Does anyone use a machete to clear walking trails?

[pharmvet]

I recently tore an old fence (about 3/4 mile) out of the woods. I used a machette almost exclusively to clean the fence row so that the wire could be removed and rolled up easily. I think they are great but there are some rules that must be adhered to for a machette to work to its fullest potential. Chainsaws are best for cutting large trees, Axes are second, hatchets have their place as well but for green small brush, trees, and vines (springy stuff with lots of give) its hard to beat a machette.

1) Quality, get a good one (US ontario knife co for me)
2) Keep them sharp (take a file with you and when you sit down to rest, sharpen it) Keep it out of the dirt
3) Cut on an angle (its all about angles when it comes to springy limbs and vines)
4) Cut with quick snap of the wrist (keeps legs, feet and free hand out of the way and be careful of glancing blows)

I was much better (at using a machette) at the end of the day than I was when I started cleaning that fence row.

For me, a machette does what it does, better than an axe, chainsaw, hatchet etc.

 

[woodchuckie]

I have several miles of trails I keep open and what the tractor won't take care of is the branches of the trees and bushes along the side. When they start sticking out into the trail it becomes unpleasant on the atv. I use a loper. I keep one in the rack on the atv and one hangs on the rops on the tractor. I don't have to get off to use either one and I can cut gum and pine up to at least an inch. When I'm making a new trail it is great for cutting all the vines I get wrapped up in.

 

[jinman]

I have several miles of trails I keep open and what the tractor won't take care of is the branches of the trees and bushes along the side. When they start sticking out into the trail it becomes unpleasant on the atv. I use a loper. I keep one in the rack on the atv and one hangs on the rops on the tractor. I don't have to get off to use either one and I can cut gum and pine up to at least an inch. When I'm making a new trail it is great for cutting all the vines I get wrapped up in.

Yessiree! I love a Fiskars Lopper. My favorite is a little 18" one I carry in the Kawasaki Mule, but my larger 27" one I have on my tractor is great too. I can make one cut at the bottom of vines and another high up and they just drop to the ground. Thorny briars and brush go down in a hurry. I open the jaws wide enough that I get several stems at once. I wouldn't have any other brand but Fiskars. They are just awesome. I have a gas hedge trimmer that works pretty good, but it is heavy and tires me quickly. My lopper is light and efficient.

BTW: I have several cheap machetes. I've used them, but don't really care for them because you have to swing and hack with them. I used them when I was a teenager to strip sugar cane, top it, and then cut the canes for taking to the mill. The machete was a pretty good tool for that.

 

[EddieWalker]

My experience with a machete goes back to my time in the Marine Corps when I lived in Cameroon, West Africa. It's thick jungle there and three of us decided to cut a trail about 100 yards through it. We honestly thought it would just take an hour or so, but it took the three of us all day, and it whipped our buts. We were all in our early 20's, in excellent condition and full of energy. It was a matter of pride to finish it, and it's something I'll never do again.

For serious cutting and clearing, the machete is just too hard to hold onto. It cuts find, but each swing takes a certain degree of effort and after awhile, our hands were having trouble just holding onto the handle.

I have a pair of tree pruners that I carry with my when I'm cutting through the thick stuff. I can cut a branch off faster and easier with them and not wear myself out. They are kind of a pain to carry along, but it's not something that is so bad that I avoid doing.

Eddie

 

[Dargo]

I certainly don't know what the perfect tool for this job is. I suppose it may have been helpful if I would have thought to take a picture of this new piece of property that I bought. It's 100% woods and what I'd call 'medium growth'. By that I mean there isn't any huge trees that are a hundred and fifty years old but most trees are just big enough that you couldn't wrap your arms around and be able to touch your fingers together. The canopy is high enough to allow lots of rose bush like plants to grow. Actually it's a little embarrassing to describe. I was walking through an area with my hands up as to not get any thorns in them, figuring my heavy double layered Carhartt carpenter's pants would protect me and I got a thorn that ripped my right nipple through my tee shirt! Dang if that doesn't hurt!

So I think I want something I can easily carry to have handy to chop down any other plant that has designs on getting me in the same place or maybe somewhere worse. That is why I was thinking machete. I guess I'll see if one will work. If not, I'll have to try something else.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

those are great.......my neighbor out on the property carries a pair on his atv and tractor.....light weight but VERY precise and sturdy feeling.....

he handed them to me and said, try these out.....i went over and with almost 0 effort cut a green limb aout the size of my thumb.......

they are on my Christmas list....he said he bought several pairs and they all broke.....said these have held up for several years....

Yessiree! I love a Fiskars Lopper. My favorite is a little 18" one I carry in the Kawasaki Mule, but my larger 27" one I have on my tractor is great too. I can make one cut at the bottom of vines and another high up and they just drop to the ground. Thorny briars and brush go down in a hurry. I open the jaws wide enough that I get several stems at once. I wouldn't have any other brand but Fiskars. They are just awesome. I have a gas hedge trimmer that works pretty good, but it is heavy and tires me quickly. My lopper is light and efficient.

BTW: I have several cheap machetes. I've used them, but don't really care for them because you have to swing and hack with them. I used them when I was a teenager to strip sugar cane, top it, and then cut the canes for taking to the mill. The machete was a pretty good tool for that.

 

[tallyho8]

Yessiree! I love a Fiskars Lopper. My favorite is a little 18" one I carry in the Kawasaki Mule, but my larger 27" one I have on my tractor is great too. I can make one cut at the bottom of vines and another high up and they just drop to the ground. Thorny briars and brush go down in a hurry. I open the jaws wide enough that I get several stems at once. I wouldn't have any other brand but Fiskars. They are just awesome. My lopper is light and efficient.

I was looking at the Fiskars in Home Depot trying to figure out which one to buy. They have a bypass one and an anvil one. Which is better and why?

 

[2manyrocks]

I think the anvil type dulls more quickly because the blade is making contact with the anvil.

I have a cheap set of HF compound lopers. The compound force will cut some heavy stuff.

For me, a good Sthil brush cutter with dual handlebars, a straight shaft, and a sharp metal cutting head is the ticket.

The only thing that works on Kudzu is a good doze of the right chemical.

 

[JB4310]

I've got a gas powered multi head 4-mix Stihl now so the old machete doesn't get as much use any more, but there was a time it was one of my most used tool for clearing overgrown yards.

Found this heavy one that says U.S.M.C. BRIDDELL, anyone know what this was for? It's to heavy (5/16 thick blade) for just cutting thin vines.

JB.

 

[tallyho8]

Found this heavy one that says U.S.M.C. BRIDDELL, anyone know what this was for? It's to heavy (5/16 thick blade) for just cutting thin vines.
JB.

Easy! See USMC CORPSMAN KNIFE