Advise on sharpening a machete (Martindale No. 2)

[Hedgehog]

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

My thoughts exactly

 

[Templar]

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

Hi all...

I will have to say that normally I would agree with this, but having use Machetes and large jungle knives for a number of years (Malay Goloks, Indon parangs, Timorese Banadas) as well as Defence Issued Goloks, the Bark River mod is pretty good, all he has done is replace the Beech wood scales for green canvas micarta ones, it dosnt change the way it will be used, the only mod I would have added to that one would be to add a lanyard hole.

As for the edge to put on a blade such as this, the factory edge (grind) is pretty good for a general tree beater, its a utility edge that wont chip and deform when it is used on hard woods like those found in the jungles where it is normally used, the only change I would make would be to give the edge a slightly shallower angle, about 30 - 35 degrees, just to give it a little better bite into the timber.

These tools are meant for rough chopping not fine cutting, they are just a utility tool, if you want a tool with a fine cutting edge use a knife...

The best edge to put on it if you really want to regrind the whole edge would be a segmented grind, first inch or two sharpened to a moderatly fine edge to use as a skinning tool, the belly about 4-6 inches has a steep grind like the factory one, this is where all the rough chopping will be done and where most of the damage will be done to the blade during chopping, and the last couple of inches sharpened up really sharp so you can use it for some fine carving work...

Any way thats my two cents...

Cheers

Karl.