Trail knives with hickok45

One of these by David Mary

024.jpg


010.jpg


Or if something heavier is required

IMG-9110.jpg
 
Alone said:
My thoughts exactly.

In an Amazon rain forest(?), yeah, a machete. Here in South Texas (*around green Mesquite/Oak), not so much. A machete, even one of the best, would be a mangled mess in seconds. (*Green Mesquite is a booger, so much so that some Manufacturers actually give a disclaimer)


I beat the crap out of my recently acquired Bohler K329 Work Tuff Gear/Aurora Borealis "Kodiak" today, working with some pretty good-sized downed branches (*green Oak), and knew I would regret not getting a pic or two.

Man, that little Kodiak ate that stuff up. After a good cleaning, I noted one miniscule chip on the blade, which may or may not have been my fault. I like putting a small micro-bevel on my blades that have a pretty obtuse convex edge. The tiny chip was on the micro-bevel, but not on the convexed portion. All-in-all, it was a MONSTER.


That being posted, that K329 Kodiak saw one day of usage. (* ~4 hours, give or take) I've owned an SK85 Kodiak for quite some time and have beaten on it mercilessly. In my extensive usage, that SK85 (*SK5?) has shown to be no slouch. South Texas wood (*green/aged Mesquite, green/aged Oak, aged Ligustrum) is brutal, even on the BEST axes/hatchets. (*4140, 1075, 1055, etc.)
Click to expand...
Not competing in the
“tough wood” game, but… I came across a Madrone that had been killed in a fire two years before and finally dropped on the trail. I had the Siegle and thought, “what the hell” and started chopping.

As you can see from below, the chips (wood) were SMALL because the wood was so dry and hard, but I used full swings as usual.

This probably added a microchip or two (not visible - but can feel it on a thumbnail - will sharpen out in 2-3 sharpenings) but no more than from other dead-wood chopping I’d done with it. Go go 5160!!

I don’t think most machetes would have cut through this without severe edge bending/folding unless done with comparatively light strikes (eg slower).

According to the time stamps on the photos, this took me 24 minutes to get through.

A0FB863B-9082-4D8C-B3AC-B93B5C226E00.jpeg6C28B7B6-363C-404C-96A6-983CF34711B1.jpegB2F70EF5-B76B-4088-9F73-3C1E3667C723.jpegB8654735-612B-47B1-97BC-E3E824A5503C.jpeg1E2F96E3-17A7-4126-A4CE-C3E4290385CB.jpeg

DangerZone98 said:
Beautiful knives and pics. Do you use the sawback spine on that last knife often? Or do you find it handy?
Click to expand...

Thanks bud!

I tested it out early on and it works quite well for a thick blade (primarily due to the full flat grind which makes the saw blades the widest part of the blade and creates a kerf for the blade to move through).

I plan to use it soon to make some “camp furniture”, but I’ve really just chopped for the most part as it’s much faster and more efficient than using the saw.
 
Alone said:
My thoughts exactly.

In an Amazon rain forest(?), yeah, a machete. Here in South Texas (*around green Mesquite/Oak), not so much. A machete, even one of the best, would be a mangled mess in seconds. (*Green Mesquite is a booger, so much so that some Manufacturers actually give a disclaimer)


I beat the crap out of my recently acquired Bohler K329 Work Tuff Gear/Aurora Borealis "Kodiak" today, working with some pretty good-sized downed branches (*green Oak), and knew I would regret not getting a pic or two.

Man, that little Kodiak ate that stuff up. After a good cleaning, I noted one miniscule chip on the blade, which may or may not have been my fault. I like putting a small micro-bevel on my blades that have a pretty obtuse convex edge. The tiny chip was on the micro-bevel, but not on the convexed portion. All-in-all, it was a MONSTER.


That being posted, that K329 Kodiak saw one day of usage. (* ~4 hours, give or take) I've owned an SK85 Kodiak for quite some time and have beaten on it mercilessly. In my extensive usage, that SK85 (*SK5?) has shown to be no slouch. South Texas wood (*green/aged Mesquite, green/aged Oak, aged Ligustrum) is brutal, even on the BEST axes/hatchets. (*4140, 1075, 1055, etc.)
Click to expand...
Y’all must have a lot tougher Mesquite trees in S. Texas then we do here in North Central. We use Mesquite for smoking meats and barbecue often. Cut quite a bit of it.
Your blowing smoke Tex.

The video, which the OP suggested we watch, is about clearing small limbs and immature trees from trails, not chopping up downed trees.
Look in the truck of any surveyor worth a dime and two main tools in there will be a machete and loppers.
 
Last edited:
GB940Rookie said:
Y’all must have a lot tougher Mesquite trees in S. Texas then we do here in North Central. We use Mesquite for smoking and barbecue often. Cut quite a bit of it.
Your blowing smoke Tex.

The video, which the OP suggested we watch, is about clearing small limbs and immature trees from trails, not chopping up downed trees.
Look in the truck of any surveyor worth a dime and two main tools in there will be a machete and loppers.
Click to expand...



Come-on down here and let me break/chip a couple of your knives. (*It'll only take me a few seconds, Pookie)
 
I keep a Junglas in my work truck and use it when I’m walking overgrown jobsites to check them out before starting work. I throw it in my play truck when I go camping, but don’t generally carry it if I’m hiking.
 
Last edited:
Teddy1985 said:
I keep a Junglas in my work truck and use it when I’m walking overgrown jobsites to check them out before starting work. I throw it in my play truck when I go camping, but don’t generally carry it if I’m hiking.
Click to expand...
To add to this, I generally have my small 14 inch Echo chainsaw in either of these vehicles. I suppose it is my true “trail knife”.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top