Opinel No13 as a Machete?

[davidgraef]

i was just wondering, could an Opinel No13 be a suitable machete replacement? i dont use a machete much for cutting through brush mainly because i dont live somewhere where i have that need, but i use a machete for falling trees, wood processing, etc. and would this opinel be a good replacement for that even though it is a folding knife? or because its a folding knife, would it not hold up very well? my main reason for asking is because they are affordable, but being a low price, how low is the quality?

[crashdive123]

I don't own one, but have seen a few vids on the 13. They seem pretty sturdy. If processing wood is your goal, I would suggest a hatchet or small axe.

[davidgraef]

ok thankyou

[kyratshooter]

The #13 nly has a 9" blade. That is hardly a machette and not suited for "Chopping".

Hatchets are suited to chopping and a number of good models are available even in Hungary.

Tell you what DG, read the following link and zip down to page 7 where the edged tool discussion is. After you read that little section sit down and go through the whole book. Nesmuk spent a lifetime in the woods and gave the answers to most of your questions 100 years ago.

In 100 years the questions have not changed and neither have the answers. We use nylon and plastic but the gear is the same.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/downloads...nd-camping.pdf

[Rick]

Hey! You don't know. Maybe he's chopping Bonsai trees.

[Winter]

The #13 nly has a 9" blade. That is hardly a machette and not suited for "Chopping".

Hatchets are suited to chopping and a number of good models are available even in Hungary.

Tell you what DG, read the following link and zip down to page 7 where the edged tool discussion is. After you read that little section sit down and go through the whole book. Nesmuk spent a lifetime in the woods and gave the answers to most of your questions 100 years ago.

In 100 years the questions have not changed and neither have the answers. We use nylon and plastic but the gear is the same.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/downloads...nd-camping.pdf

Seriously Rat?

Nessmuk was a guide for rich people. He was "camping". He was no survival guru. He knew what he needed to guide people for a couple days.

South Americans do what that guy did with a machete.

Sears was in NY city and the periphery, David, above, is in Hungary.

To quote you, "Once again Alaskans tell us what works in Alaska, but not where we are." Paraphrased of course.

If you are familiar with Hungary, I will retract my last.

I like ya anyway Rat, you are a grumpy codger. Far too few these days.

[kyratshooter]

If DG were headed for South America I would recommend a machette without hesitation. Hungary will definately have more in common with upstate NY than with Brazil.

Sears was in the Aderondicks, not NYC and the general climate is the same as the firest of central Europe.

Nesmuck was also POOR. He only wanted to buy his gear once, not over and over hunting for what worked.

His trips into what was refered to as the "Great North Woods" lasted for many weeks in some cases. He did it while suffering from taberculosis so each trip to the forest was a survival exercise.

As far as that goes, we are not "surviving" either. We are camping under whatever conditions we chose to impose on ourselves and we can get in the truck, boat or plane, and go home when we desire. When we talk about wilderness survival we are in a fantacy world, east of the Mississippi River and over most of the western U.S. The closest I expect to come to survival situation is having to fire up the propane if we have an ice storm.

His writing is considered "classic" for a reason. Although the laws and situations have changed in these hundred years, we can not drink from the streams or shoot game for the pot in mid-summer, living in camp has changed little. I am sure Nesmuck would have snatched up a coleman lantern, a Eureka tent, or a hollowfill sleeping bag without hesitation, but he would have considered our newly cultivated desire for machette sized blades a bit on the "River-boat gambler" side.

As you said, the right tool for the task. When I have a field of suger cane to cut I will chose a machette, if I need to split wood I will find my hatchet.

[Winter]

We are camping under whatever conditions we chose to impose on ourselves and we can get in the truck, boat or plane, and go home when we desire. When we talk about wilderness survival we are in a fantacy world, east of the Mississippi River and over most of the western U.S. The closest I expect to come to survival situation is having to fire up the propane if we have an ice storm.

.

Maybe for you, and maybe for DG. Not for all of us.

I may share some stories with ya around a campfire some day.

[Winter]

Anyway, Maybe I should quit being argumentative and reply to the OP.

A very large broken knife(lockblade) is unsuited to heavy use.

[kyratshooter]

Maybe for you, and maybe for DG. Not for all of us.

I may share some stories with ya around a campfire some day.

That is exactly what I said Winter. One has to hunt for a place to get in trouble in the "wilderness" these days. Your situation is 5,000 miles from mine and is still a self imposed condition. All you "winderness survivors" in AK with the computer access kill me! You can be in NYC in 24 hours if you get tired of the bush or any hazzards related to it.

[Winter]

It's self imposed in that I know the risk of possibly having to overnight(or 2) somewhere due to boat problems or weather.

Same could easily happen in any woods, canoe trip, or any excursion where you are not sitting at a fire next to your truck.

One of my stories is on Ivanpah Dry Lake bed during the 1983 land yacht championships. This is high desert california or nevada, I was 13 so not sure. When your yacht takes a dump 17 miles away from the RV, it ain't a day hike anymore.

[Rick]

First of all. Never launch your yacht in a dry lake bed. Pulling that rascal 17 miles must have been a lot of work. It's a lot easier when the lake actually has water.

[kyratshooter]

I do believe that land yacht competition is one of lifes' options, just as is 4 wheeling, back packing, dog sledding and picking the places we live.

When we engage in those pursuits there is a specific level of risk we accept and should prepare for. A "Land yahct" breaking down in the desert? How could such a thing happen? Never expected that now did we? Lets now move to Kansas and live in a house trailer, or move to Alaska and complain about the tempature not allowing our Bic lighter to work.

That is not survival, it is dealing with one of the logical results of our own actions which we should have anticipated and planned for.

I would anticipate taking at least as much gear into any of those situations as I keep in my vehicle on a daily basis, along with a bit of specific kit for the climate and special situations. Not preparing properly for a situation is not surviving, it is simply staying alive until you escape. In desert or tundra not having a personal locator becon means you had no plan or decided to spend the money on something else. You can buy the new custom knife instead a commercial model, and tough it out batonning wood and admiring your knife for two weeks before you die or flip the switch and be on a helicopter in an hour.

[Rick]

Points and counterpoints made, gentlemen. Let's agree to disagree, shall we?

[Winter]

It's fine Rick. In Rats last I post he explains where he's coming from on the issue.

I agree Rat. Every time I've been in a "survival" situation, I put myself into it. Bad luck, carelessness, and shallow planning made them emergencies. Had I stayed home, none of them would have ever happened.

[BENESSE]

First of all. Never launch your yacht in a dry lake bed. Pulling that rascal 17 miles must have been a lot of work. It's a lot easier when the lake actually has water.

This from a man, who had quite a few (admitted) boat issues.
Experience is the best teacher, what?

[socom2173]

During such activities one should take some level of personal responsibility because those things are a possibility and one should ALWAYS have some level of preperation for them.

P.S. Why would you want a folding Machete that costs $100 here. You could buy 10 Machete's for that. You said your budget for a Knife was, I think under $60 and you bought a Mora now you have money for a folding Machete?..
I don't think you would want to baton with anything that folds.

[Rick]

First, the barge sinking wasn't my fault. No one explained what the valve was for. Second, The ferry crash wasn't my fault either. I never said I could drive one and the drunk captain didn't seem to mind until all heck broke loose then it was suddenly all my fault. Third, the Coast Guard needs to be a bit more specific about what you can and can't bring into the country via boat. What they called illegal aliens I called a bunch of women out for some sun and fun. It's not like there was a sign or anything.

[LowKey]

Rick never told anyone the "canoe accident" happened while it was actually on the water....

[Rick]

Oh, the canoe. Well, I got that figured out. I had everything in one end. The front just stood right up in the air and down she went. I'm gonna put everything in the front end next time. I'll have to paddle backwards but at least we won't go down azz first.