cutting edge.

6. On some of my machetes I have a short false edge on the spine to improve penetration.

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Here's a Saico (photo taken at the end of a trip) I set up like this. You can see the scandi grind portion at the base of the blade.

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This is my personal 16 inch Tramontina.

Uses of the various edges.

Squared off spine - Scraped perpendicular to a hardwood surface it will produce handfulls of dry fuzzy shavings that with many woods will light with ferro rod sparks, or can be used to blow up a coal. It also can be used to make magnesium shavings from a Doan tool or strike a ferro rod or Doan tool sparker. I keep a rubber covered Doan tool laced to the sheath of each of my machetes. Each sheath has a few meters of paracord for use in building shelters.

Scandi Edge - Having a super sharp section close to the handle will allow you lots of control when doing detailed cutting work, food prep, and shaving or roughing out wood. It works great for cutting ropes and vines as well. Often walking in heavy undergrowth you get hung up with vines and that section will cut you free close to the body with minimal effort.

Convex Edge - Ordinary chopping, holds up well.

Blunt Tip - This part isn't really used for chopping and doesn't need to be sharpened. I don't hesitate to use the point of a machete to dig with as it doesn't affect the tools cutting ability. I often use the machete blade tip to dig out sandy seeps to collect water.

Rounded off Spine - I do this mainly to save my hands when gripping the back of the blade when using like a drawknife or pushing down making wood curls for lighting fires. It also works great for smashing stuff you want to break open like nut shells, rotten wood, or termite nests, thus saving your cutting edge. Often I will use the back of the blade to smash up lumps on the ground where I plan to sleep.

The optimized machete blade will touch on all aspects of wilderness survival: digging for water, shelter building, clearing campsites, navigating dense brush, splitting out dry wood, making kindling, making tinder, striking a ferro rod, using the Doan tool, food prep, trap construction, stripping bark for cordage, etc. It really is the one tool you can't do without down here.

Like I said, this is what works for me. If you have other mods that work for you I'd like to hear about them. Mac
 
Interesting, sounds like a good idea. I got an extra machete somewhere around here, I'm gonna have to try this.

Instead of the rounded edge you could drill a string of holes along the spine and thread paracord through it. It would make a handle surface and store some paracord.
 
Orrey45,

I use the sheath for storing cordage. Most often it gets used for replacement boot laces. I think if it was on the blade it would be more of a liability getting in the way of blade function and sheathing it.

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Here's one of my students making a map during the compass navigation hike. The machete has a few meters of paracord and a Doan tool attached. Mac
 
Due to all the recent machete talk I decided to bump this post. Posts seem to fly past rather quick here. All the variuos wilderness topics get discussed in one forum so nothing hangs around for very long.

I've seen some interesting mods here recently. I have an idea to "Golokize" a broad bladed Tramontina that I have.

Lets add some machete mods to this post. I'm interested to see what you all have come up with. Mac
 
Pict,

Thanks for the bump, this a great thread. I am going to make some of the mods you talk about on my new 18" Tram, I'll post them. Thanks again...
 
Awesome post, as mneedham said I'll be seeing how these mods will work on my machetes (unfortunately they don't see much use in my environment). :D
 
Wabajack,

Thats why I'm not making all the mods, I use a machete a lot in the summer for keeping paths around my property clear and battling wild roses. My son and I enjoy going out together and slaying brush... I carry a pocket knife and an FB the way Pict uses a machete (different environments), but I will be making the handle mods and proximate blade changes...
 
That's a good layout, very practical.

Just curious, but have you used the machete as a primary tool in other areas, like north american wooded places? (vs the jungle)
 
When I'm back in PA I use a 12 inch Ontario. I don't need the length and appreciate the weight on harder woods. I raised a few eyebrows the last time I butchered a deer with it.

The bush here can grow to a denisty that I rarely see in PA. There you can usually walk around a thicket, here the bush is a thicket.

I am just used to doing what I need to with a machete. I am relatively lost with an axe or hatchet. Mac
 
Im new to machetes. Picked up a old wwII martindale crocodile. Attempted cut a trail with it. Sharpened it like a knife,because I dont know any better. It failed miserably, not being able to hack through locust saplings. Finished the trail with a hatchett.
 
This looks great. I live in a northern environment so I've never really used a machete, I can bushwhack pretty easily without needing to cut through. Wish I could have some content to post, because this is a good idea for a thread.
 
I've been playing with the idea of a straighter bladed machete, but I really like the idea of a scandi grind for several inches at the base. If I was starting from scratch I might make a chisel grind for 4 inches for better draw knife work.

I've taken a cheapo and modified it down to 13.5" in blade, straight edge. The scandi grind Idea is pretty good, I think if I was doing one from scratch I'd do a chisel grind for bette draw knifing.

Notes- in this part of CA I mostly use a chopper for trimming weed trees down, cutting rose-gone-wild, and clearing "brambles" in bottomlands.
 
dipbait said:
Im new to machetes. Picked up a old wwII martindale crocodile. Attempted cut a trail with it. Sharpened it like a knife,because I dont know any better. It failed miserably, not being able to hack through locust saplings. Finished the trail with a hatchett.
Click to expand...

How are you supposed to sharpen a machete then?:confused: I always sharpen mine like a knife on a whetstone. Or do you mean angle?
 
dipbait said:
Im new to machetes. Picked up a old wwII martindale crocodile. Attempted cut a trail with it. Sharpened it like a knife,because I dont know any better. It failed miserably, not being able to hack through locust saplings. Finished the trail with a hatchett.
Click to expand...

it could be partly how you use the machete too , they are god if you cut at an angle to the stuff you are cutting , like at 45 deg instead of 90 deg , and using a draw cut or sabre cut ( slicing action as well as chopping action ) it works heaps better again .

just a thort ...
 
The angle of your cut is critical. You want to chop at a 45 degree angle or there about. If you try to cut straight across the thing you are cutting will flex and absorb the shock rather than transmit it to the cut.

Another thing a machete will do is to begin to follow the grain as it slows down in the cut. Big bamboo is notorious for this. As the blade starts in at 45 degrees it will slow and turn straight down following a split down the grain. To counter this as the blade makes contact (not before) lay the spine of the blade down a little. This is hard to describe and hard to learn to do consistently, it is a matter of timing not force, but it really does make your cutting more efficient. Mac
 
3wolves said:
How are you supposed to sharpen a machete then?:confused: I always sharpen mine like a knife on a whetstone. Or do you mean angle?
Click to expand...

Yes, I sharpened it at the same angles as I do knives. I resharpened it however with a diamond stone. Attempting to put a convex grind on it. Again I might be making a mistake. Maybe Im using this machete for something it wasnt designed for. Im hacking honey locust, a rather hard and springy wood ,1 to 2 inches in diameter. Chopping at a 45 degree angle near the base. It just doesnt seem to penetrate the wood. This is the machete."Martindale Crocodile 1945 Sheffield" Picked it up at a thrift store for four dollars.

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sharpened at the same angle as a knife , Id have thought the machete wold have sliced thru anything , maybe the edge roll a bit tho when used on harder stuff

you GOT to have your angle of cut at about 45 degrees +/- to what you are cutting tho , this is important

also you got to use a draw cut / sabre cut when you are cutting , it makes a huge difference to your work and is kinder to your blade , you are doing a fast hard slice with your blade instead of impacting the cutting edge in one spot .. if that makes sense ...



if it really bugs you , message me . I have a slightly used but sharp and known to be good machete that you can have , it will at least help you work out if its the tool or you that is the problem .
 
"also you got to use a draw cut / sabre cut when you are cutting , it makes a huge difference to your work and is kinder to your blade , you are doing a fast hard slice with your blade instead of impacting the cutting edge in one spot .. if that makes sense ..."

That may be the problem. Ive been trying to chop with it.
 
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