Condor Discord machete

[Kronos]

I've talked about carrying a sword and now a "machete" I use that word loosely as this thing straddles the line between the two and kinda favors the sword side:



Most machetes suffer from being too thin,they still are good for weapon use but suck for heavier cutting,I've had a few and some would bounce off a two inch branch even though they were sharp.

Those are in the 2-2.8mm thickness range,this one is 3mm and while it's not much it feels so much better,you know this beast will cut and I've no doubt that as a weapon you could take limbs off easy in a fight.

Now....need to get off my butt and get a buckler for the off hand.

 

[Big Cholla]

Kronos; you're a hoot! I enjoy reading your posts. Have you ever read the Chronicles as posted on this and other forums of the infamous "Mall Ninja". If you haven't, IMHO, you should. .............

 

[ISCS Yoda]

If it was legal to carry a knife like that I'd do it every day!!!!

 

[Big Cholla]

I'm looking forward to every future post from you! I have missed the "Mall Ninja" dearly and you very well might be his replacement. Thank you, ....

 

[Cackmandu]

That is a nice tool, if I cut bush all day I would definitely carry one, not sure I would spend over $100, but if it holds an edge it may well be worth it. For a back up you may look at the Tramontina's, they say the Latin American machetes are some of the best, they definitly use them the most and you can find them all over for under $20.

 

[Kronos]

One thing we have no shortage of in WV is brush,wild rose,and many other things to get through if you travel off the beaten path so the Discord comes in handy.

Any machete comes in handy,don't get folks who half kill themselves trying to get somewhere when I'm just hacking along.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Condor makes some pretty interesting and effective blades. I have been getting a lot of use out of the 13" Golok. This thing is pretty good at grassy brush, but it really shines in heavier brush. Branches up to about 5/8" are a one-swipe proposition if I can catch the branch right at the axil, where it is well-supported.

The blade is pretty thick, 6mm at the hilt, tapering to about 1.5mm at the tip. The convex grind makes it an excellent chopper. It wouldn't be my first choice, but I can take down a 3" Chinese elm in less time than it would take to fuel and oil a chain saw and get it fired up.

I am not familiar with the discord, but it looks like a very effective bit of kit. Unfortunately my big slasher budget is maxed out at the moment, as I recently took delivery of the Baryonyx machete, which Condor makes for only the one vendor.

 

[CBus660R]

Interesting thread here. I'm in the market for a new machete myself. I cut trail in SE Ohio and deal with lots of multiflora rose and other scrub in land that has been timbered. The SOG Sogfari I picked up cheap just isn't working out. The blade is only .08" thick and doesn't have the durability (either keeping an edge or bending the edge when I whack into something heavier than light brush). Really would like to keep the price under $50.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Interesting thread here. I'm in the market for a new machete myself. I cut trail in SE Ohio and deal with lots of multiflora rose and other scrub in land that has been timbered. The SOG Sogfari I picked up cheap just isn't working out. The blade is only .08" thick and doesn't have the durability (either keeping an edge or bending the edge when I whack into something heavier than light brush). Really would like to keep the price under $50.

Let me suggest you take a look at Baryonyx.com. His Tramontina machetes are less than twenty bucks. A traditional machete is thin, to keep it light, and longer in the blade, up to 22 or 24 inches, although 16 to twenty inches is more common. It depends on using the length to generate a lot of speed at the head.

For heavier brush and chopping, Condor has a variety of styles. Usually, they come quite sharp, but every so often you will get a blade that needs a bit of work. If it is a model that Baryonyx carries, it is worth a couple of extra bucks to let him refine the blade for you. He will also sand the handles flush with the tang (not an issue with Condor blades, but desirable with Italian and Salvadoran machetes).

 

[Kronos]

Interesting thread here. I'm in the market for a new machete myself. I cut trail in SE Ohio and deal with lots of multiflora rose and other scrub in land that has been timbered. The SOG Sogfari I picked up cheap just isn't working out. The blade is only .08" thick and doesn't have the durability (either keeping an edge or bending the edge when I whack into something heavier than light brush). Really would like to keep the price under $50.

The main thing to keep in mind is most machetes will have a blade between 2 to 2.8mm thick which is too thin,okay for grass or stalk plants like corn but not so much if you want to wack branches off of northern trees.

3mm is about the sweet spot for this,not too heavy or thick since that screws with how it cuts (take an ax sometimes and try and cut small stuff that'll whip away) Condor has a few under $100 let me see.....

Condor Tool & Knife CTK2020HC El Salvador Machete 18" Black Carbon Steel Blade, Polypropylene Handles, Leather Sheath - KnifeCenter

Condor Tool & Knife CTK413-18.3HC El Salvador Wood Handle Machete 18" Carbon Steel Blade, Hardwood Handles, Leather Sheath - KnifeCenter

Either of those will do you good and come in at your price point.

 

[CBus660R]

I found this website, Types and Styles of Machetes - MacheteSpecialists.com and it looks like what I want is a bolo style. I need to keep the length reasonable since it hangs off my tool belt when on I'm on my dirtbike (the trails I cut are dirtbike trails for enduro and dual sport rides), but I need something a bit heavier duty since I'm cutting a bit of everything from multiflora rose and vines to sapplings and decent sized branches on trees.

 

[Kronos]

They have a bolo that's a bit shorter:

Condor Tool & Knife CTK227-15HC Bolo Machete 15-1/2" Black Carbon Steel Blade, Polypropylene Handles, Leather Sheath - KnifeCenter

If you want to spend a bit more get the version with pinned on micarta handles.

 

[Marshwheeling]

As an old off-road rider myself, for woods work like that, I would take a Golok over a bolo. Maybe even a Pack Golok, although I haven't tried one, but it is a couple of inches shorter than the 13" Golok.

My son has a Condor bolo (that I gave him). The Golok has it all over the Bolo. The heavier the wood, the greater the edge. Another thing I like about the Golok is the sheath, which does not require retaining straps, so you can draw the blade without first unsnapping a couple of straps.

There are a lot of other blade styles out there, and I have only used a few of them, so there may well be something better for your purposes.

 

[Texas Star]

Condor is a premium line made by Imacasa in El Salvador. I like the looks of that wood handled model in a link above.

I think I also want a regular Imacasa with poly handle and 18 inch blade. Baryonyx may be able to grind the edge back further, to within about an inch of the handle.

I have a Corneta with 12 inch blade that 's very handy. I think Imacasa makes that same Model 127, a copy of an old Collins model.

I'm also thinking of a Tramontina model like one that a photo of Brazilian model Ana Beatriz Barros has in a couple of her Online pics. They are not suited for this board, but the machete is about the right size for general use and I like its looks. Hers has a black handle, an option that I'm not sure is exported here. The wooden handle version is, and Baryonyx can hone it and pare the "proud" handle down to the tang for about $6.50. But you still have an unfinished wooden handle. I suspect it'd serve okay if polished by hand.

My son has an unmarked machete that looks just like the more squared Tramontina handle. At one time, someone painted the handle white. He got it from his FIL, who bought it used. None of us knows the brand, but it works.

A typical jungle machete isn't meant for chopping thick branches. In its proper role, it does fine, and I bet it'd chop a venomous snake. I don't want to do that with my 12 inch one, but a long blade offers greater safety in that usage. I bet a skilled machete man could lop off the head of an eyelash viper coiled on a branch. But if the branch is limber, with some "spring", some of the force of the machete blow may be lessened. I still think a sharp blade will do it. A stouter branch would still be a better support for the snake; make it easier to kill with one stroke.

I've seen machetes cut some thick wood on YouTube, but think that's better done by axe or saw, maybe a Woodsman's Pal.

 

[Cackmandu]

Condor makes some pretty interesting and effective blades. I have been getting a lot of use out of the 13" Golok. This thing is pretty good at grassy brush, but it really shines in heavier brush. Branches up to about 5/8" are a one-swipe proposition if I can catch the branch right at the axil, where it is well-supported.

The blade is pretty thick, 6mm at the hilt, tapering to about 1.5mm at the tip. The convex grind makes it an excellent chopper. It wouldn't be my first choice, but I can take down a 3" Chinese elm in less time than it would take to fuel and oil a chain saw and get it fired up.

I am not familiar with the discord, but it looks like a very effective bit of kit. Unfortunately my big slasher budget is maxed out at the moment, as I recently took delivery of the Baryonyx machete, which Condor makes for only the one vendor.

I guess your budget is maxed with all those Colt mags, ha!

 

[Kronos]

I've seen machetes cut some thick wood on YouTube, but think that's better done by axe or saw, maybe a Woodsman's Pal.

Say that after you watch the discord go to town,of course it's less machete and more sword,like I said typical ones run 2~2.8mm thick the discord is 3mm

 

[bruce5781]

As a surveyor in brush choked East Texas, I have literally cut thousands of miles of brush, vines and trees.
Best on the market is either Ontario Knife or Barteaux. Ontarios can be had in the $35 range with a little shopping. Get the 22" as they are less prone to bend than the 24".
Best cutting is done with the machete in one hand and a stout stick or thin branch (maybe 1"diameter) in the other. Use the stick to put pressure against what you want to cut or wrap it in vines to put tension on them. Cutting is all about physics. It is a little awkward at first, but with a minimum of practice you get pretty darn quick. Main trick is to cut in a direction so that the branch offers as much resistance as possible. If cutting low to the ground, cut in a downward motion rather than banging it sideways.
With either of these machetes 12" or larger oaks can be cut if necessary. We generally put a man on opposite sides and then cut with alternating strokes. Get a good rhythm going and it does not take long.

Sent from my SM-S975L using Tapatalk

 

[Cackmandu]

https://www.knife-depot.com/knife-392606.html?src=sendgrid&src1=20160612&src2=products_with_coupon&utm_source=Sendgrid&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20160612&utm_campaign=Products+With+Coupon

Not sure if anyone is looking for something more compact, but this looks like a pretty good option, 16 1/4" total length, love that handle!

 

[Texas Star]

As a surveyor in brush choked East Texas, I have literally cut thousands of miles of brush, vines and trees.
Best on the market is either Ontario Knife or Barteaux. Ontarios can be had in the $35 range with a little shopping. Get the 22" as they are less prone to bend than the 24".
Best cutting is done with the machete in one hand and a stout stick or thin branch (maybe 1"diameter) in the other. Use the stick to put pressure against what you want to cut or wrap it in vines to put tension on them. Cutting is all about physics. It is a little awkward at first, but with a minimum of practice you get pretty darn quick. Main trick is to cut in a direction so that the branch offers as much resistance as possible. If cutting low to the ground, cut in a downward motion rather than banging it sideways.
With either of these machetes 12" or larger oaks can be cut if necessary. We generally put a man on opposite sides and then cut with alternating strokes. Get a good rhythm going and it does not take long.

Sent from my SM-S975L using Tapatalk

Describe the Ontario handle. Are the scales flush with the metal tang, or are they above it, like on Tramontina wood handles that need to be ground down to be flush? That'd be hard with those synthetic scales!

I've heard that Ontario handles vary, with some well fitted, and others, sloppy.

 

[eveled]

Always thought the woodsman pal, was the best machete available. Don't understand why machetes have points, not really a stabbing tool.