I think you should probably handle those kinds of discussions via email. You should always wear gloves unless you're just making a couple chops with a machete. But some machetes "need gloves" more than others.
From the time something leaves the hands of someone in the 'States it typically takes 1-2 weeks for an item to get to the UK and clear customs. For any other details, you can find my business email on my website, the link to which is in my signature line. Personally I'm of the opinion that gloves should be avoided if at all possible. Many kinds will be overly tacky and prevent a proper sliding motion of the handle in the hand, while others will become dangerous when used with that method because they're more slippery than your bare hand is. I find that I lose a significant degree of sensitivity to the task I'm performing when wearing gloves, and if the handle design is good and made with the right material and texture, then you shouldn't be getting hot spots. Similarly I advise against lanyards because they actually make the tool more dangerous in the event that you lose your grip and when used properly they prevent the freedom of hand/wrist action needed for good technique.
I see your point about gloves. Your hands are probably more callused than mine. I would rather not have blisters after a session with a machete. Gloves also protect against foliage (especially briars or throny stuff) or other material from hitting the hands. On use note.... how much sliding is good with a short machete as to me they are similar to a long fixed blade for chopping, but a lot less expensive typically. They perform mostly the same function for me.
I wouldn't consider my hands more than modestly callused--they sure aren't baby soft but if someone shakes my hand they're not going to be at all surprised by how rough my hands are. This is why appropriate handle design and fairly smooth handles are important--the rubbing from a pinch grip shouldn't be causing excessive friction. Grip security should come chiefly from the shape of the grip rather than its texture. With short machetes I still pivot them in the hand. "Whipping" a short blade takes more dialed-in technique than a long blade, but it's still the best way to maximize work output while minimizing your input energy. Driving from the elbow is rarely an optimum technique.
IMO there's gloves and there's gloves. I favor the Hatch Specialist Neoprene 430's which I use for pretty much most blade movement skills. I can grip well or move along a handle or halt with good tactile feedback. I believe Doug Marcaida uses something not that different during testing in forged in fire but I might be wrong on the specifics. For me, it's a world of difference between the Hatch and garden variety work gloves.
I'm something of a glove enthusiast so I know what you mean. And I still say that it's best to fully avoid gloves for machete usage, providing it's a well-designed machete and being used with good machete technique.
I have tested Kershaw Camp. It has a lot going for it. Quality sheath. Handle was more comfortable than my other machetes. It is thicker, and more ridgid than my other machetes, but chopped well. 42blades knows his tools. So any advice he gives is worth listening too.
All thi All things considered I feel that shipping pricing call out was wack. I’d just as soon not sell to the customer in this situation. Complaints or grumbling would almost assuredly be forthcoming. I hate to be negative but I personally wouldn’t care to go out of my way for a sale in this case.
Why would grumbling and complaints be forthcoming? I'm not considering buying anything from you but from a long term supporter of this site who has given free advice to me. If what I did was against forum rules then I'll edit my post. Thanks to everyone for their machete advice.
Winter machete'ing in Canada calls for gloves.... sometimes think ones... So the grippier the handle, the better.
To me, 80 pounds for a machete is insane. Again this is just my point of view, a machete is something that should be almost disposable and having a US price of $10 or so. People in Central America (and some nightclubs in NYC) that use them everyday seem to use ordinary ones that you can get from Harbor Fright or your local hardware store. For 80 pounds or $106 US, I'm pretty sure I could get a knifemaker to make one. Wasn't there a Rambo movie in which he made a machete like knife out of a car bumper? Sorry, I just can't get past the 80 pounds.
Betover said...."To me, 80 pounds for a machete is insane. Again this is just my point of view, a machete is something that should be almost disposable and having a US price of $10 or so. People in Central America (and some nightclubs in NYC) that use them everyday seem to use ordinary ones that you can get from Harbor Fright or your local hardware store." (Forgot to quote this, so I added it.) 80 Pounds for an Condor Eco-Parang..... It is a little insane. But I don't agree that a machete needs to be $10 US (or so) and disposable (almost). The Eco-Parang is more than a "machete". I have the Village Parang and Pack Golok which are similar kinds of choppers. Love them when I want to mostly chop. Condor provides a great leather sheath. That's worth something. Worth a lot to me considering the pieces of crap machete sheaths I have used over the years before I discovered Condor. Yeah, 80 Pounds.... Go for it. A good handle makes a machete work. A poorly designed handle means "pain". Folks that buy a Harbor Freight machete do not buy Condor machetes. Different customer base.
If going with a budget machete, I'd go with Tramontina, Imacasa, Gavilan/Incolma, Hansa, etc. long before I'd even so much as consider a Harbor Freight model.
this is the perfect starting point, imho, for about $15 including special grade work by @FortyTwoBlades , you can't beat the simple 1070 tramo 14" (or the 14" bolo for more weight forward) upgrade to a condor or anything else listed on this thread, later, if you really need more heft and shape & sheath etc...
my only concern is that marbles uses 1050 or 1055 sometimes? it never seems to include info like that... anyone know for sure?
Marbles machetes are made by Imacasa and are 1075 like their other machetes, to the best of my knowledge. As far as the Tramontina goes, I'm able to throw together an ambidextrous out-the-top HDPE sheath with a swiveling belt loop for about $12. I don't have 'em on the site but will eventually when I get all the dang Kingfisher Machetes taken care of (yeah, I'm still working on those daily--almost done, just in time for the next round to land...) but for individual orders I'm still able to take on quick stuff like that.
