Machete Safety

[AClark]

Dear all,

I was out in the jungles of Mexico last year with a conservation group, and some of the surveys had us trekking through the jungle cutting transects with machetes. It was hot sweaty work and as much as we were rigorous with machete-handling safety, I regret to say there were 2 or 3 instances of people's grip getting weak and before they realised it the machete had flown out of their hand. (These people were then deprived of their machete).

Anyway, I'll be modifying the handle of my own machete in a few weeks in preparation for a similar expedition this summer, and I'm wondering about adding a ski-pole type loop to the handle. This should, should the worst happen and I lose my grip on the machete, prevent it flying out of my hand. This would make me confident that I wasn't putting anyone else in danger and also, should I do the sensible thing and let someone else take over as I get tired, make me confident that whoever's using my machete isn't going to accidentally injure me with it.

Do you have any thoughts on this? Might it just be a hinderance to actually using the machete properly?

 

[Niels]

If it flies out of your hand with a wrist strap it could swing into your legs I've never actually used a machete so I don't know.

 

[Ross Bowyer]

Never attach a Lanyard to a machete or axe, if it flies out of your hand it is best that it goes into the ground/vegetation, not your leg or swings back around and hits you in the chest. Best bet is to know when you are getting tired and stop cutting, even for 5 mins while you have some water. Also make sure you are working a safe distance from others, so if it does fly out of your hand, or anyone else's, it is unlikely to cause an injury.

 

[crucible]

Bad idea- like Niels said, a machete that flies out of your hand is going to rotate and spin into your body if it is attached to your wrist- it might hit you in the leg, head, or body, and it's gonna leave a mark!

It's the same as putting a leash on an axe.

 

[Perrari]

Sound advice so far ! Take note !

 

[Bucephalas]

The advice given sounds good enough.
Can't help wondering why my Gerber Gators have a lanyard attached though?

 

[Bucephalas]

Google had the answer
http://www.gerbergear.co.uk/content/download/31960/400404/file/TWD-Kit-Instructions-Cautions.PDF

 

[rickyamos]

Just a thought, lofty on his Survival DVD does use lanyard on his machete/survival knife as shown in the below link:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMLI6BhFV2c

just another thought view, don't know if its right as I've never used one.

Cheers

Rick

 

[BOD]

Google had the answer
http://www.gerbergear.co.uk/content/download/31960/400404/file/TWD-Kit-Instructions-Cautions.PDF

Interesting. I will try this with an old really blunt blade and see what happens if I let go

 

[ruger_red]

How about using grip tape on the handle like that used on hockey sticks?

http://www.hockeyoffice.com/grip-ta...220_cgb.html?lik=SITEGMC-SC8220&lik2={keyword}

http://www.physioroom.com/product.p...040&affid=25&gclid=CISMtaGH2bQCFWbKtAod9RIA-A

 

[Corfe]

Grip tape is a good idea. Better yet - stop chopping when your hand is getting tired. The lanyard is a very bad idea - when you lose the grip on one of those things it will just spin all over the place - attached to your arm. Depends how tired you get, but I saw a guy lop open his own forearm in Mexico many years ago because he had his machete (actually it was a parang), linked to his wrist with a lanyard, and that was lesson enough for me. (He was our guide, too)

 

[the interceptor boy]

I am not an expert, but grew up using several as a child into adulthood, don't grip the handle as you would, let say a knife when chopping/ cutting into wood. its all in the wrist actions, always cut at a 45% angle, using let say your thumb and the firsttwo index fingers and let the rest of the handle beat in between your last two fingers, its hard to explain it to you. always make there is no one in your cutting area, just like using an axe, don't grip to hard, don't hit to hard.
also try cutting with the curve of the machete with one stroke at a time than several blows in the middle of the blade, where you intended to cut.
mind have A lanyard to it only for hanging purposes.
hope that help.
p.s, make sure it's always razor sharp. than dull. less dangerous that way. in case you severed a vein In your arms and legs.
buy a smaller and lighter ones first, let say 10" to14" rather than 18" to 24, 28"
I am only a native from a small island, what do I know!
cheers the interceptor boy.

 

[the interceptor boy]

I am not an expert, but grew up using several as a child into adulthood, don't grip the handle as you would, let say a knife when chopping/ cutting into wood. its all in the wrist actions, always cut at a 45% angle, using let say your thumb and the first two index fingers and let the rest of the handle beat in between your last two fingers, its hard to explain it to you. always make there is no one in your cutting area, just like using an axe, don't grip to hard, don't hit to hard.
also try cutting with the curve of the machete with one stroke at a time than several blows in the middle of the blade, where you intended to cut.
mind have A lanyard to it only for hanging purposes.
hope that help.
p.s, make sure it's always razor sharp. than dull. less dangerous that way. in case you severed a vein In your arms and legs.
buy a smaller and lighter ones first, let say 10" to14" rather than 18" to 24, 28"
I am only a native from a small island, what do I know!
cheers the interceptor boy.

 

[sargey]

i'm going to buck the trend for a moment.....

only those who've witnessed a machete being lost in full swing really appreciate just how far and fast they can can fly. it can be an awesome sight to behold. i throw like a girl but i can loose a machete into the bush faster than the speed of sound, in the right (or wrong) circumstances.

take a look at the way the bladesports cutting championships require competitors have their lanyards attached. you really don't want the lanyard hole in the pommel. for all the kneecap shattering reasons stated above. it needs to be forward of the handle. i used to have some photos to explain why this works, but i've lost 'em.

for those not in the know, it's not just tiredness and sweaty palms that pose problems, there're also trees like the arbre de fer, iron tree? only a couple of inches thick, where the sudden nerve numbing impacts can also cause someone to lose their grip and send your 'chete flying off or bouncing back towards you. assuming the tree doesn't just bite chunks out of the blade.

lots of folk like to have a natty leather lanyard through the hole in their gransfors helve, why else would it be there? the big issue with that is the lanyard not being used tightly round the wrist but hanging loose, and catching on stray branches pulling the axe out of one hand or the other with all the attendant horrors.

keep your lanyard short, keep it attached to the 'chete somewhere near the ricasso and it'll do more good than harm. but still, plan every single cut, go slowly but surely. have a great adventure and come home in one piece!

cheers, and.

 

[santaman2000]

....take a look at the way the bladesports cutting championships require competitors have their lanyards attached.....

Ironicly, they're banned in most blade sports here.

 

[Graveworm]

Just a thought, lofty on his Survival DVD does use lanyard on his machete/survival knife as shown in the below link:-



just another thought view, don't know if its right as I've never used one.

Cheers

Rick

I am so very less qualified than Mr Wiseman but I was shown an almost identical way but not looped through the thumb. Effectively you slide the loop around the handle then pass your fingers between the cord and the handle. This makes it impossible to let go of the handle of the Machete/knife/hatchet rather than having it attached in any way. This does need the cord to be correctly adjusted to length for your hand size/gloves. I have done a fair bit of Jungle slashing and never had any issues. I am not sure if I am describing it very well and if anyone is interested I can take a picture.

 

[sargey]

Ironicly, they're banned in most blade sports here.

mmmhh. intrestin'

cheers, and.