Pestilence Chopper Review

[stabman]

Well, I got out today to actually try it out a bit finally.

Here's a pic of part of the area:

Obligatory "Knife-in-Tree" shot:

It is really quite pitiful as a chopper, much as I suspected it would be. It makes a MUCH better short machete.
It tears through finger sized branches very easily, so it's good to get thorns out of your face.
With the curve, it works pretty decently on tall grasses as well.

I tried it against a bunch of fallen deadwood of various types, and it universally sucked against them. There are zero worries about breakage...it is DAMN tough. You can chop with it till your rotator cuff gives out.
However, your rotator cuff will give out before you make much headway.
A Junglas substitute it is not.

It DID demolish this resin soaked stump though:

If you want an efficient chopper, give it a pass, despite "chopper" being in its name.

If you want a compact machete that can be batonned without fear of breakage, and which makes a good hiking knife, buy one.
The coating on it is quite durable as well.

 

[ocnLogan]

Having just received the War Sword, I think I can agree with most of this. Against green stuff it goes through it just fine. The harder stuff... it just doesn't have enough mass to really be effective. That goes both ways though, because these do seem to make nice little mini-machetes.

Stabman, I know you mention that the pestilence chopper is no junglas... but how do they compare in chopping ability? I theoretically have a BK9 in the mail, and wonder how its going to compare to the war sword.

And thanks for the review man, I really appreciate it.

 

[stabman]

Stabman, I know you mention that the pestilence chopper is no junglas... but how do they compare in chopping ability? I theoretically have a BK9 in the mail, and wonder how its going to compare to the war sword.

The Junglas is an order of magnitude more chopping power.

Here's the Pestilence Chopper next to a knife almost identical in dimensions to the Junglas:

 

[Cold Kill]

Have you resharpened the Pestilence? Although the curve is gentle, I feel it would be difficult to sharpen and strop (I like my fixed blades sharp, even large ones).

 

[stabman]

Have you resharpened the Pestilence? Although the curve is gentle, I feel it would be difficult to sharpen and strop (I like my fixed blades sharp, even large ones).

The curve certainly makes it so a regular stone isn't a good choice (gave it a quick go last night).
I'm going to try out free-hand sharpening with round ceramic rods and the Sharpmaker "rods"...I think that'll work fine.
Or sandpaper wrapped around a dowel. I have to get more sandpaper anyway.

 

[Cold Kill]

Figured stones wouldn't work too well. I have seen rounded stones around, I wonder if they would work out better...

 

[stabman]

Sharpmaker works. Just touched it up with a combination of using the corners in the base fixture, and using the rods freehand somewhat like a steel.

That SK5 touches up nicely, and held up to all my wood bashing quite well.
It makes a nice, light trail knife, where you are more concerned about getting things out of your face.
(Weird how a knife based on a WW2 small machete works like...a small machete)

 

[Cold Kill]

I love SK5. My Bushman easily feels like my most sturdy knife. The shape of the Pestilence makes it look a lot like a brush knife.

 

[Deviltooth]

I bought the War Sword but I don't really like the handle at all. That's reason enough not to purchase anything else from the line.

 

[stabman]

I bought the War Sword but I don't really like the handle at all. That's reason enough not to purchase anything else from the line.

For me the handle is good, but I've heard of others not liking it as well.
It seems to depend on the size and shape of your hand...it either works really well, or feels like getting kicked in the nuts for your hand (an expression from one of my friends).

 

[Cold Kill]

If it hurts your hand, you could look at adding some camp pad between the scales and the handle. Screw the handles on most of the way (leave the foam room to compress) and it should take most all shock away.

 

[ocnLogan]

It doesn't hurt my hand, but to me its too hard to hold onto the handle in the rearward grip. There just isn't enough handle there to hold on to when you start swinging things around. They also seem really slim, and could use a liner or two.

If there was something on the end like there is on toooj's handles or the Becker handles, I'd be much happier about them.

 

[stabman]

Just for the hell of it, I went and batanned it through some 2x4's lengthwise, and it did that very easily.
Perhaps it should have been named the "Pestilence Batonner", because it does that SO much better than chopping!

 

[stabman]

It doesn't hurt my hand, but to me its too hard to hold onto the handle in the rearward grip. There just isn't enough handle there to hold on to when you start swinging things around.

Perhaps it's the size of my hands, but for me there is only one grip, which involves gripping the entire handle.
I know it's been said that it supports different grip options, but it doesn't for me.
Which is fine, because most knives don't.

 

[Bladite]

posted this over in the Becker forum about the Beckerhead gathering, and the 2x4 (actual size, not dimensional modern stuff)...

:

since they said you could use *ANY* knife for the chopping test, SOMEONE went and asked Ethan for the most bad ass chopper he has.

what was it?

the fixed blade Case pilot survival knife.

just to say, that knife is what the Pestilence Chopper is based on...

it kicked ASSETS...

just saying

 

[stabman]

posted this over in the Becker forum about the Beckerhead gathering, and the 2x4 (actual size, not dimensional modern stuff)...

:

since they said you could use *ANY* knife for the chopping test, SOMEONE went and asked Ethan for the most bad ass chopper he has.

what was it?

the fixed blade Case pilot survival knife.

just to say, that knife is what the Pestilence Chopper is based on...

it kicked ASSETS...

just saying

I've certainly used knives which worked much, much worse.
I'd love the chance to try out the original Case someday.

And maybe it was my technique...it's hard to use knives correctly when you have lizard claws instead of hands.

 

[Bladite]

I've certainly used knives which worked much, much worse.
I'd love the chance to try out the original Case someday.

And maybe it was my technique...it's hard to use knives correctly when you have lizard claws instead of hands.

apparently the record is under 3 seconds for a 2x4... one of the guys did it in around 7-8 with the Case. these are REAL 2 inch by 4 inch boards, not that lumber stuff you find in home depot

 

[stabman]

Neat!

 

[Deviltooth]

That's a clever solution. Thank-you.

I suppose in an actual zombie attack it would be decent but then I'd like a lot more reach. And a tank.

 

[Hawk590]

one of the guys did it in around 7-8 with the Case. these are REAL 2 inch by 4 inch boards, not that lumber stuff you find in home depot

The Case that I was using was the one that Ethan let me use. I asked him which one he would use and he said the case. Jerry pointed out that one of my cuts went 1 1/2 + down through it.