School me on machetes

S

SGTCap

Joined
Oct 21, 2007
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I've seen machetes mentioned in a few threads in various places on the forum but I haven't gotten any solid information yet. I've really been getting more interested in these since I got my first machete a few mnonths ago to keep on my four wheeler. Its the longer offering from Gerber and its been pretty solid since I put an edge on it and sharpened the sawback. I would really like to pick up a few more machetes of different styles to try out though. Could anyone point me in a good direction?
 
Personally I'm not a big fan of the Gerber machetes. My favorites (in no particular order) are Condor (best machetes on the market) Imacasa (Condor's parent company), Hansa, and Tramontina. Note that for all of these companies except Condor will need to be sharpened and shaped up a little, but the designs and performance are phenomenal.

Machetespecialist.com is a good place to start. They're the only online source for Imacasa or Hansa at the moment. :)
 
Head for the Wilderness sub-forum here. There's a lot of machete-talk there right now. Quiz folks like Joezilla and Horn Dog and you'll learn more than any ordinary citizen would ever want to know.:)

I particularly enjoy Horn Dog's many chopper reviews. Learned a lot from them, myself (especially respect for Condor/Imacasa).

I'm now the proud owner of a Collins machete modified (magnificently) by Fiddleback (Andy Roy), one of the many fine knifemakers here on BF.:thumbup:
 
Fortytwoblades I can see why someone wouldnt like the Gerber. For on ethe blade is awful thin. THe saw has been a life saver though. I ride in deep swamps and its not at all uncommon the get hung up on cypress knees. Once your on one you cant chop it out, cause theres no room to swing, and even a bow saw might not have room to work. With the saw back sharpened up though I can rip through them and be on my way again. For most applications though I can see where the saw would be worthless. For the quad though its hard to beat.

Since I convexed the edge it suits and chops fairly well, but I would prefer a little thicker stock, and some more forward heft.
 
I have a Tramontina machete I picked up several years ago for around 20 bucks while I was in Central America, it has a custom leather sheath made with it, so far it has been a handy tool, last summer I cleared a path through the woods cutting large brush with ease before hunting season and it performed exceptionally well they are a great buy for the money if your just getting into machetes.. :thumbup:.
 
SGTCap said:
For on ethe blade is awful thin. THe saw has been a life saver though.
Click to expand...

I carry a cheap machete on the '84 Honda ATC I use for farm chores, but also a 2-1/4# camp axe that I use more often.

Sawing and chopping are two kinda conflicting functions to ask from a machete. The thicker a saw blade is, the more muscle it requires to cut, because you're removing more wood fiber from the kerf, especially if the teeth have lots of set, for cutting though green wood like you describe. A saw blade under tension, like a bow saw, can be even thinner.

Thickness is usually an asset to chopping tools, as it allows the blade to absorb more impact without deforming. So your Gerber is their best guess at a compromise between the two.

Parker
 
catspa said:
I carry a cheap machete on the '84 Honda ATC I use for farm chores, but also a 2-1/4# camp axe that I use more often.

Sawing and chopping are two kinda conflicting functions to ask from a machete. The thicker a saw blade is, the more muscle it requires to cut, because you're removing more wood fiber from the kerf, especially if the teeth have lots of set, for cutting though green wood like you describe. A saw blade under tension, like a bow saw, can be even thinner.

Thickness is usually an asset to chopping tools, as it allows the blade to absorb more impact without deforming. So your Gerber is their best guess at a compromise between the two.

Parker
Click to expand...

Thickness is only a good thing up to a point. One of the wonderful things about machetes is the fact that they put ALL of their mass directly behind the cutting edge. This means it doesn't need to displace as much material during the cut, so less energy from the blow is lost. It's not just about how much mass there is, but also where you put it. ;)

But I agree with you that sawback machetes tend to be a conflicting compromise in 9 out of 10 cases. The saw on the Gerbers is quite decent, but the machete function I find lacking (also the near lack of a tang freaks me out). I'd invest in a Silky folding saw and a dedicated machete, personally. :)
 
the gerber is garbage if you ask me.
i have no idea what kinda saw-back you guys got on yours but mine is terrible! no where even near comparable to an actual saw.
like FortyTwoBlades said, the tang is scary. becuase the second bolt only just kinda slots in the blade can pivot alot. coz of that the top of my handle is actually starting to crack
but i guess you know all that already.
unfortunately i dont have any other suggestions though. haha
 
Where the hell is Joezilla when you need him?

I'm working on a few various machete 'tune ups' for people right now and the condor and ontarios are great buys.

I've also p[icked up several in surplus shops that have done very well.

edit: oh yeah, I HATE sawbacks. tears up the hands when you start to actually use the machete for things besides chopping.
 
koyote said:
Where the hell is Joezilla when you need him?

I'm working on a few various machete 'tune ups' for people right now and the condor and ontarios are great buys.

I've also p[icked up several in surplus shops that have done very well.

edit: oh yeah, I HATE sawbacks. tears up the hands when you start to actually use the machete for things besides chopping.
Click to expand...

Don't forget chewing the hell out of your sheath!:eek:
 
You'll like the condor, its one good cutter. I tried out the gerber and it worked OK, but it seemed flimsy and clicked at the handle junction. You can get a thinner machete that is A. Easier to swing through light material
B. Thick machete, a better chopper but will wear you out. If you want a good compromise between chopping and slicing, also check out a Golok, and look at 'em all.
 
For the record, I was speaking in general terms. I've never used the Gerber in question, although I have cut and set saw teeth into various machetes that didn't have them before, and that's what I found.

My best machete ever was a square-end Barteaux that I did the teeth particularly well. It had a red plastic handle with integral guard, and I made a scabbard for it from 2" fire hose (very tough stuff). I carried it on my rescue pack when I was in search and rescue for the county, and used it for everything from cutting shelter poles to clearing trail to digging snow holes to peeling bark like a drawknife (because the teeth didn't go all the way to the tip). Unfortunately, it was stolen about 12 years ago, sniff, sniff.

One of these days I oughta make another one.

Parker
 
Not sure who you're talking about--there are several folks here who do that. However, Joezilla (above) has done it more frequently and in greater quantity than most folks I know. :D
 
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