this machete sure got lost...

[JV3]

i bet this machete is wondering why it's not in the '80s and 70% humidity. sorry, buddy...you've been shipped to the u.s.

more pictures of my hike with the lite machete here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9167780#post9167780

 

[Inkedshooter]

Def on the want list. Looks like a great chopping tool and it likes the snow...

 

[huntmol]

I always wondered about the machete - does it have the same high quality craftsmanship that the knives have? I love the fit and finish on the ESEE knives, but it seems that would be more difficult to get right on such a large blade.

 

[FunkMasterFlex]

I always wondered about the machete - does it have the same high quality craftsmanship that the knives have? I love the fit and finish on the ESEE knives, but it seems that would be more difficult to get right on such a large blade.

The blade is manufactered by Imacasa, so the ft and finish is just alright, sharp and all, but the edge grind is far from consistent. It is a very good machete however, and my favorite esee.

 

[NJ Tom]

You're a braver man than I, JV!! I haven't been out in the snow yet but hopefully soon.
See you out there one of these days, I'm sure.

RAT Pack # 177

 

[threatx3]

I wondered the same thing until I had it in my hands at the Shotshow. It felt great in my hand. I think the same care goes into the production of these machetes that goes into the knives. IMHO.

I always wondered about the machete - does it have the same high quality craftsmanship that the knives have? I love the fit and finish on the ESEE knives, but it seems that would be more difficult to get right on such a large blade.

 

[obsessis]

I am also interested in the machete. I think I'd rather have it than the Junglas.

 

[adaman04]

No kidding JV3, and I can't say that I wouldn't rather be with it in its preferred temps.

 

[StoneColdChuckTX]

Is it flimsy or rather stiff due to the steel?

I've always been tempted to get one, but I wish the blade was thicker like the Ontarios. Many of my thinner flimsy machetes (mostly Tramontina) wind up bent. I'd hate to drop the loot for it only to jack it up.

 

[Mike Slayer]

Is it flimsy or rather stiff due to the steel?

I've always been tempted to get one, but I wish the blade was thicker like the Ontarios. Many of my thinner flimsy machetes (mostly Tramontina) wind up bent. I'd hate to drop the loot for it only to jack it up.

If you get the ESEE lite machete and bend it then you are doing something you don't need to be doing with a machete. I have had my Lite Machete for awhile now and it has held up to everything I have put it through. It does have a few nicks in the blade but they aren't that bad. I think the thickness is perfect for a all around machete.

 

[ryry]

im needing a machete, and i dont see why this thing wont work for me!!

 

[JV3]

Def on the want list. Looks like a great chopping tool and it likes the snow...

it handles great with thick gloves on and it chops frozen wood easily as well. i went hiking with riz_aaroni last week and we posted pics of the chopped frozen wood.

I always wondered about the machete - does it have the same high quality craftsmanship that the knives have? I love the fit and finish on the ESEE knives, but it seems that would be more difficult to get right on such a large blade.

the fit of the micarta handle is great but the blade finish is typical of a $10 machete which is perfectly fine by me. it's a workhorse of a tool.

The blade is manufactered by Imacasa, so the ft and finish is just alright, sharp and all, but the edge grind is far from consistent. It is a very good machete however, and my favorite esee.

yup. it's a serviceable tool.

You're a braver man than I, JV!! I haven't been out in the snow yet but hopefully soon.
See you out there one of these days, I'm sure.

RAT Pack # 177

it's so peaceful you just gotta try it! most places are pretty deep so make sure to wear gaiters at least, if not snow shoes otherwise it's tough going.
join riz_aaroni and i one of these days. i'll see if i can get tonym and rescueriley out as well.

I wondered the same thing until I had it in my hands at the Shotshow. It felt great in my hand. I think the same care goes into the production of these machetes that goes into the knives. IMHO.

yup, mine came very sharp.

I am also interested in the machete. I think I'd rather have it than the Junglas.

when it comes to chopping, the machete out performs the junglas it makes it look like an izula the junglas is a do-it-all though. with the machete, i'd spend a lot more time gathering small twigs for kindling whereas the junglas i'll just split the logs into kindling. just a matter of the area you're in i suppose.

No kidding JV3, and I can't say that I wouldn't rather be with it in its preferred temps.

i'll take the 20's over the 90's anyday! by the way, i left my 25 liter pack at home and used my 65 liter pack this time. the machete fit inside perfectly instead of being strapped to the outside, hidden from other people's eyes

Is it flimsy or rather stiff due to the steel?

I've always been tempted to get one, but I wish the blade was thicker like the Ontarios. Many of my thinner flimsy machetes (mostly Tramontina) wind up bent. I'd hate to drop the loot for it only to jack it up.

it's flexible. i can bend it very easily. not sure how you're using it that it gets bent? you mean the edge rolls & chips or bent as in the spine is no longer straight? if it was thicker, it would lose it's advantage imho and at that point, i'm back to a junglas.

If you get the ESEE lite machete and bend it then you are doing something you don't need to be doing with a machete. I have had my Lite Machete for awhile now and it has held up to everything I have put it through. It does have a few nicks in the blade but they aren't that bad. I think the thickness is perfect for a all around machete.

spot on!

im needing a machete, and i dont see why this thing wont work for me!!

i love the 'twang sound that it makes while chopping

 

[Dizwolf]

The only thing I like better than my Lite these days.... is my Viking. That thing needs an ESEE handle treatment

 

[HoosierQ]

It's a machete folks. It is going to be a little springy. The edge is going to be a little imperfect...none of that matters. The Junglas is just not a machete. It is a beautiful knife and capable of a lot but it is not a machete...it's a big camp knife. A machete is a machete. You whack and edge on it with a file and go man go!!!

I have two great Collins Legitimus machetes so I doubt I'll get the ESEE lite. But having seen one just the once, let me say that it is the real deal...a lightweight, easy to swing, easy to sharpen, easy to wack away all day with, bone fide central American machete.

For what it was designed to do, the machete is one of the worlds best tools.

 

[myesque]

I am also interested in the machete. I think I'd rather have it than the Junglas.

+1 on that.

 

[nevermind35]

I still need to pick up one of these some day for clearing all the blackberry around the property.

 

[gundy]

Send it here. Ill give you 90-100% at the moment...

 

[styx]

Doesn't look that out of place to me ;-)

 

[StoneColdChuckTX]

it's flexible. i can bend it very easily. not sure how you're using it that it gets bent? you mean the edge rolls & chips or bent as in the spine is no longer straight? if it was thicker, it would lose it's advantage imho and at that point, i'm back to a junglas.

Spine. The rolls and chips are an easy fix. Bent spine, not so much.

My Ontarios I could take out back into the woods, and do everything with. I have chopped down a couple large (12"+) trees with it, more than few medium trees, and thousands of small trees and saplings. Also baton'd tons of wood. Even twisted logs where the blade gets flexed close to 45°, but it comes out the other side straight. Sure, I've likely done things to them that would make gear queers cry themselves to sleep, but nothing too extreme. It's not as if I were throwing them into trees to pass the time.

Here's the deal, I've never remotely abused my flimsier machetes. The last one I bent (Tramontina) was chopping maybe at most a 2" cedar. Blade went in, the grains drove it down, bent the end, I forced the tree over so as to remove the machete without pulling or bending it for removal, and the sucker is perma-bent. While I may be genetically predisposed to exert more horsepower/torque into the sucker than the average person, I doubt that's the determining factor. Seems thickness and heat treatment are though. The Ontarios are 1095, maybe that's why they hold up better IMO.

Perhaps better question would have been "Is anyone using their Lite Machete hard? As in various tree chopping at least? And how does it fair?" It's hard to tell what constitutes use to some folks exactly.

 

[JV3]

The only thing I like better than my Lite these days.... is my Viking. That thing needs an ESEE handle treatment

pics of the viking, man! pics!

It's a machete folks. It is going to be a little springy. The edge is going to be a little imperfect...none of that matters. The Junglas is just not a machete. It is a beautiful knife and capable of a lot but it is not a machete...it's a big camp knife. A machete is a machete. You whack and edge on it with a file and go man go!!!

I have two great Collins Legitimus machetes so I doubt I'll get the ESEE lite. But having seen one just the once, let me say that it is the real deal...a lightweight, easy to swing, easy to sharpen, easy to wack away all day with, bone fide central American machete.

For what it was designed to do, the machete is one of the worlds best tools.

yup, the lightweight easy swinging feel to it is what i like the most.

Send it here. Ill give you 90-100% at the moment...

yeah, i've heard you guys are getting hit pretty badly over there with all the flooding

Doesn't look that out of place to me ;-)

it's not scared because it knows i have bear grylls' like skills backing it up in case it turns into a survival situation

Spine. The rolls and chips are an easy fix. Bent spine, not so much.

My Ontarios I could take out back into the woods, and do everything with. I have chopped down a couple large (12"+) trees with it, more than few medium trees, and thousands of small trees and saplings. Also baton'd tons of wood. Even twisted logs where the blade gets flexed close to 45°, but it comes out the other side straight. Sure, I've likely done things to them that would make gear queers cry themselves to sleep, but nothing too extreme. It's not as if I were throwing them into trees to pass the time.

Here's the deal, I've never remotely abused my flimsier machetes. The last one I bent (Tramontina) was chopping maybe at most a 2" cedar. Blade went in, the grains drove it down, bent the end, I forced the tree over so as to remove the machete without pulling or bending it for removal, and the sucker is perma-bent. While I may be genetically predisposed to exert more horsepower/torque into the sucker than the average person, I doubt that's the determining factor. Seems thickness and heat treatment are though. The Ontarios are 1095, maybe that's why they hold up better IMO.

Perhaps better question would have been "Is anyone using their Lite Machete hard? As in various tree chopping at least? And how does it fair?" It's hard to tell what constitutes use to some folks exactly.

in that case, you might be better off using a parang or bolo type machete - something a lot thicker than the lite machete. i personally haven't had any trouble with mine but i've only used it on at most 4" diameter limbs and frozen ones.

here's the most recent one chopping fire wood with it: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=810539

it did pretty well chopping down some really hard wood last summer. it's definitely harder than 2" cedar for sure.

we also have a ton of iron wood around here and i've used it to chop them down. it actually chopped way better than the junglas. here's another post how hard our iron wood is: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=809124

given your history of bent blades, i'd stick with what works for you now.