Under £30 machete for British woodland

Grotzilla

Nomad
May 5, 2014
407
19
United Kingdom
Hey guys,

I've been looking at the original British army machete (13in) on the bushcraft store and wondered on people's opinions on this or any similar models I may not have heard of?

I'm preferably looking for something already sharpened for now as I progress my skills, so I'm steering away from Ebay.

I know axes are the preferred bushcraft tool but I like the idea of cutting branches with a huge machete! Lol I'm also thinking I can obtain a better aim and much less skill or technique with a machete.

Oh yeah, and £30 is kind of my limit :p which is why I was interested in the British army model!

Thanks

Richard

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dwardo

Bushcrafter through and through
Aug 30, 2006
6,463
492
47
Nr Chester
By all means give one a go but they really arent best suited for our type of woodland and associated work. Plus most of the off the shelf machete are blunt and need a good edge putting on them first. Most I have seen need a re-profile before even considering a sharpen. Now I have had zero jungle time with the need for a cutting tool but I have played with them over here and they are generally too light for most work, too much edge and tiring to use for any period.

If you are doing a lot of snedding maybe or coppice and clearing work then try our traditional bill-hook. It will be better suited and in your budget if you look hard.

Not saying dont buy one as everyone at some point has fancied trying one but they are pretty useless and lean towards dangerous for no benefit.

If you do get one make sure you put a good edge on it to lessen the chance of it glancing off the target and removing your knee cap!
 
Last edited:

dewi

Full Member
May 26, 2015
2,647
13
Cheshire
Hey guys,

I've been looking at the original British army machete (13in) on the bushcraft store and wondered on people's opinions on this or any similar models I may not have heard of?

I'm preferably looking for something already sharpened for now as I progress my skills, so I'm steering away from Ebay.

I know axes are the preferred bushcraft tool but I like the idea of cutting branches with a huge machete! Lol I'm also thinking I can obtain a better aim and much less skill or technique with a machete.

Oh yeah, and £30 is kind of my limit :p which is why I was interested in the British army model!

Thanks

Richard

Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

£30 limit? Have you been spending the family fortune on pallets of foie gras again?

Considering all the discussions about zombie-weapons and changes in laws etc... would it not be wiser to grab an axe? Looks far less threatening when those dog walkers are passing.
 

Grotzilla

Nomad
May 5, 2014
407
19
United Kingdom
Thanks guys I'll have a look into bill hooks! I don't want to waste money so maybe I'll have to settle with an axe for now lol

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Grotzilla

Nomad
May 5, 2014
407
19
United Kingdom
£30 limit? Have you been spending the family fortune on pallets of foie gras again?

Considering all the discussions about zombie-weapons and changes in laws etc... would it not be wiser to grab an axe? Looks far less threatening when those dog walkers are passing.
I wish I knew what foie gras is! Haha

Must have been all them damn footmen buying it, blowing the family fortune, I'll be getting a 2nd mortgage on the mansion at this rate!
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sunndog

Full Member
May 23, 2014
3,561
479
derbyshire
If you can stretch your budget just a tad. For thirty odd quid you could have a fiskars x7 axe and a 18" tramontina machete
Bing bang boom....jobs a fish
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
45
Britannia!
EEK! £30? just get a tramontina dude, costs about a tenner and just good as anything else on the market.

I've got a billhook for trade atm, http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=137688&highlight= got people interested though but no official deals so far.

I had a martindale army machets thing,made in brum model, real deal. Absolutely crap. Too thick, too short, too soft, too expensive and just bad. I would hope you don't buy one as although initially they are fun to have once you get using it it'll display it's bad design.
 

sunndog

Full Member
May 23, 2014
3,561
479
derbyshire
yeah, what samon said....the army golok is rubbish

Both the fiskars and tramontina are cheap but well made and respected tools.
 

Grotzilla

Nomad
May 5, 2014
407
19
United Kingdom
That's good to know, thanks guys. Looks like I was right to hesitate! Lol

Samon I've seen your thread, but I'm not to confident on regarding the bill hook; I'd end up with the blade in the forehead once I swing it! :haha: also I've not really got anything spare to trade

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Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
45
Britannia!
That's good to know, thanks guys. Looks like I was right to hesitate! Lol

Samon I've seen your thread, but I'm not to confident on regarding the bill hook; I'd end up with the blade in the forehead once I swing it! :haha: also I've not really got anything spare to trade

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No worries mate, I've got a bunch of machetes in my closet if you're interested in a used/modified one. ( I can modify it to your liking, rehandle it etc, whatever really) Can take pic's if you're interested.

Or spare yourself the wait and just buy an ew tramontina latin machete for less than a couple packs of cig's. ;)
 

Grotzilla

Nomad
May 5, 2014
407
19
United Kingdom
No worries mate, I've got a bunch of machetes in my closet if you're interested in a used/modified one. ( I can modify it to your liking, rehandle it etc, whatever really) Can take pic's if you're interested.

Or spare yourself the wait and just buy an ew tramontina latin machete for less than a couple packs of cig's. ;)
Thanks for the offer mate but I'm gonna go with the tramon for now, like you said it's less than a few pack of fags so if I don't get on with it it's no big deal :eek:

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dewi

Full Member
May 26, 2015
2,647
13
Cheshire
Thanks for the offer mate but I'm gonna go with the tramon for now, like you said it's less than a few pack of fags so if I don't get on with it it's no big deal :eek:

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Ah, but how many packs of the finest Cuban cigars does it equate to? That's what you want to be asking yourself... and will it compliment your ancestral quiff? :rolleyes:
 

mrcharly

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 25, 2011
3,257
45
North Yorkshire, UK
Thanks guys I'll have a look into bill hooks! I don't want to waste money so maybe I'll have to settle with an axe for now lol
I was in a second-hand antiques shop in Norfolk - they had a box full of billhooks, all under £30. Most needed a sharpen up but were in good working condition apart from that.
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,305
3,088
67
Pembrokeshire
I have a reconditioned Elwell Billhook that I love for working wood and an old MOD Golok machete that I reprofiled for light wood and brambles ...
 

Grotzilla

Nomad
May 5, 2014
407
19
United Kingdom
I think for now I'm going for the tramontina machete just for the attractive price!

I'll take it out a few times and see how I get on with it then move up to a different tool.

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