Does anyone use a machete to clear walking trails?

[Wis Bang]

Forgot to mention how surprised I was at the durability of the little Gerber. I've used mine hard for several years and only had to do some minor touchup on the very sharp edge. And that "plastic" looking handle is apparently fiber-reinforced 'cause it can take a real beating.

- Jay

Gerber makes good stuff! I have several of their knives, well made & scary sharp & they stay that way for a long time.

 

[forgeblast]

Ive used a machette to clean about 1 ac of bramble and briars. I would go in and cut them with the machette in the winter when the snow had flattened them a bit, and then in the spring with the new growth i would hit them again. this has allowed me to then mow the area wiht my little riding mower. I still have about a 1/4 of an ac left. mixed into this last part are hawthorn treees, with all the spikes. This last part is going to be tough. I just recommend some carhart pants and good leather gloves, it can be done. just takes a bit.

 

[PBinWA]

I ended up using one of these:

Amazon.com: United Cutlery Black Ronin Ninja Sword w/Shoulder Harness Sheath: Your Store

Or something similar, I can't remember where I got it from but it was around $20. Where I usually go trail breaking it's all blackberries or vine maple with thin branches and I like the long reach of the sword. I also carry some clippers for the thicker branches.

Of course, I do feel like a bit of a kook walking around with my sword but it does work well.

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

A friend of mine has a woodsmans pal and swears by it I havent tried one though but it keps luriking in the back of my barin to get one.

The Original WOODMAN'S PAL Machete


tom

I've had one of these for a few years now and like the old commercial said...I don't leave home without it...

 

[dmccarty]

I have a cane knife. They used to use then to harvest sugar cane. Its nice and light with a wide blade that is very good for cutting brush. Vines not so much.

I have not seen these for sale until I ran across it here: DBA-154 - Wooden Handled Machete 13" Cane Blade Full Tang Blades and Hard Wood

I should go buy a few more to make sure I always have one.

Later,
Dan

 

[Chuck52]

I just cut 20 or so cedars out of a fence row. Couldn't get my chain saw started, and the machete was what was handy. It's a military grade I picked up at a "surplus" store that sells very little real surplus anymore, but this is a good blade. It probably took less time than the chainsaw would have, since I was pulling aside the small limbs to get at the trunks. I use it to cut wild grape vines all the time. Machete, brush knife, hand axe, swing blade, all have their uses. A machete in a sheath is easy to carry. When I was in Puerto Rico, I was surprised to see the groundskeepers using extra long machetes to trim along walkways and such. They could flick those long blades and edge a walk neat as a pin. Of course, this was on a government facility and they had a union.....takes lots more machete guys to trim what one fella can do with a string trimmer.

Chuck

 

[Redneck in training]

I would recommend a samurai sword. Kind of pricey (couple hundred grand I heard somewhere) for the real thing.

My wife cleans her walking paths with garden scissors. They work pretty good on thorny wines. She snips the wine off and then uses the scissors to pull the cut off part out of way.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

my brother-in-law was stationed in Okinawa japan for a while.....before i married my wife, he brought back some samurai swords.......they have a little sheath and a they are supposed to be displayed........the bad part, they have a rounded edge on their blade.......back when i bought my machete, i told my wife i was going to take a grinder to one of them and see if i could put a good edge on it............i was actually serious........the bad part was, so was she when she gave me "the look"

so, they are uselessly sitting in the basement, and i move them from place to place when i clean

I would recommend a samurai sword. Kind of pricey (couple hundred grand I heard somewhere) for the real thing.

My wife cleans her walking paths with garden scissors. They work pretty good on thorny wines. She snips the wine off and then uses the scissors to pull the cut off part out of way.

 

[Samandothers]

I have used a machette to cut briars and small sapplings with pretty good results. The thing about some of the green briars is if they don't cut they slap you in the face!
I have a two cycle hedge trimmer that I use with pretty good results. I can stick it in a thicket and trim a whole and it work pretty well.

 

[Dargo]

A friend of mine has a woodsmans pal and swears by it I havent tried one though but it keps luriking in the back of my barin to get one.

The Original WOODMAN'S PAL Machete


tom

That machete looks like what I need if the Gerber I ordered is too light. I almost think, after reading the posts and looking at the pictures, that a guy needs two; one lighter one for smaller stuff and one heavier one for the 2" or 3" stuff. About the best price I can find for the 'original' Woodman's Pal with sheath is right at $79 delivered.