Short Machete vs Coconut

C

coote

Joined
Apr 3, 2006
Messages
1,465
I've never done this before. I simply held the coconut in my left hand and made short deliberate chops with my right hand. I cut a groove right around the narrower end of the nut, then pushed the blade into the groove and levered off the top. The milk was saved, and the flesh was delicious.

The convex grind on this 10" Tramontina stood up well to the chopping. It made a nice, neat job.

TramCoconut2.jpg
 
do you have coconuts in your part of nz if so im moving there. will you be my sponsor? heard your country was short on machinist.
 
The last one I did I made a hole with the awl on a Vic Soldier, to drain the milk, then wailed away w/ my machete. For some reason yours looks much better.:D
 
No... we don't have coconuts growing around my neighborhood. It is possible, I guess, that one or two specimens may be growing in gardens in the extreme north of the country.... but we are not that kind of Pacific Island. Pity.

I'm a machinist by trade also. Fitter, turner and machinist (metalworker).
 
If you hold your hand and the coconut like a cats paw, it clears your fingers a little more. Glorious knife usage!
 
Good idea Joezilla. Gotta be real careful. A small swing from maybe only two or three inches away can be amazingly effective. There may be guys around who can swing their blade above their head and still hit the right spot every time, but I wouldn't risk it. I chopped using the portion of the blade right down near the handle.
 
I've seen guys open green coconuts holding them in the left hand and chopping away. Here it's part of the show but I won't do it. One slip and my math ability would go out the window. It kind of redefines "Carry the One". Mac
 
Any Cal. said:
The last one I did I made a hole with the awl on a Vic Soldier, to drain the milk, then wailed away w/ my machete. For some reason yours looks much better.:D
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That's the way I would do it. This story reminds of my technique used once, (well many times but this was the last time) that I held an avocado in my left hand and stabbed the seed with a knife to dislodge it...........long story short, I missed:grumpy: No pictures. But lesson learned.
 
Cool pics! There's a lady at the flea market down the road who opens coconuts for a living. She chops 'em open, mixes in various juices, and sells them as beverages from a stand. She's really good at it. She uses a 22" Tramontina, and slices the top off with a single chop- every time. She's like a surgeon. :thumbup: I should see if she'll let me take pictures sometime.
 
Just opened one up the other day--just rapped it hard with the spine of a machete all around it and it popped right open. :)
 
It was carried here by a swallow! :D

Seriously, I just picked one up at the supermarket. :p
 
Moonwilson... does she hold it in her hand when chopping it? Thanks in advance... Coote
 
coote said:
Moonwilson... does she hold it in her hand when chopping it? Thanks in advance... Coote
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She does. She sets the coconut down on the table sideways, holds the "rounder" end with her fingers spread out wide, and lops the pointier end off with a single, practiced whack. "Ding!" I don't even think she needs to look at what she's doing. I'm sure she does it several dozen times in a day. :thumbup:

She lops the green coconuts though, mostly- just like this:

product1.jpg
 
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