Monster Bolo, SUPER Heavy duty CHOPPER

[Sourdough]

O.K. I want a Tool that is much heavier than a 1/8" (.125) machete. I want it shaped like a short Bolo, with lots of Belly, Never to be used for stabbing so no point needed, prefer 5/16" to 3/8" stock.
I have seen some old military culinary Meat Cleavers that came close. I owned a original Cold Steel "ATC" All Terrain Chopper that came close but was to long.
This tool would be used for chopping Alder Bushes 1 1/2" up to 3" as it primary application, and secondary could serve as a large scale skinner, another reason for no point, and lots of belly, and relatively short.
This ain't no vine cutter. O.K. whats available? or What would it cost to have it made.....roughly speaking.......?

[crashdive123]

If you can't find one (and once I figure out a bit more about making them) I'll make you one. Of course - after I make a forge and finish that other project - you may not want me to.

[Sourdough]

I understand stock over 1/4" is hard to work with, have you read that......Allso?

[crashdive123]

For me, at least so far - anything is hard to work with. On something that thick I would want to anneal it before I started cutting and grinding to soften it up. But, as you can tell from my knife project - as new as I am to all of this there's no telling what it might end up like. Could look like a butter knife.

[Sourdough]

For me, at least so far - anything is hard to work with. On something that thick I would want to anneal it before I started cutting and grinding to soften it up. But, as you can tell from my knife project - as new as I am to all of this there's no telling what it might end up like. Could look like a butter knife.

I like the quality/design/shape of the knife your creating.

[bulrush]

Hopeak, make a model out of 1/4 inch thick wood, then send it to Crashdive, then Crash knows exactly what you want.

[crashdive123]

I like the quality/design/shape of the knife your creating.

When I had the blanks cut they had a minimum charge, so I got four for the same price he would have charged for three. Two 1/4" and two 3/16. I'm going to finish this one to see what I like and don't like before I starte working on the others.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

The thicker and the bigger you make a knife the more material there is to remove, move, heat, etc... (Hopeak) have you seen the last pic on my post. "Leaf Spring Knife" the last pic will give you an idea of the scale of the knife I am making, granted you probably don't want a antler handle to do alot of choping, my point it is a heavy knife and should do plenty a choppin'. I would say a knife made from a leaf spring would fit the bill for your project. 1/2 ton pickup springs are in excess of 3/8". By the way I think Leaf Springs are made from 5160 ASAE.

[Sourdough]

The thicker and the bigger you make a knife the more material there is to remove, move, heat, etc... (Hopeak) have you seen the last pic on my post. "Leaf Spring Knife" the last pic will give you an idea of the scale of the knife I am making, granted you probably don't want a antler handle to do alot of choping, my point it is a heavy knife and should do plenty a choppin'. I would say a knife made from a leaf spring would fit the bill for your project. 1/2 ton pickup springs are in excess of 3/8". By the way I think Leaf Springs are made from 5160 ASAE.

It will be to big....about the roughly size and shape of a Pingpong paddle, roughly. 340* degrees of skinning and chopping surface.