British army machette

[Peter Pan]

Just been given off a mate a full tang army issue stainless steel and sheath about 14 inches long stainless steel machette. Have done a bit of research and would cost about £15. However it is so blunt it is untrue and very hard to get a good edge. Are these any good and can it be given a sound cutting edge.

So far all it has been good for has been the sheath for wafting an open fire.

 

[warthog1981]

you need to reprofile the edge to make it any good hard work with a file but doable or use a flapper disc and a grinder keep dipping blade into a bucket of water though

 

[Pignut]

One of these?

If so I have one, it is a good tool! It took me an age to put an edge on it "corse oil stones" but with a bit of work you can get it to a good edge!

You can almost shave with mine!

 

[Peter Pan]

Thanks Pignut your link is exactly the one. I will take your advice and see what happens

 

[Trevody]

If it is a regular much abused standard issue machette I dought that it is stainless steel, takes a lot of work but you can get a reasonable adge with patience.

Trev

 

[striker]

hi
i have one too-pretty usefull.
i a good edge with a granfors axe file, falkniven dc04 diamond stone then cermamic then i stropped with a piptoporous betulinus-razor strop fungi on the birches.
lot of work though!

 

[Pignut]

If it is a regular much abused standard issue machette I dought that it is stainless steel, takes a lot of work but you can get a reasonable adge with patience.

Trev

Trevody,

good point! it is not stainless, high carbon of some sort!

Makes a wiked shower of sparks though!

 

[wolf]

i heard of people shortening and reshaping the handle to improve the balance

 

[trauma]

i have a Golock 2000, same kinda thing and i think they are a great tool. I got it new and found the Edge was fantastic...in the middle, but the rest of the grind was pants. After some re-working i got a good scandi on the full edge, and i often take this out instead of a small axe.

Wolf: i also heard that too - maybe make a new handle this summer and bear it in mind

 

[pierre girard]

the rest of the grind was pants.

Keep seeing this "pants." Another "English-ism" no doubt. Explanation?

PG

 

[Shinken]

Pants = rubbish or trash......... basically crap!

 

[SMARTY]

Troops heads up! The Army machette (tree club, tree banger) is being replaced by the Jungle knife on general issue. It only took the army 40 years to realise that the machette was not that good. Many soldiers serving in the tropics / jungle get their own. As a rule of thumb see what the locals are usng and do the same. I will try to find the NSN for the jungle knife if anyone is interested.

 

[Shinken]

Is THIS it?

 

[SMARTY]

No thats not it.

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

This one ?? Click here

 

[SMARTY]

Not it either.That one is the MOD aircrew survival knife. I will try to get a picture when i get the camera back.

 

[Woods Wanderer]

is it the golok

 

[trauma]

no, that's what is being replaced i think the golock was the latest model b4 the big 'upgrade'.

 

[SEREO]

Here's what my old friend Smartys looking for me thinks a pic of the good old tree beater aka mod machette.

CLICK HERE

click here too

The first one has a boot in the picture to show a comparison of size

 

[leon-1]

I thought he was looking for what is going to replace the Martindale, Golok, Machete, Tree Beater or whatever people are calling it now.

I have used one of the issue machetes, I agree that the ones which are made locally (parangs) are normally a better choice, but squaddies have to make do with what is available to them and the majority of the time that was it. The other thing being that if you lose it(heaven forbid), damage it or destroy it the QM (probably grudginlgy) will replace it, unlike your private purchase model.

If they are properly cared for the "Tree Beater" is a very capable tool, if you use one a lot they become a good tool

Yes they are cheap and cheerfull (they certainly are not made by valiant), they will do the job just as well if you know what you are doing with one (familiarity with the tool allows you to know its good / bad points and overcome them).