Would A 7-8" Chopper Work?

Razor

Razor

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Dec 8, 1999
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On my hiking and hunting trails alot of the stuff I cut to clear them is briars. Would a 7-8" blade work, or should I go with a 9-10" blade. I was looking at the BK5,BK7, ESEE6 and BR Bravo 2. Would the BK9 or ESEE Junglas be better? I would rather carry a 7-8" blade.
 
My bk7 works well for the tangled alder we have here but I'd prefer more length if there were thorns. The bk9 would be my next option off your list. Consider a kukri or machete type blade for the thick stuff.
 
Ever considered a Woodman's Pal or looking for a more traditional knife blade?

woodmanspal.jpg
 
Razor said:
On my hiking and hunting trails alot of the stuff I cut to clear them is briars. Would a 7-8" blade work, or should I go with a 9-10" blade. I was looking at the BK5,BK7, ESEE6 and BR Bravo 2. Would the BK9 or ESEE Junglas be better? I would rather carry a 7-8" blade.
Click to expand...

7-8" will do fine for what you describe. 9-10" is to much blade to be lugging around while hunting, and you won't be chopping logs.
 
For thorns, and brambles etc, I would like more length. Also, you should look into a machete.
Long, fast, great for clearing the smaller thorny stuff, and also.........they are stinking cheap. You can go for a higher quality Fiddleback machete with a hand shaped micarta handle, and sheath.
 
Dunno' about the Parang.

What you really need for that trail clearing job is a BK4.

Less than $67 at the river store.
 
This is a textbook definition of a machete, parang or something like a Woodsman's Pal. The key is a long slim blade with a sharp thin edge that grabs the vines and vegetation before they grab you. Knives are too short and fat and a kukri is too fat and heavy.
 
I know ontario makes some quality machetes including a shorter 18" one. You could also check out the Condor Pack Golok or Parang, from what I hear they are decent blades. Ill pick up the pack golok one of these days.
 
From my experience & IMHO, what you want is speed. You can get that with a machete. Get a quality one. I prefer Ontario. Condor is also excellent. I have a 12" & an 18". Thin the edge. Note: on a quality machete you can thin the edge & not have to worry about rolling it. If you really want a knife, a BK-9 is a great choice. Thin enough & light enough for quick snap cuts, yet HD enough for serious batoning.
 
I have a Fiddleback Forge 16" machete and love it.
It sounds like the 12 or 14" may suit you better as they should be easier to carry and still get the job done.
 
I have seen a shorter version of this works wonder:
[video=youtube;H07iEAu6IPk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H07iEAu6IPk[/video]
 
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