Machetes?

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Texas Star

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Anyone own/use machetes? Which brands and how long are the blades?

My only one is a Corneta with a 12-inch blade. Thinking of getting one with an 18-inch blade, probably by Martindale or Tramontina. Maybe an Imacasa.

What has been your experience with yours? Did you have to reshape a wooden handle and file the blade to get a keen edge?

Can anyone post photos of colorful leather machete sheaths fom Central or South America?

Ever kill a snake with one? What sort and where was the snake?
 
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I have one. Not marked with a brand name. Maybe 18 inches or so. Bought it in a hardware story in Hilo on the Big Island. Guy told me it was made from the springs out of aToyota.

Bought it originally to open up a view of the ocean from some land I bought there. Never used it for that purpose. Came in handy last winter though for chopping ice off the street in front of my house in Japan a few days after a rare snowfall. It is a stout, unglamorous, well made tool, not requiring any rework.
 
TS ... Check out Himalayan Imports before you go the machete route. You might be very surprised and impressed by HI's line of big chopping blades.
 
My only one at the moment is a Gerber, 14" blade. Not bad as a club, disappointing as a cutting tool. Worse now since my wife "sharpened" it, ruining both the edge and a stone in the process. I can't offer much in the way of advice, except a suggestion as what to avoid, but I will follow this thread with interest.
 
MACHETTE

I have a USGI 22" in an old ww2 machinegun spare bbl holster that belonged to my father. the grip will slip if your hands get sweaty, so I taped up the grips and the canvas holster is disintegrating and has had to be reinforced. it's made of Brittish steel. way too loud and energy consuming to hack your way through brush, I use hand pruners. It's primary use now is pruning small branches around the yard. I once flew with it duct taped to my carry on bag, next to my rifle. a small fishing file keeps it sharp enough for my needs but removes too much steel if you're gonna use it a lot. it isn't stiff enough imo, or have enough weight for serious work. I'd go with a cane blade, axe, or one with a hook maybe. I have finished off a few non poisonous snakes, when the dogs were through with them, in the yard. I wouldn't get that close to a poisonous snake if I had a shotgun or pistol with snake shot. not the BEST choice for a mall ninja edged weapon imo. I also have a big bad bowie knife I use to keep weeds and grass from around my sprinkler heads.
 
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I just got a 10 inch Tramontina.They´re brazilian made and also the Corneta brand is made here if I´m not wrong.
Regards, Ray.
 
Those parties that are interested in machetes should check out those made by Collins over the first half of the 20th century. Some of them are becoming collector's items, due to the fact that they haven't been made in a very long time, and they were of excellent quality, lasting very well. Put 'collins machete' in the search box on Ebay and look at what is listed there. Do the same on Google, and you will be surprised at the number of sites that come up. Very interesting reading.
 
I shave with one every morning! :) Sometimes when I am half awake it seems like I do though.......



The only one I own is the one from my Dad - a US NAVY 1945 with belt scabbard. Might have been his as he was in WWll and in the Navy. I also have his USN Sheath Knife with gray belt sheath. I have yet to actually use either one but I remember my Dad using the Machete many times in the yard when we were clearing brush and shrubs. He also used it for trimming very light branches on some trees.
 


I'm a fan of the government issue knives in whatever length is appropriate for the cutting task at hand. Many years ago I learned that a heavy short blade was no match for a longer thinner blade when cutting mangrove trees and roots for several hours a day. I feel like the weak part of most machetes is their cheap uncomfortable handles. I replaced the plastic handle on the above knife with a custom contoured micarta handle made even more special by my using a piece of micarta from a NASA instrument control panel.

Mark
 
I have a couple of the US surplus. One is a 1942 that my Dad bought around late 50s early 60s, the other is a Vietnam era that I bought. Either one does a good job on brush and small trees. Trick to them, like all other wood working tools, is to keep them sharp. One suggestion is to make sure you get the Bakelite handles. If there is a small burr or such it can be easily polished out. My $.02 Larry
 
Texas Star said:
Anyone own/use machetes? Which brands and how long are the blades?

My only one is a Corneta with a 12-inch blade. Thinking of getting one with an 18-inch blade, probably by Martindale or Tramontina. Maybe an Imacasa.

What has been your experience with yours? Did you have to reshape a wooden handle and file the blade to get a keen edge?

Can anyone post photos of colorful leather machete sheaths fom Central or South America?

Ever kill a snake with one? What sort and where was the snake?
Click to expand...

Now if you want to kill poisonous snakes you might want a long one. I have several Condor Tool and Knife brand, made in El Salvador, I like them different people will have their own preferences. You didn't say what you wanted to do with it.

Chopping brush I like a short heavy one easy to handle. zombies you want a sharp long unbreakable blade.:)

Check out Amazon they have good prices with free shipping or KnifeCenter join their mailing list and they have free shipping once in a while. look at what they have and see what might fit your needs.

The South American sheath that come with mine were just thick brown leather.

20130324_4.jpg
 
I'm with YogiBear on the cane knife. It works like a cross between a machete and a hatchet. The one that I have has wooden handles, hickory I believe.
 
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I have an el cheapo Stanley machete that I must have bought some 20 years ago. It works OK for me. It has an 18-inch blade and keeps an edge until I whack the brush too close to the ground and end up chopping the ground.
 
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My sweet little old grandma had a big machete that she kept in a storage bin by the barn.

When the barn cats would get too prolific and she detected a new litter... she'd go get the machete and head to the barn to "thin the herd".

She was a granny you didn't want to mess with.

I never see a machete without thinking of her.
 
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