Greetings all - Machetes, axes, clearing foot paths?

[hopper333]

Are you joking,trolling, or just being provocative?
A private woodland with permission is one thing. But a public footpath with what is classed nowadays as a weapon ie fixed blade over 3" long ?? I'm not going to walk up to a man and ask what he's doing. Is he just clearing a footpath or taking his frustration with something out on a log with the possibility he might turn it on me! Yes I would make that call. If he's legit then no worries. If he's not......I may well stop someone else getting seriously hurt or worse. What a stupid comment!!!!

Speaking personally, I agree with @Janne's comment and think yours is an over-reaction. I don't automatically assume if I see someone on their own in the woods with a chopping tool minding their own business that they are a possible gang member or serial killer. However, that same person in a street setting looking confrontational would certainly require reporting. Surely context is everything.

 

[Grebby]

Did you read the date on this before responding?

 

[hopper333]

I did but I felt it deserved a response. Why?

 

[Grebby]

Because its a 5 year old thread that had run it's course. Not saying you can't have you say, it just seemed a little strange is all.

 

[slowworm]

Hopefully the log has rotted away peacefully by now.

 

[Laurentius]

The woodland backs off the the housing estate I live in, more commonly used by dog walkers 99% of the time and in the summer kids drinking cider and or smoking herbal cigarettes while camping so their parents don't catch them at it.

I happen to know the land itself belongs to the Church of England after being through several hands and its assumed they were hoping to get building permission on the land but were all refused it. If you were looking at it from above it would be roughly divided 50/50 between the housing estates on one side of a large hill and woodland on the back of the hill. Very easy to get to and Newport County Council seem to be the ones responsible for keeping the public footpaths (think muddy tracks not posh gravel) open and repaired.

While I'm aware a chainsaw would be the most effective tool for the job it's not as much fun as practising a bushcraft style activity that would also benefit anyone planning to take a wander through the woods. It seems like a saw of some kind is the more favourable choice then, shame, I was looking forward to a nice new shiny axe. I have a small Silky saw that's been very useful for clearing smaller debris off the footways and have a few bowsaws hanging in the garage but when I've used them previously they often got stuck in the wood and had to be rescued by chopping at the other side with a the silky saw. Just one the reasons I thought a chopping tool might be a better idea as they're much less likely to get stuck.

Aagh I have just caught myself responding to a ghost thread, anyway to delete this post?

 

[Stew]

I did but I felt it deserved a response. Why?

Well considering Janne is no longer part of this forum largely because he liked to just disagree with everyone, WG was probably right that he was trolling....