Does anyone use a machete to clear walking trails?

[MrWoodChips]

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?

It depends on what you are cutting. From what I recall, the bypass loppers are better at cutting green wood, and the anvil loppers are better for older, dry wood.

Also, if you want to leave a cut that will heal back up, then bypass loppers are better. So if you are carefully pruning an ornamental bush in your yard, a bypass lopper may be the better choice. The anvil lopper will crush the fibers left behind.

John

 

[jinman]

I had a great anvil lopper for awhile. I don't remember what brand, but it was stolen out of my backyard shed along with an electric hedge trimmer. The replacement I bought worked great for about a month and then the anvil would never align properly with the blade. To cut something, I'd have to cut and twist to pop the branch loose. I've never had that problem with the Fiskars bypass loppers. Just last week, I was cutting some 1-1/2" cedar branches and the Fiskars worked great. Tough old dead blackjack oak can give anything a fit, Fiskars included.

 

[Western]

I've carried one for years on my tractor, I use it to cut large vines from the base of my oaks. Usually it is wild grape, or ivy. I enjoy walking around the "woods" and hacking up those tree killing vines.

 

[Bird]

To cut something, I'd have to cut and twist to pop the branch loose.

I thought regardless of the brand, if you did any twisting, you'd bend or break something and ruin loppers pretty quickly.

I take my loppers apart periodically, clean all the old dried sap off with the wire wheel on the bench grinder, sharpen the blade a bit, and put it back together, along with a shot of WD-40.

 

[JB4310]

Easy! See USMC CORPSMAN KNIFE

Thanks,
That's interesting, such a special application for just one branch of the armed services, I guess unfortunately the Marines are the ones who do need alot of stretchers on the move.

I don't even remember where I got this but I know I've seen that scabbard before, If I had the scabbard for it I would take out of my shed and treat it as a collectible.

JB.

 

[DIRTROAD]

I will cast another vote for a bushax or brushax. The longer handle won't hurt your hands as bad when you strike something hard. Also if you encounter a snake you can chop his head off much easier.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

Dargo - for the record you got an incredible deal on the axe and brush thinner, I'm jealous!

that said, I have a Woodsman's Pal (with knuckle guard) and it's great. I've cut through 1 1/2" cedar with it no problem and the back hook is great for dragging things out of the way as well as cutting things. the "sharpening stone" that comes with it is useless, but the sheath has an internal pocket to hold a better one or small file.
I also have a ditch bank tool - and it's very handy to have when you need it, but it is no fun if you have to carry it for a long time.
The other machete I would suggest if you hadn't already gone and got something is the Cold Steel Kukri machete - under $20 and does a pretty decent job.

 

[jinman]

I thought regardless of the brand, if you did any twisting, you'd bend or break something and ruin loppers pretty quickly.

Bird, that is especially true of bypass loppers. for the anvil loppers, what remained due to a tiny gap between the blade and anvil was so thin, it would easily break. I could reposition the lopper and do a final cut; that was usually enough. It was just the having to make two cuts or a slight twist that irritated me on the second set. It seemed no matter how I adjusted the anvil, after a couple of limbs, the gap came back. In comparison, the anvil loppers that were stolen never required more than a single cut to completely severe a limb. The point I'm trying to make is that there seems to be a difference between quality loppers and the cheaper ones. Fiskars brand of cutting tools is worth the extra cost in my opinion.

 

[Bird]

there seems to be a difference between quality loppers and the cheaper ones.

Yep, I don't doubt that. I've never owned or used anvil loppers, unless those little 8 or 10 inch things for pruning small plants count.

 

[Dargo]

I haven't used it yet, but the Gerber brush thinner arrived today. Interestingly enough, although it says "Gerber" and "Legendary Blades" on the handle in white silkscreen, just above that formed into the plastic of the handle and on the blade it says "Fiskars - Finland" on it.

I'd never heard of Fiskars before this thread when someone mentioned their products before, but it's obvious that Gerber thinks highly of them because they clearly buy their brush thinner machete from Fiskars and just put their name on the product. I just thought I'd mention that. I intend to try them out on some of the Kudzu vines growing up some of the trees near a creek on one edge of my property later today. I hope they work well.

*edit*
Out of curiosity I thought I'd look up Fiskars. Here is the identical product that they sell to Gerber and what I bought as a Gerber brush thinner http://www.fiskars.com/webapp/wcs/s...ategoryId=10277&productId=10532&page=products