sharpening a Latin machete

8

80sskater

Joined
May 30, 2018
Messages
44
Something I don't have much experience with how do you guys prefer to do it? I was thinking about making you some type of a strop with a thin strip of foam underneath sandpaper so I could use it on my Axe and machetes. I know there are a few different ways to do this just looking for opinions
 
I use a 4" disc grinder with a abrasive impregnated pad (designed to remove rust)similar to a very coarse scotchbrite pad, it works great just make sure the wheel is spinning away from the edge,leaves a nice convex grind
 
What's the context? Are we talking about putting an edge on a fresh-from-the-factory machete with its coarse "courtesy grind" non-edge, sharpening a machete that's already been properly beveled but taken damage, or maintenance honing of a machete that's still pretty sharp but needs a quick touch-up? I'd give radically different answers depending on what the context is.
 
Its new, out of the box. Does not need to be razor sharp but right now there is paint on the edge and it's pretty dull
 
Set a nice low bevel on a belt grinder or clamp it to a bench and use a flap disc in an angle grinder on it, being careful not to burn the steel. If using a file, this method works. The demo starts at 5:20.

 
What FortyTwoBlades FortyTwoBlades said. I've used both a file and a belt grinder and while the belt sander is faster, machetes are soft enough that a file will take away metal fast. I usually only bother with the last 1/2 of the edge since that's what gets used unless it will see some bushcrafting type stuff where pulling wood into the edge is common, or prepping food. Just make sure to gently knock the steel shavings from the file as they fill up quick with the amount of material that usually needs removed.

I usually finish with a stone or sandpaper, usually not progressing past a medium courseness. In the field, I use a course puck from baryonyx's sharpening stones. I've been carrying that in a ziploc with water and paper towel and it's worked pretty well that way, vs dry.
 
I use a bastard file quite a bit. I carry one with the machete to make in-field touch ups.

When I am done with heavy work weeks, I’ll slow down and use a 240 grit stone and clean up my messy “file” edge.

I love using machetes and have landed on Tramontina as my default. They usually come with an unsharpened tip, so the file is a great option to remove material quickly.
 
I did pretty good using a 10" mill bastard file on my 18" Tramontina. I clamped the blade to a piece of plywood using a vise-grip padded with a rag to hold it. Then followed the angle of the "courtesy" grind to bring the mostly flat edge to an apex all the way to the tip (which was unground). Followed up with a DMT corse then fine hone to get a razor sharp final edge at a slightly steeper angle. It took a couple of hours sitting on the porch one morning with my coffee. As easy as it was to take the material off the blade, I am surprised at how well that edge holds. It goes for days of abuse and only needs a touch up.
 
MolokaiRider said:
I use a bastard file quite a bit. I carry one with the machete to make in-field touch ups.

When I am done with heavy work weeks, I’ll slow down and use a 240 grit stone and clean up my messy “file” edge.

I love using machetes and have landed on Tramontina as my default. They usually come with an unsharpened tip, so the file is a great option to remove material quickly.
Click to expand...

I think my tram also came with basically an untouched tip. I kind of left it really obtuse since i cut into the ground to get sapplings and briars all the way to the ground.

The file you carry with you, is it a full-sized file or something a little smaller, like a pocket file?
 
These machetes have obtuse grinds with no edge usually.I sharpened couple of mine on small belt sander,had to change the grind,gave it a scandivex grind,lol and then sharpened it.Chop like a dream,one is cheap Chinese pos machete with no brand and other one iz cold steel panga,made in s africa,they come with no grind lol,but afterwards after some work perform well.You can also use stone first,then sandpaper..,theres a lot 9f material that needs to be taken off.Ontario machetes are good too.
 
Thanks for the inspiration everyone. I just sharpened a 30 year old Chinese machete that I bought as as teenager. I used the WSKO starting with 80 grit and stepped through to 22 micron (~600 grit). The burr was very difficult on this thing. The only was I could get rid of it was to fold it over with my fingers and then do high angle edge leading strokes on a stone. I used a DMT EF, which was probably the wrong stone for this.

After it would slice printer paper and mostly slice phonebook paper, but had snags and hangs; nothing like a good knife. But not so bad for a big nasty machete made of mystery steel. Seems to chop things pretty well in the back yard.

Next I'll go after my latin pattern machete that was bought around the same time 30+ years ago and has only seen a file since then.

Brian.
 
bikerector said:
I think my tram also came with basically an untouched tip. I kind of left it really obtuse since i cut into the ground to get sapplings and briars all the way to the ground.

The file you carry with you, is it a full-sized file or something a little smaller, like a pocket file?
Click to expand...

I can definitely see the reasoning behind leaving the tip like it comes from the factory.

When I’m working or around my truck/house it’s a regular file. If I’m hiking I just carry a Coarse DuoFold.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top