Machetes and the bush!

I was reading an article in Tactical Knives about machetes the other day and it made me want to purchase a good one.

The article kinda sucked but it did say that the machete was more than a jungle tool and can be used extensively in North America. I've used one a lot when four wheeling and it actually was more versatile than a hatchet or small camp axe, although I still would put an axe in the Jeep just in case some larger timber needed to be felled. Mostly I just kept the machete lashed to the rollbar or thrown in the back with the tow straps. It never really needed any maintence either except some sharpening on a grinding wheel occasionally. I have the militry machete which has a built in sharpener on the plastic sheath, it actually works as long as you kept up on the edge and didn't let it get too bad.

I decided on getting one of Condors machetes, I like the handle design and is better quality then the $10 ones. I don't plan on being gentle with this one either so hopefully it will hold up to the cheap ones.

The Condor made machetes and axes have been getting some good press over the last year or so. One machete I kind of like is the Wordan Spec Forces by Ontario. I read a great review on it last year in Tactical Knives. At first it seemed like a gimicky design until I saw all of it's features put to good use.

http://www.ebladestore.com/knives/ON8790.html

Check out these bad boys

http://www.knivesshipfree.com/Bark-River-Knife-and-Tool-KSF-Machete/c465_583/index.html

This thread made me motivate to get my old bolo machete out of the shed and put an edge on it with a file. It took me about 1/2 hour but it will actually cut branches rather then break them now.

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Nothin' like machete sharpening accompanied by a cold beer!

And no gloves!

The Patriot wrote:

And no gloves!

Why, was the beer to cold to hold?

That is almost as safe as john cutting wood in maine