Machete 101? Stories

[The Blackhawk Kid]

:mrgreen: Well I found my old army machete and sharpened it. I now conan the destroyer. After almost cutting my yeller labs nose off (it's usually up my butt) and decapitating wifey I'm gettin the hang of it again. I just got a Cold Steel 12" bowie machete and man it's sharp. Going hunting this weekend, ALONE! FWIW BhK :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Snake45]

Aside from mowing, I refuse to do any yardwork that can't be accomplished with my Ontario USGI machete. If The Lovely Mrs. Snake wants anything further done in the yard, she can do it herself or pay someone else to do it. :lol:

Snake: "'Weed' is such an ugly word. It's like the N-word for plants." :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[RoninPA]

I don't use machetes now that I found out about khukuri's. Have several from Himalayan Imports and they are wicked sharp and will go through stuff with no effort at all. But you do need to learn how to wield them or you might cut yourself badly.

 

[toysoldier]

My big-time brush-clearing machete is one that I made from half of a 2-man crosscut saw. I broke the teeth off, ground a tang, ground an edge where the teeth were, ground a hook at the end where the handle was. I put oak grips on. It really cuts a swath.

 

[gramps]

I have what was billed as a "coconut machete" The blade is slightly curved, and to me resembles a short sword of sorts. Nice and symmetrical. It was made by the 'Collins Company" purveyors of fine machetes. I have a friend that was missionary in South America, who called me one day via amateur radio needing to talk with an orthopedic surgeon regarding "Collins Syndrome". It seems a guy was out trimming the banana trees and whacked a finger off. The dog got the finger, the bone was sticking out and there wasn't enough skin to cover. What to do? Ya'll be careful wielding these objects. They can and do lop off that with which they make contact.
gramps

 

[Mike Armstrong]

I actually took "Machete 101" at one of the conservation organizations I work as a volunteer. Taught by an employee who was originally from Aguascalientes State in MX and who had been a "len~ero" (len-yero = woodcutter) and "carbonero" (charcoal maker) for his first thirty years or so. He favored the long Collins machetes like the USA used to issue, taught us how to sharpen them with a river cobble (and what kind of stone and how to make a sharpening edge by breaking it right), how to fell a tree the easiest way, and how to mow grass.

Had always wondered why campesinos working in Latin countries (now including California....) always sing when working in the woods or in thick chaparral. He explained that 1) it was fun, especially the rhyming "coplas" that poke fun at fellow workers, foreigners, or the boss, 2) it lets the others know when they are getting too close to somebody else's backswing, and 3) it lets the snakes get out of your way.

All made sense to me--too bad my singing is mostly just crow calls....

I like the Cold Steel "bolo machete" made in South Africa. Cheap, short, and easy to use. I take a half dozen with me to Guatemala when I go down to do volunteer work there each January. Great gifts--"Happy New Year, Kiddo--here's a new chopper!"

In many parts of the world a sharp machete is basically the only tool a guy has to have. Even before the lowly grub hoe.

 

[Eric N.]

I also have a Cold Steel short Bowie machete. Had it for years. Right handy.I keep it in my new Jeep Wrangler 2 door,between the front seats.

 

[cadillo]

I have what was billed as a "coconut machete" The blade is slightly curved, and to me resembles a short sword of sorts. Nice and symmetrical. It was made by the 'Collins Company" purveyors of fine machetes. I have a friend that was missionary in South America, who called me one day via amateur radio needing to talk with an orthopedic surgeon regarding "Collins Syndrome". It seems a guy was out trimming the banana trees and whacked a finger off. The dog got the finger, the bone was sticking out and there wasn't enough skin to cover. What to do? Ya'll be careful wielding these objects. They can and do lop off that with which they make contact.
gramps

I know from personal observation what they do in that situation. They skin it back to the next joint, and then separate the severed piece of bone from the joint, and then discard it, which leaves enough flesh to sew an end cap.

I was helping a buddy work on a 318 cid V-8 marine engine, when his hand got drawn into and between the alternator pulley and the belt. It cut the tops of the four large fingers very badly, but they were otherwise intact, and salvageable. The small finger was cut off at the joint closest to the nail, and the bone was flush with the flesh on the end. At the hospital they went back to the next joint, and discarded the bone below it to have enough flesh to close off the end.

Thankfully he healed up well, and retained full use of the hand, except for the little finger, which was one third its original length.

Belts are very, very unforgiving, and have since given me the heebie-geebies.

 

[Number9]

HE'S CRAZY.. I TELL YA.. HE'S CRAZY!!

 

[Pal Val]

In many parts of the world a sharp machete is basically the only tool a guy has to have. Even before the lowly grub hoe.

It often also is the only weapon. When guns were banned in Puerto Rico, the machete became the weapon of choice for self defense. I remember my great-uncle teaching me how to wield one when I was a kid. He told me stories of machete fights, and the kinds of wounds the machete can produce. Really nasty stuff. He once got attacked by feral dogs while feeding the hogs. Feral dogs were a big problem at the farm. He held the dogs back with the stick he was using to spread the feed on the trough. When a dog bit the stick, he took a swing with a machete and chopped the head clean off. He then threw the carcasses in for the hogs to eat. They left nothing but the bones.

They called the long, narrow machetes "perrillo" = "doggie". Wonder why.

 

[gramps]

HE'S CRAZY.. I TELL YA.. HE'S CRAZY!!

Your typical Tn outdoorsman
gramps

 

[stevemb]

There is an Ontario made 18" with OD plastic sheath, Nyl-tied to my Honda Rubicon ATV.. Was the first thing I added, after the winch anyway. I'd like to get a longer one, for more reach when on the ATV. I'd also like one of the Cold Steel Bowies(machete).

 

[Bull Barrel]

Samurai Delicatessen....cheeburger!

 

[cruzerlou]

I've got this little number here .It's a Camillus Carnivore ..
It has 18" O.A.L W/ a 12" 1/2 serrated chisel point blade and it's 3/8Th's " thick and 1 1/2 " wide and is titanium bonded[whatever that's supposed to mean]. .
It does good on stuff up to 2-3" thick, just a couple waks and your through and what's supposed to be a wire cutter, but I can't see how you'd use that way ,but it would make a great gut hook. It's razor sharp right out of the box[ trust me on this ,I managed to cut my finger right to the bone while chopping some kindling ] and retails for around 30 bucks . Now they make one with an 18" blade [more weight] and I would think is a better one swipe cutting tool .
You can get them at Wally World for sure and I would think most hardware super stores like Lowe's or Home Depot and I think Smokes Mountain Knife Works carries them to..
It' works for me .Here's a couple pics,
Lou
\

 

[RugerForMe]

The best machete I ever owned was a carbon steel Bolo, I believe the kid that bough my old Jeep liberated it, he made a comment about and it just plan vanished when the Jeep left. I have Cold Steel Kukri Machete its OK. I also have a couple of others.
I leave the Kukri Machete in the truck never know when you might need to trim something off.

Also got this, was told my Uncle carried during WWII, has absolutely no markings on it.

 

[GhosT]

A USE FOR MACHETES YA MIGHT NOT KNOWN.

I can't say who I work for,signed a paper saying never share company procedures ....
But...I think I can get away with some general details,without getting fired!

Would help if ya know what a plastic extruder is....lol....

Picture a machine pumping out ONE LONG SHEET of melted plastic 4 + feet wide..up to 4.5" thick.
At ,between 2-3000 pounds per hour.

Thats ALOT of fast ,HOT,melty plastic.

When the sh*t hits the fan,and this needs cut by hand ...cause one of the machines screwed up......
In the late 70's-early 80's we used knives......YEAH, THAT DIDN'T WORK WELL!
Kinda like trying to cut molasses clean with a butter knife.

From the early 80's- the mid 2000's ... we used-------THE HOT KNIFE!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahhh,this fun toy,needs described.

Picture a cord that plugs into the wall into a box about the size of 3 toasters.....ohh, and the wall socket threw a HELL OF A LOT MORE VOLTAGE.
A second cord (about 12 feet long ) went to a primitive wooden handle,that held a "BLADE" (not sharp) ,About 8" long.
But that blade could cut through that semi-molten plastic....
Because the Voltage was ramped so high...THE METAL IN THAT BLADE GLOWED ORANGE!!!
Yup, Kinda like a MINI LIGHT SABRE...WANNA GUESS how many of us got scars over the years????

Moving ahead......LOL.....

A few years back, we experimented with......then determined, EXTREMELY SHARP MACHETES...are ,with training,the most efficient tool for the job.

Between the weight of the blade,with an extremely sharp edge,
If used to slice,instead of chop..EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE!

{BTW, ...The work training is almost 90%--- Make sure yer not standing opposite of the coworker with the machete!...LOLOLOLOL}
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Geese,
After finishing this post....
Having an urge to find out how sharp COLD STEEL machetes are? :wink:

 

[Eric N.]

Cold machetes come kinda sharp,but it is easy to make then a lot sharper.

 

[volshooter]

cruzerlou, was at wally world today and went to look. They did not have any in stock exactly like yours but they did have another, same brand/#, that I did buy. It has a tan handle, indent for lanyard hole, full straight blade and a wicked saw tooth on top. You are right, it is real sharp with a life time promise. The saw on the back is over the top sharp for a saw. Got it home and went at one of my wife's bushes. Well, there was one there............. I did not see anything........you can quote me on that.
I really like this $30 brush buster. Thanks!

Rick

 

[RKB]

I have what was billed as a "coconut machete" The blade is slightly curved, and to me resembles a short sword of sorts. Nice and symmetrical. It was made by the 'Collins Company" purveyors of fine machetes.

I have a Model of 1850 Foot Officer's sword made by Collins in 1862. Their blades were and are respected as good quality.

 

[stevemb]

Collin's is an old name in the hills. They were big in the timber industry. Still a functioning company. Just saw an open facility of some sort near Kane Penn. I have an axe with the name on it. A felling axe, 5lbs but kinda short handled.