Machete

[Pict]

Pict do you use the straight edge or the bolo edge?
Which one do you prefer?

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This is the typical set-up I loan my students for the course. A 14 or 16 inch Tramontina in a really nice leather sheath with a Mora. The knives have a BSA Hotspark on the lanyard and the machete has a Doan Tool on the sheath.

This is my personal machete, a 16 inch Tramontina with my large Zebu folder.

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I do like the Bolo very much. I carried on in my trunk down here for many years. They are very good on hardwood and bamboo.

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Me having a very good day. Mac

[Beo]

when I was in the School of the Americas in Panama way back when we carried a straight edge machete like the one in the first pic, how hard would it be for you to pick me one up (like yours, I simply love the sheath with it), gimme the price and I'll send you the money.

[bladefrenzy]

I have used several like that, I think they are one of the best machetes you can get. I do use a cut down Martindale too, but it's a lot heavier and thicker. But the tramontina should serve you well for many years. I like to convex the edge on mine so it lasts longer and doesn't stick as much in wood. But I will admit it a bit of work for a machete. I got the time so I went ahead and did it.

[dragonjimm]

I've heard that Tramontina made good stuff just never got to it. i carry an 18 inch ontario.
i had a 12 inch but my mom beat me out of it

one thing i feel pict should've mentioned is that machetes are meant to sharpened by the buyer.
@kemp....crocodile brand, ontario, barteaux......look on ebay usuaslly some nice older machetes hanging out in the military section


for parangs go here... a parang is the knife on the right in beowulfs picture
http://www.valiantco.com/

[Pict]

"machetes are meant to sharpened by the buyer"

Yes, this is true. One more way to make them affordable. Mac

[Rick]

Mac - I would imagine you have some problems with rust on your machete's because of the environment you are in. I don't know if you can import it but Oxpho-Blue made by Brownell's is a cold blueing that will prevent it. It might help make the students' machetes last longer. Just a thought.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Sto...tle=OXPHO-BLUE

[Beo]

All this time and I never knew what kind of machete's those were, they just hang in my garage now next to my grandpaps old fly rod.

[Pict]

Rick,

They rust during rainy season if I let them stay in wet leather. Really it isn't much of a problem. They rust, yes, but then you just take the sandpaper to them and they turn shiny again. I find that many plant juices will stain carbon steel pretty bad. Car wax gives them a good protective coating too.

I have treated several of my machetes with vinegar to give them a really nice finish that resists rust. It helps and makes the blades look really tacticool.

Beowulf,

You can pick up just about any Tramontina from SMKW for about what I would pay for them here. The sheaths I use here are not the standard "field worker" grade commonly encountered. These are mostly handmade one-of-a-kind sheaths I've found in my travels visiting small shops and farm co-ops. I wish I could get them in bulk but it just doesn't work that way. Mac

[Beo]

Cool, I'll check out Smokey, thanks.

[Pict]

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One of the perks of living in machete country, I run across sheaths like these in my travels and snap them up. Here are a few of the ones I use on a regular basis. Mac

[Beo]

Pict,
I checked out your channel and its really great the "Building and setting an arapuca live bird trap" was a great video keep up the great work I learned a lot.

[Pict]

Thanks, I have alot of fun doing those videos. I have never seen that trap trigger in any books so I figured I'd put it out there. Its not original to me that is a very common trap here, its just that nobody is writing much about wilderness survival and bushcraft in Brazil so there's lots that hasn't been recorded. The arapuca is a good trap to keep in your head. Mac

[Beo]

Yeah I may try it here.

[sixgun]

I own a lot of knives some cheap and even though I like them for the money I feel that all my cheap knives leave something to be desired in handle comfort, so for a heavy use tool like a machete I would make sure you feel the handle first if you can, I think SMKW has a good return policy so it should be OK.

[Rick]

Mac - Those are some nice sheaths. It's nice when art and functionality come together. On the car wax bit. I use it on my handguns rifles and shotguns. I don't have any problems with finger prints causing rust or corrosion either.

[Chicago Dan]

I also have a $6 machete and am happy with it other than, like other people, I found the sheath was garbage. I guess that’s why there is so much discussion on sheaths whenever machete is mentioned.

[crashdive123]

Nice collection Pict.

[bulrush]

Hey Pict, how do you get those machetes past airport security? Do you check them in your luggage?

[Beo]

Pict you need to do a series on traps for us explaining some of those cool jungle traps we don't see here, maybe post a few pics for us.

[Rick]

He did before you came back on. He has several vids he's posted. Click on his avatar then on Find All Posts. You'll see them. He has a great little trap made out of sticks on there.