coronet 131 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Recent post got me thinking about these. I bought a cheap Voodoo Tactical shotgun scabbard, and it came with an 18" machete. Since the scabbard came with a place to hold the machete, I would like to replace it with a high quality one. The scabbard is really not bad for the cheap price. The machete is bad! lol. Any sources? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LuPiN8oR 333 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Ontario blades are my favorite, in my line of work those are what we use daily. Next to that, cold steel. Gerber makes ok ones but ive seen more of those have 'catastrophic failures' than any other decent name (catastrophic = blade comes off handle mid swing and pinwheels until stopped either by tree, rock, or ...coworker) hope that helps. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maxwelhse 1,285 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Machete? Otherwise... Harbor Freight on sale for $4.... They're total crap, but at $4 you can't lose. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LuPiN8oR 333 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 ^could lose a hand, eye, arm...yeah dont skimp out on a blade that can become out of control quickly 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
devildogdakota 804 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 I wanna build one from sprung steel from an old pickup truck leaf spring. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maxwelhse 1,285 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 ^could lose a hand, eye, arm...yeah dont skimp out on a blade that can become out of control quickly Seriously? What are you expecting to be doing, and what failure are you predicting, where that's a real risk? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thebuns1 4,323 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Zombie Tools. This isnt a Machete, but rather a short sword. Its more of a Falcata/Kopis mix. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LuPiN8oR 333 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Ok from the top: 1-work machete 22in ontario. Cuts down 12-18in trees w some work. 2-b.o.b blade Ontario 18in w sawback. Fits great in the pack and is an excellent option for a smaller blade. 3-wifes blade same as my work blade. Need to get her an 18incher. Now down in quality to 4. Sold as a 'slimline' machete, i picked it up to see if it would serve as my camping blade. Not enough weight to hack through a 3in limb. And at the bottom of the barrel we have a no name machete that was made in china. Was given to me as an xmas present by someone who knows nothing of blade quality. Its flimsy and to try to operate it would put myself and others in danger. Hope that helps. Get an Ontario lol. Not pictured is a gerber i have, it would go between the wifes blade and the slimline one. Its in my truck and its raining. It works ok but i rarely use it as the bolts holding the blade to the handle come loose easy and i watched someone at work let it go loose and it flew like a bat outta hell and stuck into a tree.. By the way max im a surveyor, so i have a bit of experience with machetes. Plus if you go camping the last thing you want is a deep laceration with miles to hike out. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maxwelhse 1,285 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 By the way max im a surveyor, so i have a bit of experience with machetes. Plus if you go camping the last thing you want is a deep laceration with miles to hike out. Honestly, I don't know much of shit about machetes. I'm seriously asking the question of what you expect to happen when using a high quality piece vs. a low quality piece. Personally... I think the Gerber zombie survival set looks awesome! The bill hook particularly peaks my interest. http://www.gerbergear.com/Apocalypse/Gear/Apocalypse-Kit_30-000601 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LuPiN8oR 333 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Its ok man lol, low quality blades will snap easier and send pieces of the blade flying possibly injuring yourself or others around you. That work blade, ive had it for 8 years with no trouble at all. Be careful with gerber as mentioned, they look neat but their quality suffers. I've seen more than one snap into pieces sending shrapnel flying or the entire blade will come loose. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
devildogdakota 804 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 I wanna build one from sprung steel from an old pickup truck leaf spring. Guys I served with overseas were buying machetes made from leaf spring steel and flip flops with soles made from car tires. Them machetes slightly sharpened I'm pretty sure could split a guy in half with a strong enough swing. You can chop aluminum or hard wood with it all day long, and barely dull em'. Some car tires can get over 70,000 miles on them. Thats with all the years of that weight of a vehicle on hard and uneven surfaces, and a lot of it over 55mph. I can't imagine wearing out the soles on a pair of flip flops! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maxwelhse 1,285 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 No kidding? I always thought pretty highly of the gerber stuff I've had experience with! Alright then... No cool $4 machetes for practical purposes then... I do plan to cut one of them up to make a sweet bayonet for the S12 though. Just for decoration. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thebuns1 4,323 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 By the way max im a surveyor, so i have a bit of experience with machetes. Plus if you go camping the last thing you want is a deep laceration with miles to hike out. Honestly, I don't know much of shit about machetes. I'm seriously asking the question of what you expect to happen when using a high quality piece vs. a low quality piece. Personally... I think the Gerber zombie survival set looks awesome! The bill hook particularly peaks my interest. http://www.gerbergear.com/Apocalypse/Gear/Apocalypse-Kit_30-000601 Shitty blades tend to break easy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LuPiN8oR 333 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Trust me i love gebers knives and their multitools are ok but they really let me down w their machetes. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maxwelhse 1,285 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 I wanna build one from sprung steel from an old pickup truck leaf spring. Guys I served with overseas were buying machetes made from leaf spring steel and flip flops with soles made from car tires. Them machetes slightly sharpened I'm pretty sure could split a guy in half with a strong enough swing. You can chop aluminum or hard wood with it all day long, and barely dull em'. Some car tires can get over 70,000 miles on them. Thats with all the years of that weight of a vehicle on hard and uneven surfaces, and a lot of it over 55mph. I can't imagine wearing out the soles on a pair of flip flops! Spring steel is nothing to be treated lightly... When I worked for a hose reel manufacturer, if you "blew a spring" (LOL!!!!.... what that means is that the spring became uncoiled inside of the spring case, but was still under lots of pressure)) the process to dispose of it was it walk out behind the factory and throw it as hard as you could into the field whilst running in the opposite direction... Some of the springs were over 100 ft long (200ft reel for instance) and stored lots of sharp edged energy. I suppose if you have enough time to pound a spring into a blade it would be pretty damn lethal if it didn't snap first. Trust me i love gebers knives and their multitools are ok but they really let me down w their machetes. Hummm... Alright... I'll sit back and the let the machete school be in session then... I can't imagine a day when a "good" machete would be a bad thing... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LuPiN8oR 333 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Ontario blades all the way man! Plus, its just like 30$. Hell i paid 30 for the gerber one i have and dont use anymore due to aforementioned problems witnessed. Get some grip tape for the handle and a bastard file to sharpen and youre golden. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maxwelhse 1,285 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Well shit! $30 doesn't exactly break the bank! Based on their trade name I'd rather keep Canadjuns workin' as opposed to Chinamen,... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra 76 two 2,677 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 I will only use a full tang mechete (blade through handle). Hard to go wrong with Cold Steel or Ontario. Not machetes here but good zombie killers...lol. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thebuns1 4,323 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 The steel used isnt as important to me as the construction of the tool. I feel that the shitty 4 dollar blades will be just that, a 4 dollar machete. You get what you pay for in the world of edged weapons/tools IMO. Spring steel is a great steel to use for longer blades. So is tool steel and 1095. I like 1095 steel cuz it takes a good edge, holds a good edge, but it will rust fairly quickly if it goes neglected. So will spring steel. The pic I posted above is made of 5160 I believe. For a good machete, Id look into ESEE or TOPS or Ontario as already mentioned. They have some quality products that arent too badly priced for what your getting in return. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maxwelhse 1,285 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 I will only use a full tang mechete (blade through handle). Hard to go wrong with Cold Steel or Ontario. Not machetes here but good zombie killers...lol. P9090047.JPG We're about to scrap the bayonet sharpening plan and work on making lugs for those things instead!!! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LuPiN8oR 333 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 (edited) Ontario ones have a circular knob on the end that could be modded...oh shit now im gettin excited lol! +1 on full tang cobra, thats why the gerbers break! And the ontarios wont Edited March 29, 2013 by LuPiN8oR 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
devildogdakota 804 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 I will only use a full tang mechete (blade through handle). Hard to go wrong with Cold Steel or Ontario. Not machetes here but good zombie killers...lol. P9090047.JPG Nice lookin' Kukarhis, Cobra! The one on the left to me looks like the one Denzel had in Book of Eli, if I remember right. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Conscript 99 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Tramontina, 18" or better. Really any south american brand is good, note SOUTH AMERICAN, NOT MEXICAN. Get a regular leather sheath. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
coronet 131 Posted March 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 I have an Ontario Knife M9 bayo for my s-12. Didn't realize that they made machetes. The Bayo is very high quality. Didn't realize - from the name -that they were U.S. made. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LuPiN8oR 333 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Yeah those are gorgeous man! While not as fancy i do have these too...damn i forgot the nunchucks! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maxwelhse 1,285 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) I have an Ontario Knife M9 bayo for my s-12. Didn't realize that they made machetes. The Bayo is very high quality. Didn't realize - from the name -that they were U.S. made. Even better...!!! My decision has been made. I'll pony up an extra $26 for sure for the US made, non-widow maker, S12 Machete bayonet... ...then it won't be just for decoration... edit: DAMN IT!!! You guys are gonna turn me into a knife guy too! Just what I need!... another hyper expensive hobby!!! Doesn't anyone collect 4 leaf clovers or good intentions on this forum? Damn... breaking my wallet.. Edited March 30, 2013 by Maxwelhse Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MT Predator 2,294 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 All the Military contract machetes I have run across are Ontarios. Full tang through handle. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LuPiN8oR 333 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Lol max guess i wont take pics of all the throwing knives and axes i have! See i told ya. Ontario blades=badassery hahaha 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thebuns1 4,323 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 I will only use a full tang mechete (blade through handle). Hard to go wrong with Cold Steel or Ontario. Not machetes here but good zombie killers...lol. P9090047.JPG Nice lookin' Kukarhis, Cobra! The one on the left to me looks like the one Denzel had in Book of Eli, if I remember right. I think that one Denzel had in that movie was a Kukri. The blade on the right is def. one of those. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maxwelhse 1,285 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Lol max guess i wont take pics of all the throwing knives and axes i have! See i told ya. Ontario blades=badassery hahaha You do that and I'll counter with a vastly more expensive hobbies, HOME THEATER AND CARS!!! Bastard! Making me get into knives... I'll make you have a $3000 0.1 channel! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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