GregB
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2000
- Messages
- 3,437
I've always had a soft spot for machetes. Used them a lot growing up, and currently have a 12" Ontario, 18" Sawback Ontario, & a Bark River 2008 Custom Ontario machete.
I was fortunate enough to find the 2008 Bark River Custom Ontario at Blade this year, I bought it and 1 Busse (Boss Jack). I felt a little silly paying $125 for a machete, but considering the amount of will power I displayed at the Busse table, I figured I deserved it
The Bark River is piece of art. It came with a nice leather sheath that I've managed to cut already. I've really enjoyed using it though. Has an awesome edge.
Anyway, I had a spot cleared in the woods near the house to put up our daughter's play set. Even after the grading was done, there were quite a few roots sticking out of the ground that needed to be removed before we can get started. I was kind of excited to get a chance to test out some of by big choppers. I'd actually trimmed a few with my Busse Bushwhacker Mistress, a 3/16" "light chopper" by Busse standards, just to try it out.
Well, I cleaned out the knife drawer, dug out the saw, hatchet, & folding E tool. I had a lot of choices in what to use. As one who is sharpening challenged, I was reluctant to dull the edge on anything I "loved" by chopping in rocky soil. I grabbed my 12" D guard Ontario Machete with the loose handle. I hacked roots, rocks, & dirt for @15-30 minutes. It was great on the smaller stuff, took a little more work on the anything over 1 finger thick. Was a little short, but no so short that I stopped to walk back to the car to get my 18" Ontario saw back out of the car or that I was willing to ding up the Bark river or bring out anything more expensive or thicker.
Anyway I'd forgotten how useful a simple & inexpensive machete can be. Did put a nice ding in the edge, really need to read that book I own on sharpening
I really should get a nice handle put on this, as the Dguard was pinching my pinky & the handle is loose. How hard is it to re-handle one of these? Are there guys around here that do that?
Thanks,
GregB
I was fortunate enough to find the 2008 Bark River Custom Ontario at Blade this year, I bought it and 1 Busse (Boss Jack). I felt a little silly paying $125 for a machete, but considering the amount of will power I displayed at the Busse table, I figured I deserved it
The Bark River is piece of art. It came with a nice leather sheath that I've managed to cut already. I've really enjoyed using it though. Has an awesome edge.Anyway, I had a spot cleared in the woods near the house to put up our daughter's play set. Even after the grading was done, there were quite a few roots sticking out of the ground that needed to be removed before we can get started. I was kind of excited to get a chance to test out some of by big choppers. I'd actually trimmed a few with my Busse Bushwhacker Mistress, a 3/16" "light chopper" by Busse standards, just to try it out.
Well, I cleaned out the knife drawer, dug out the saw, hatchet, & folding E tool. I had a lot of choices in what to use. As one who is sharpening challenged, I was reluctant to dull the edge on anything I "loved" by chopping in rocky soil. I grabbed my 12" D guard Ontario Machete with the loose handle. I hacked roots, rocks, & dirt for @15-30 minutes. It was great on the smaller stuff, took a little more work on the anything over 1 finger thick. Was a little short, but no so short that I stopped to walk back to the car to get my 18" Ontario saw back out of the car or that I was willing to ding up the Bark river or bring out anything more expensive or thicker.
Anyway I'd forgotten how useful a simple & inexpensive machete can be. Did put a nice ding in the edge, really need to read that book I own on sharpening
I really should get a nice handle put on this, as the Dguard was pinching my pinky & the handle is loose. How hard is it to re-handle one of these? Are there guys around here that do that?
Thanks,
GregB
