Played with a Machete for the first time!

N

NothingCoherent

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Feb 2, 2010
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Moosez45 sent me a Cold Steel Magnum Kukri and a nice little wood handled Mora (which is obscenely sharp!) a little while ago, and I got out today to give 'em a good work out. Being a Canadian boy, I'm much more used to working with axes and hatchets, so this was pretty exciting for me! Thanks again Moose!

Here's where I took my girlfriend for our picnic today:

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Beautiful mountain terrain! Only about an hour of moderate hiking to find total seclusion in this windy valley.

My first experience with the machete:

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Yeah, I started off small :o. But it appears to work well!

My camera-woman went off to do her nature photography thing while I prepped more firewood and got our steaks cooking, so this is unfortunately the only "action" pic I have, but I will write up some of my thoughts on the tools.

My initial impression: I would never use the machete without a lanyard! That thing freakin' FLIES through the air. It's much easier to get a glancing blow with it than it is with an axe, so considering that and the long edge, safety is a big concern of mine.

I'm probably just inexperienced, but it seems like a machete is a tool that takes a lot of skill to use well. I'm brilliant with an axe, but my skill there didn't really translate, to my surprise. I found it pretty hard to chop effectively while downing trees and sectioning them.

However, it's without a doubt THE BEST tree-limber I've ever used. Made that job laughably easy.

It also batons decently enough, which is a plus. I frequently baton with my axes, but honestly, batoning an axe head is a bit unwieldy. The machete was very easy to use for that.

It wasn't long before I had my firewood ready, and needed to make some kindling (read: feather sticks). Out came the shiny new Mora (either a Mora #1 or #2, I'm unsure on this). I love love love Scandi ground knives for wood carving, and this knife performed as expected: excellently. I will mention though that the lack of a finger guard and the handle tapering towards the edge is definitely a weak point on this knife. It's a bit scary to use with any kind of force on the blade, due to fear of slipping onto the edge. Mora continues to be my favorite knife manufacturer, but the wood handled model doesn't quite overthrow the Clipper as my favorite blade.

Summary: A machete is hard to use! It lacks the heft needed for tougher woods we have up north, so despite its other strengths, an axe is still my preferred tool. But if I'm ever in the south, you better believe I'll have this machete with me. The Mora rocks, but you guys already all know that!

Thanks for the tools, Moose! We had a hot meal on a cool afternoon today thanks to them.
 
dude thats sweet landscape. looks like you had a blast. now i don't mean to rain on your parade, but you were using a kukri, which is a lot thicker than say a tramontina. be careful ever batoning a latin machete, because they aren't strong enough for much abuse in my experience.
 
nutnfancyfan said:
dude thats sweet landscape. looks like you had a blast. now i don't mean to rain on your parade, but you were using a kukri, which is a lot thicker than say a tramontina. be careful ever batoning a latin machete, because they aren't strong enough for much abuse in my experience.
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Thanks for the tip! I actually do own a Tramontina, but haven't gotten around to using it yet. I'll keep that in mind.

And yeah, the landscape out here is amazing, especially once the snow starts falling :) I love winter.
 
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, with that out of the way, gawdam, that's some frozen country. Sorry, a machete has no business up there. Sweet lookin' spot, but damn, that looks awesome.

That CS Mag Kuk is a little tame for that area. Stick with your axe, use the 'chete, well, whenever you want, but damn. If you're right handed, keep the left foot back, and think, what will happen if it bounces. LANYARD!!!! 12-14" long, and make sure the wrap pulls against your hand when you wrap it. It will make more sense when you feel it.

Stick to 4" and under in diameter, its a big 'chete, but damn, BC, Canada. Its light, fast and made to clear green, looks like a good July tool for you, the other 11mos, I say Wetterlings or GB.:D

The Mora, its the 'ol #1, the most used knife in Sweden. To quote the catalog, "If you ask to borrow a knife in Sweden, the No. 1 is more than likely what you'll get". Ok, you wanna know why? They all have them, and give them out 'cause they cost like $3 American. Take some sandpaper to the bottom or a Dremel and put you some finger grooves in there, so your hand won't slide up. The biggest thing I remember about the #1 is a buddy of mine using it to cut the esophogus of a whitetail deer, and hitting the collar bone on his way up. He got stitches, I got to finish the deer.

Either way, you got some cool toys to play with, BE CAREFUL, and have some fun. Glad you got to try them out.

Moose
 
moosez45 said:
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, with that out of the way, gawdam, that's some frozen country. Sorry, a machete has no business up there. Sweet lookin' spot, but damn, that looks awesome.
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Indeed it is!

Hah, I knew going in to things that the CS wasn't quite the right tool for the job. I just wanted to try that 'chete out pretty badly and this was the first free weekend I've had since receiving it! Haha. It's definitely a lot of fun. I look forward to learning the ins and outs of this type of tool.

My axe of choice for this sort of work is of course the 19" Gransfors! It's just big enough to use two handed, and still easily packable. I have been meaning to purchase a Wetterlings or two to supplement my wood chopping needs, though :)

Thanks for the suggestion! I might put some grooves in the handle of that Mora, it seems like a good idea.

I'll definitely be getting a lot of use out of these blades! Especially that 'chete. It's way too much fun!
 
Oh, hell yeah, it's fun. It's lighter and quicker than any axe made, and it can be used as good tool for the area, but it has it limits. I look forward to seeing your posts here in about 6 mos when that same area is green and lush. I loves me some 'chete, but you have to remember, I live in a rainforest. Hell, for 4mos a year, we have over 90% humidity, and it SUCKS!!! An axe has no business here during that time. Beef that handle up on that CS Mag Kuk too, I always thought it was too thin, and lacked girth for a swinging blade. Have some serious fun and keep me posted on what you think about it for your area. Once again, BE CAREFUL, and have some fun.

Moose
 
moosez45 said:
Oh, hell yeah, it's fun. It's lighter and quicker than any axe made, and it can be used as good tool for the area, but it has it limits. I look forward to seeing your posts here in about 6 mos when that same area is green and lush. I loves me some 'chete, but you have to remember, I live in a rainforest. Hell, for 4mos a year, we have over 90% humidity, and it SUCKS!!! An axe has no business here during that time. Beef that handle up on that CS Mag Kuk too, I always thought it was too thin, and lacked girth for a swinging blade. Have some serious fun and keep me posted on what you think about it for your area. Once again, BE CAREFUL, and have some fun.

Moose
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I'm thinking of rigging up some kind of ranger band grip system on the handle to make it a bit "softer." The plastic material on it is pretty rough as is, and I agree that any extra girth on a handle is almost always a good thing.

There's a WICKED sub-alpine bowl filled with thorns and poison ivy I discovered last summer that takes about 18 hours hiking to get to. It halted my mountain exploration in its tracks, forcing me to turn around, unfulfilled. I wanted more than anything to carve a trail through it when I was there, but didn't have the right tools for it (hence why I bought a Tramontina that I haven't used yet).

Guess where that CS Kukri is going next Summer? ;)
 
Use some hockey tape, you Canucks always have that stuff around, kinda like us Southerner have duct tape and Neosporin. A few wraps in that should do just fine. And LANYARD, don't forget. I'd hate to see a post where you were gettin' 26 stitches over a giveaway gift. LMAO.

Seriously, med tape, grip tape, or hell, a Dremel could make some difference there. I actually thought about plastidip would be perfect over some gutted para cord.

Let us know what you decide. BC, Canada, DAMN.

Moose
 
that first pic is just awesome! i love snow. everything just looks so pristine and peaceful - as long as i already have a good bonfire going to sit next to and thaw out my frozen fingers...otherwise it's pure white hell i tell yah! :D
 
Hah, I just found a strangely relevant pic that was taken today.

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Explanation: Moose sent me the blades after I was chosen as the winner of his 1000th post give away. The contest was to post a story about when you outsmarted your gear. My post in that thread was about the time my group was lost in a mountain with a bad storm coming in. We decided that instead of hunkering down in our tents and waiting it out that we would hike to a lower elevation, further into unknown territory, in order to find real shelter. We managed to get under the snow line and avoid the worst of the storm because of that decision, getting our bearings and making it out the next day.

So why is this picture relevant? Well, that right there is the very mountain we were lost behind! On the other side of it lies a large valley that branches off into a "Y" shape. That's where we were, trying to escape the storm.

Thought you guys might be interested! And most people here like to look at pictures of nature, so :o
 
Awesome stuff! What kind of axe are you using up there?

There is nothing like having a good time with a big ol' chopper in the woods, but to me, I find the axe to be the ultimate bushcraftin' tool...

JGON
 
JGON said:
Awesome stuff! What kind of axe are you using up there?

There is nothing like having a good time with a big ol' chopper in the woods, but to me, I find the axe to be the ultimate bushcraftin' tool...

JGON
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I like a good half axe!

My personal favorite is the Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe. I carry it most often. I also have the Scandinavian Forest Axe they make, which is something like 6" longer, but I don't carry it as often. I like to have something a tad more packable.

I also usually carry a small folding saw (currently the Bahco Laplander, previously a Sawvivor) and a light duty fixed blade.

Honestly, I'm not much of a knife guy. I'm more of an advocate of having the right tool for the job (90% of time, that's an axe!). I can't get much done out in my local bush with a big bad "survival" knife. The way I see it, knives aren't meant for chopping, so why carry a blade over say... 4 inches? What else is all that length for? I'd much rather have the control and packability of a small blade. So I usually just carry a Mora. I'm thinking of getting a Becker neck knife and giving it a whirl as my primary blade, though.
 
I'd argue that a machete DOES have business up there, but that's just my opinion so feel free to disagree. I'm in the dense temperate forests of Maine and a machete is my go-to tool. :D:thumbup:

If you're getting a high tendency towards glancing blows then your edge angle isn't thinned out enough, causing you to glance when attempting narrow-angle cuts because you end up hitting with the shoulder of the blade instead of the edge.

On that model I also highly recommend taking some sandpaper to the grip in order to smooth down the checkering a little--it's a blister machine if you leave it stock!

Latin-pattern machetes have no trouble being batoned through stuff on account of their thinness, but rather you should only baton Latin most patterns through light stuff because of the shock that will be transferred to the hand if you try going through anything large. The mass distribution is a little too even to make that comfortable, though it'll still work in a pinch. Just expect to work up a sweat! That being said, there are lots of patterns out there that do baton well.

Hope that helps in some way, and enjoy the heck out of that thing! :cool:
 
I'm sure it would be very very easy to get lost in woods like that. Venture very far off a trail and you better be equipped and experienced lest you be a popsicle.
 
Sounds like you had a lot of fun. I like to use my machetes, too, however in the winter big knives take over here. I find them more fun to use in the winter. :thumbup:
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I'd argue that a machete DOES have business up there, but that's just my opinion so feel free to disagree. I'm in the dense temperate forests of Maine and a machete is my go-to tool. :D:thumbup:

If you're getting a high tendency towards glancing blows then your edge angle isn't thinned out enough, causing you to glance when attempting narrow-angle cuts because you end up hitting with the shoulder of the blade instead of the edge.

On that model I also highly recommend taking some sandpaper to the grip in order to smooth down the checkering a little--it's a blister machine if you leave it stock!

Latin-pattern machetes have no trouble being batoned through stuff on account of their thinness, but rather you should only baton Latin most patterns through light stuff because of the shock that will be transferred to the hand if you try going through anything large. The mass distribution is a little too even to make that comfortable, though it'll still work in a pinch. Just expect to work up a sweat! That being said, there are lots of patterns out there that do baton well.

Hope that helps in some way, and enjoy the heck out of that thing! :cool:
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I agree with FortyTwoBlades. I have batoned a Tramontina bola for 25+ years - no problems at all. I don't disagree that an axe would sometimes be a better tool, but I have a herniated disc and can't use an axe, so I use the next best thing.

And for me, a machete is way safer to use than a hatchet, especially when I'm tired and/or cold.

Years ago, a buddy came on his first canoe trip with us and asked why we didn't have machetes. To which we replied - no sugar cane! :rolleyes:

On his second trip, he brought his machete (he was from Jamaica), and he let us try it out.

On the third trip, we all had machetes - Tram bolas. Now, unfortunately, the only ones up here I can find are much thinnner than what I am used to.

Doc
 
dialton said:
I'm sure it would be very very easy to get lost in woods like that. Venture very far off a trail and you better be equipped and experienced lest you be a popsicle.
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The nice thing about hiking in mountains is you ALWAYS have a point of reference to work with (peaks and such around you). It's easy to get lost in some areas, but staying lost for very long is hard when you're basically hiking around inside a big funnel. It's difficult to accidentally hike over a mountain and into an unfamiliar valley! Although I did manage to do that the one time, haha.

We make our own trails when we go hiking, because we are anti-social and hate seeing all the bright coloured tents and safety gear other backpackers use. It kind of ruins the immersion of being in the thick of things.

So because of that, I've been "lost" many times in these mountain ranges, but only twice have I ever felt my life was threatened. I like getting lost. It's the same as exploring, and gives me a reason to stay out longer! I'm experienced enough to keep myself alive through everything but the worst (which is, in my opinion, mechanical injury, followed closely by falling in water - hypothermia). Gotta feed that lust for adventure, no?
 
DOC-CANADA said:
I agree with FortyTwoBlades. I have batoned a Tramontina bola for 25+ years - no problems at all. I don't disagree that an axe would sometimes be a better tool, but I have a herniated disc and can't use an axe, so I use the next best thing.

And for me, a machete is way safer to use than a hatchet, especially when I'm tired and/or cold.

Years ago, a buddy came on his first canoe trip with us and asked why we didn't have machetes. To which we replied - no sugar cane! :rolleyes:

On his second trip, he brought his machete (he was from Jamaica), and he let us try it out.

On the third trip, we all had machetes - Tram bolas. Now, unfortunately, the only ones up here I can find are much thinnner than what I am used to.

Doc
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Glad to see I'm not alone! :D:thumbup:
 
Thanks for the pic NC. I only intend to go through MUCH thinner diameter brush from spring to fall. And I was also wondering about that exact machete, because it is easy for me to buy from a favoured vendor. Good, now I can save a lot of hassle and just grab one of these.
 
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