Woods tool question.

FortyTwoBlades said:
Machetes work nicely, and are right in that range. But of course I'd say that. :D

I agree though--we need to hear more about your intended uses and targets, intended method of carry, etc. etc.
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Hell yeah Machetes. They can be used for almost anything but serious chopping.
I love my Ontario Military Sawback. It's so decent, I can only imagine how much
more I can do with something a little better like an ESEE Lite?

[video=youtube;p9DfsC62MoQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9DfsC62MoQ[/video]
 
They can do serious chopping, too--they're just not as fast as axes. :)
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
They can do serious chopping, too--they're just not as fast as axes. :)
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Good to know. :)

I know that I'm faster with a machete on just about everything else and the machete gives one over 20" of usable blade.
I'm sure that if someone just HAD to split 8" logs, they could baton them with a machete too (in a survival situation).
 
A machete can be used to make some wedges, to help split. Or just start around the outside edge of a log, just baton a small amount at a time.
 
SR69 said:
Good to know. :)

I know that I'm faster with a machete on just about everything else and the machete gives one over 20" of usable blade.
I'm sure that if someone just HAD to split 8" logs, they could baton them with a machete too (in a survival situation).
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I once batoned my 18" CS barong machete through a 8" log that was about 6ft. long just to see if I could. It handled it no problem, but the ability for a machete to baton will depend on the rigidity of the blade. Overly thin & flexible ones will "buckle" and twist under the blows of the baton so the energy is wasted. Stiff thin machetes can still baton nicely, though. But of course the method foxx describes above is the thinking man's way to baton with a machete. Start the split, then insert a wooden wedge. :)
 
You might want to consider a Woodman's Pal. Not exactly sure what kind of wild animals you are thinking of fending off. Possibly feral hogs or coyotes? Maybe a .357 mag. to go along with your cutting tool would be a good choice? Hogs rarely attack unless they think they are cornered. Coyotes and snakes need to be killed on sight. Don't even think of going after a rattler with a machete. Use a gun or a long pole. If you don't have either one, leave them alone.
 
Henryseale said:
...Hogs rarely attack unless they think they are cornered. Coyotes and snakes need to be killed on sight. ......
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really? are coyotes and snakes out human hunting these days? hogs are way more dangerous in the woods than either snakes or coyotes. "cornered" can happen in a wide open area.

Henryseale said:
...leave them alone.
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much better advice. much better.


please don't take the above as any sort of personal attack. just quibbling points. I always take exception to the indiscriminate killing of "varmints", as it generally serves no one in my opinion.

YMMV.

-ben
 
bjp said:
really? are coyotes and snakes out human hunting these days? hogs are way more dangerous in the woods than either snakes or coyotes. "cornered" can happen in a wide open area.



much better advice. much better.


please don't take the above as any sort of personal attack. just quibbling points. I always take exception to the indiscriminate killing of "varmints", as it generally serves no one in my opinion.

YMMV.
-ben
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I would have to agree with the "leave them alone if able" advice. Only time I've ever really harmed an animal was a few years ago when camping with a friend. Copperhead was sitting on our trail, he decided to stand a few feet away and put an arrow through it's head and left it up to me to finish it off. You could say I got a bit liberal with the Fiskars :D never much cared for snakes..

Anyways, I usually carry a .357 when out camping, but really if this WERE to be used for that purpose, it'd be more if I took a trip to the outhouse and strapping the pistol on had escaped my mind. More of an, "Oh SHI-" sort of situation. There's a lot of coyotes and hogs around where our land is.
 
My comment about coyotes was not ment to imply that they are usually much of a threat as to attacking humans. It was made with the fact that coyotes regularly kill deer, especially fawns, livestock, rabbits, squirrils, and often domestic pets, etc. About the only good they do is kill rats and mice. Ever see a video of coyotes attacking and killing a deer? It ain't pretty. They sever the achilles tendons then while the deer is helpless on the ground, they start eating it alive. I know they are a part of nature and all creatures must eat, but that is a horrible way to die. They make zero effort to kill their prey before eating it. I will kill every coyote I see on sight if possible.
 
Our lush NW forests host millions of small critters. The coyotes keep the populations in check. They rarely get a deer around here unless the deer was sick and weakened already. Aside from that, I kill for meat and I don't eat dog (but might in a pinch).
 
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