Advise on sharpening a machete (Martindale No. 2)

[MalIrl]

Hi All,

Apologies if this has already been covered in another thread, but I din't find anything through the search.

I've recently aquired a Martinadale No. 2 'Golok' machete to assist with the interminable task of clearing thickets and general hedging. It arrives with no edge to speak of, and even after some efforts is still not very sharp.

It works OK in the thickets but still provides more bash than bite at times.

I've never dealt with such a long blade before: any advise on how to get it really sharp?

Another thing: the grind is not even on both sides, though it may appear from the following link that this is intentional? http://www.cutleryscience.com/reviews/martindale_machetes.html

All help gratefully appreciated.

Slán,
Mal

 

[spamel]

You can get a good sharp edge on these but it takes a bit of effort. It also depends on what sort of grind you want in the end. Do you want straight bevels, or do you want a convex grind? I'd, personally, use diamond stones or a file to remove the metal to a certain point where you think that you will be able to get a good edge. Then, move to waterstones/oil stone/wet and dry on a mouse mat. Working through the grades, you will get a keen edge that will work effectively. Don't go for too fine an edge if you want to use it for rough chopping duties, you'll spend forever touching it up.

 

[MalIrl]

Thanks Spamel.
For my knives I usually use a whetstone and the mouse-mat-&-wetndry-paper methods. Is there an advantage with reprofiling it to a convex grind?

Mal

 

[spamel]

The edge is a bit more robust. I think convex is a good grind for chopping and slicing, so you can't go wrong. Of course, if you want to keep the grinds flat then you just need to take the metal off until you have a good even profile.

 

[scottishwolf]

Got myself a golok No.2 today aswell. Think i'll try and get a nice convex edge on it. Fingers crossed lol

 

[akabu]

http://hossom.com/sharp/index_page0001.htm
http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=66
these should help

 

[commandocal]

machete never too blunt to cut up white man

 

[Hedgehog]

I cant add much to what's been said but, I'd go with what Spamel says & take what you can from the links akabu posted, there is some good information there. To get a full spine to edge convex profile on a No.2 (like the Valianco Golok shown in outdoors-magazine) will take alot of work - especially without power tools & to be honest I am not sure the tempering is hard enough to support a particularly thin edge - others will be able to advise you here.

I took a file to mine to beguin with & went for a convex bevel around 2cm deep. A good place for you to start would be to grind a similar bevel on the side that is lacking so the edge is central to the blade.

If you do take power tools to it then take it slow & avoid heating up the blade or it may ruin the temper.

I'm sure you'll be fine with your wetstones & mousemat wet&dry methods - generally works for me.

 

[akabu]

machete never too blunt to cut up white man

aye and the spine can do as good a job

 

[MalIrl]

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I have started with the file to get the grind even on both sides, then I'll move on to the stones and wet&dry to build a convex edge. And no, I won't be going for a full spine-edge convex profile!

Slán,
Mal

 

[woodstock]

I use a ceramic file for all my machetes it seems to do the trick it has a built in guide and gets a honed edge in no time

 

[woodstock]

machete never too blunt to cut up white man

is that a Quote if it is its in pretty poor taste Bud we are all brothers and sisters no matter what our kin or creed although it does not apply to me or mine...my family and im very proud of our heritage are Romany gypsies, from Kashmir north of Pakistan settled in Romania before fleeing persecution from the Germans and the Romanians settled in Scotland where my Grandfather was a noted bare knuckle fighter up to the age of 77

 

[gunnix]

I sharpened my golok nr 2 to have a very fine sharp edge close to the handle, then a more thick strong edge at the "belly" and again a more fine (but not as fine as the part close to the handle) part at the tip. First is for finer woodwork (as fine as you can be with a golok..), middle for chopping and tip for skinning etc.

I just left it with a bevel as well. Would be interested to see the difference in performance with a full spine-edge convex grind. Haven't seen anybody do that on this golok, though there should be somebody who tried with all the people who got one in the BB groupbuy.

 

[Hedgehog]

I sharpened my golok nr 2 to have a very fine sharp edge close to the handle, then a more thick strong edge at the "belly" and again a more fine (but not as fine as the part close to the handle) part at the tip. First is for finer woodwork (as fine as you can be with a golok..), middle for chopping and tip for skinning etc.

I just left it with a bevel as well. Would be interested to see the difference in performance with a full spine-edge convex grind. Haven't seen anybody do that on this golok, though there should be somebody who tried with all the people who got one in the BB groupbuy.

Bark River did a mod of the #2...

Looks rather nice, not really a full edge to spine convex grind though but I bet it out prforms most other #2s

 

[akabu]

Wow great looking tool have you used it yet if so how did it preform?
Too another matter if you have not used a long blade on shrubs and grasses before there a few tricks that help.
get a long stick to place behind the item being cut {Not your hand!} that will keep it from moving away from your stroke.
for the grasses and some thinner shrubs don't chop down they will move with the strokes direction and is a waste of energy ,Stroke in an upward direction as the roots will hold them in place giving the blade something to grab onto.
this will also work shorter blades.

 

[Hedgehog]

Sadly that Bark River mod is not mine though I gained a little inspiration from it for the grind on mine - I got it 2/3 done and then my Valianco Golok arrived & I kind of forgot about the #2

 

[Gearpac]

That golok looks remarkably like what we ex africans would call a "cane" knife.. a fairly straight razor sharp blade for cutting sugar cane. Believe me sugar cane easily takes the edge of a poor blade.

If anyone likes machete's and can get hold of agood old guenuine rhodesian cane knife, well i doudt you would be dissapointed.

 

[akabu]

HH looks like we have the same taste in cutting tools

 

[gunnix]

Bark River did a mod of the #2...

Looks rather nice, not really a full edge to spine convex grind though but I bet it out prforms most other #2s

I think I'll try that, great looking.

 

[Burnt Ash]

The trouble with that Bark River modified golok is that it has a knife handle on it. The Valiant (survival golok?) has a proper golok handle: one that you can swing with a fairly loose grip, without the thing flying out of your hand. Chopping tools like axes, goloks, parangs, machetes, bill hooks, etc. need a different shaped handle to that on knives.

Burnt Ash