H1Spyderco Machete?

[PM2Josh]

I'd like to see something along the lines of the condor terrachete with a thinner blade (2mm instead of 3mm) and Sal style ergonomics.

thin and whippy is what you want if you're using a machete as a machete. 3mm is the max I'd consider, and even then they start to feel a little heavy for foliage. 3mm is more of a hybrid machete / chopper - better for woods, worse for undergrowth.

It's about 16" which makes it comfortable to belt carry or pack carry vs 18-24" machetes that spend more time in the garage / trunk.

injection molded handle like aqua salts to keep costs down.

the sheath can be used one handed. it's plastic instead of fabric so more durable. I have pictures someshere.

blade isn't as upswept as latin style which works better for me



video on reprofiling mine. skip to last minute to see how it chops (16" blade 3mm thick)



bottom machete



far left

now condor does a dual grind on theirs. it might be neat to do the same to a spyderco one, except make the area close to the handle serrated for easily cutting rope etc. the thinner grind there would let it carve wood quite easily too.

I would go with 3mm if these are going to be made of stainless steel in order to add durability and edge stability. I feel like that would hit the sweet spot between enough flexibility and also some harder use.

And I really like the idea of some handles in the fashion of the Jumpmaster 2 in G10 or FRN.

It is pretty fun brain storming ideas amongst different folks.

[Jeb]

My take on this awesome thread I tried to start a few months ago well, it's about time lol. This thing is killer.
First thing we all need to get on the same playing field on the length.

Some are measured over all length, others are actual blade length. For me 16" blade length and this length should be directly related to how thick the blade is made. If .25" thick the 16"- 18" blade with over all length of 21" - 22" and yes a nice lanyard hole lol...

I really love the simplicity of the Boltaron Sheath, make the thing extra if need be for cost efficiency.

This blade thickness at .25" is only because of all the trouble I have had with my thinner machetes, I continue to fold them and warp them hitting stuff. If we can get one thinner that doesn't take a wrapped set after hitting something, that would be a winner for me.

Only reason I keep buying thicker one each time is the bend back and forth and I have to hammer them out. This Ka Bar BK21 Kukri I just got today is nice piece, it's .25" stock thickness feels good and looks good.

It's a little on the short side but not by enough to be a problem if the steel holds up, it's 1095 soooo, maybe, maybe not lol. Has a 5" removeable grip with 3 bigger bolts, that I upgraded for way better than the plastic Hollow that it came with.

The G10 gets my vote as it can be made to grip our paw better and is tough! Something grippy and tough is important when swinging something like these when your all hot sweaty and may even have bloody grip.

The 5" length grip is a great size for me, I ain't two handed mine lol. The shape, I like the Kukri but I can use anything, heck I have been using junk and I mean pure junk, so the style whatever gets the vote of the masses works. I am going to try my best at not being difficult here...

That thickness issue is the sticky part for me and Sal, if you can make one thinner that doesn't take a set, or bend after hitting something, that's a winner otherwise make it thicker.

I am not talking about the flexing either, they can flex; that's cool. It just needs to come back to straight after the hit...

Thinner will cut better, they swing more easy and for longer before a break is needed. That green machine V. has tacked up above with the killer Sheath is a dandy.

I just know I tend to bend my thinner ones, I loosen and or break the scales and left with no choice but to wrap it with Scotch 33 black tape, which is heck to hang on to with sweaty and bloody paw.

The grip needs a good butt cap large enough to help the grip on this blade as we swing it. Good finger choil too, just because. The grip on this BK21 is really designed well if you ask me.

Now the steel, I am probably the absolute wrong person to answer this, cause I will spend the money for the G10 scales and at least 3 screw on bolts. So the steel can go wide open on the cost for me.

I want mine DLC'd and you make it out of anything you know not to bend and get all fubbared from hitting something hard. I will buy them, two of them if I am allowed and not limited to just one lol.

The steel might be the bigger cost in this venture, so we are buying these little 4" folders with Carbon Fiber scale and super steel for 300 bucks, heck I bought a couple of even 3" folders that I paid over 300 bucks for and was so glad I got them.

You make this big machete and I will buy two of them, right now if need be, as I am just that serious about a Spyderco machete, you can take my deposit on two of them and use it to help make these happen for those of us that want and need them.

I am down for them! Heck me running this out in my head with 3 stud removeable G10 scales, the killer Boltaron Sheath, DLC'd and some killer steel that is either thick and Hardie or thin and flexible, this thing is going to msrp for 600 bucks. They are probably going to be something we buy straight from Spyderco also.

Now, in the mean time, I got to try and talk V. out of that green machine machete he tacked up above lol. I like the green lol... but as I already said, you make these, we will come to buy them...

Now how bout those Texas Tech Red Raiders? They just beat Utah and at there house in that thin air and noise level of there crowd. It was a great game.

[PM2Josh]

My take on this awesome thread I tried to start a few months ago well, it's about time lol. This thing is killer.
First thing we all need to get on the same playing field on the length.

Some are measured over all length, others are actual blade length. For me 16" blade length and this length should be directly related to how thick the blade is made. If .25" thick the 16"- 18" blade with over all length of 21" - 22" and yes a nice lanyard hole lol...

I really love the simplicity of the Boltaron Sheath, make the thing extra if need be for cost efficiency.

This blade thickness at .25" is only because of all the trouble I have had with my thinner machetes, I continue to fold them and warp them hitting stuff. If we can get one thinner that doesn't take a wrapped set after hitting something, that would be a winner for me.

Only reason I keep buying thicker one each time is the bend back and forth and I have to hammer them out. This Ka Bar BK21 Kukri I just got today is nice piece, it's .25" stock thickness feels good and looks good.

It's a little on the short side but not by enough to be a problem if the steel holds up, it's 1095 soooo, maybe, maybe not lol. Has a 5" removeable grip with 3 bigger bolts, that I upgraded for way better than the plastic Hollow that it came with.

The G10 gets my vote as it can be made to grip our paw better and is tough! Something grippy and tough is important when swinging something like these when your all hot sweaty and may even have bloody grip.

The 5" length grip is a great size for me, I ain't two handed mine lol. The shape, I like the Kukri but I can use anything, heck I have been using junk and I mean pure junk, so the style whatever gets the vote of the masses works. I am going to try my best at not being difficult here...

That thickness issue is the sticky part for me and Sal, if you can make one thinner that doesn't take a set, or bend after hitting something, that's a winner otherwise make it thicker.

I am not talking about the flexing either, they can flex; that's cool. It just needs to come back to straight after the hit...

Thinner will cut better, they swing more easy and for longer before a break is needed. That green machine V. has tacked up above with the killer Sheath is a dandy.

I just know I tend to bend my thinner ones, I loosen and or break the scales and left with no choice but to wrap it with Scotch 33 black tape, which is heck to hang on to with sweaty and bloody paw.

The grip needs a good butt cap large enough to help the grip on this blade as we swing it. Good finger choil too, just because. The grip on this BK21 is really designed well if you ask me.

Now the steel, I am probably the absolute wrong person to answer this, cause I will spend the money for the G10 scales and at least 3 screw on bolts. So the steel can go wide open on the cost for me.

I want mine DLC'd and you make it out of anything you know not to bend and get all fubbared from hitting something hard. I will buy them, two of them if I am allowed and not limited to just one lol.

The steel might be the bigger cost in this venture, so we are buying these little 4" folders with Carbon Fiber scale and super steel for 300 bucks, heck I bought a couple of even 3" folders that I paid over 300 bucks for and was so glad I got them.

You make this big machete and I will buy two of them, right now if need be, as I am just that serious about a Spyderco machete, you can take my deposit on two of them and use it to help make these happen for those of us that want and need them.

I am down for them! Heck me running this out in my head with 3 stud removeable G10 scales, the killer Boltaron Sheath, DLC'd and some killer steel that is either thick and Hardie or thin and flexible, this thing is going to msrp for 600 bucks. They are probably going to be something we buy straight from Spyderco also.

Now, in the mean time, I got to try and talk V. out of that green machine machete he tacked up above lol. I like the green lol... but as I already said, you make these, we will come to buy them...

Now how bout those Texas Tech Red Raiders? They just beat Utah and at there house in that thin air and noise level of there crowd. It was a great game.

I would like to see Spyderco possibly ask for a $200 deposit on these if they decide to try it. And directly from their site. Maybe even 1 per customer. Or 2 per customer with each reauiring a deposit half of what they would cost full price.

My fear is that if these are not started with a limit per customer. With no deposit or pre purchase. We will have the same issue with Ebay scalpers buying all of these up and trying to resell them for 3 to 5 times the cost.

Such as with the Mules I see on Ebay selling for $250 to $500 that retail on Spydercos store for $60 to $100.
Some which are still available on Spydercos store site.

I think pre orders and deposit would be in order.

[yablanowitz]

1/4" thick machete? Dude, you need to work on your skills, or start carrying a chainsaw. That's sword territory, not machete.

[Jeb]

I know exactly what your saying about the Mules on ebay, I bought one of the MagnaMax SE's and one of the PE's at 200 each plus taxes and shipping lol... the ebay scalping is a bad issue...

Yes the pic I tacked up of the BK21 I just got in is .24" thick, long as it doesn't bend, man it's a winner. All these thinner ones I have literally take a serious bend to one side or the other and you can't use it anymore.

I hack some nasty stuff and I wage a war on this mess, there are cattails I get in the water and hack down, they are thick and nasty, but they slice easy enough, but their so thick the thinner blades I have won't hold up.

I hack these mustang grapevines I wish someone else had, they grow several feet a day. The vines aren't that thick but they don't hack off that easy. You make a seriously hard swing at them and the machete snags halfway through the swing, I bend the blade.

Chainsaw, you just snag the vine and throw the chain off the bar, and regardless how tight you have the chain. I have tried all sorts of power tools.

We got this under brush, I have always known it as catclaw, I am sure it has a proper name lol. This stuff is truly amazing at how Tuff it is and it doesn't get as thick of a vine as the mustang grapevines or the cattails.

You will wear yourself to the nub trying to cut it back, and you will come out of them bloody from the shoulders down. Best to let the goats and donkeys, eat them lol.

I would not be able to make any headway on any of this stuff with a sword lol... then I have a host of Cedars and pine trees I try to keep the lower part of the trunk all skinned up and cleaned off.

The Spyderco Tomahawk I bought a few months back has really shined helping with all that, and I must say the D2 steel it's made from, has been awesome, it's way thick and heavy too.

You just get in a rhythm of swinging and hacking and run with it till you need a break or something breaks and then you go straighten it out and go at it again. It's hot, sweaty, and bloody.

I know I can't hire this stuff done either, when I have asked, they wanted to bring a backhoe in and clear it to the ground lol... can't do that, the wife loves all this stuff around as much as the wildlife they support. So I am left hacking away at it and try keeping it trimmed up as much as I can.

[PM2Josh]

I just know I tend to bend my thinner ones, I loosen and or break the scales and left with no choice but to wrap it with Scotch 33 black tape, which is heck to hang on to with sweaty and bloody paw.

If I may give a tip on taping handles: Go with silicone self-fusing tape, and ditch electrical tape. It is easily found in a hardware store or online.

Prices range from $5 to $15 depending on roll size; one roll of 1x10 yards will do 4 or 5 machete handles. I even use it over my loose handle wooden machetes and so far have not broken any.

It offers great shock resistance, great grip even when wet, reduces vibration and hand shock, Comfortable, and is easy to replace and repair. Not to mention it has 100 other uses. Nashua is a brand I use that I find for $5 and some change at Home Depot.

A 1 x 10 roll will stretch 2 to 3 times it's stated size. I won't use anything else for my machetes or emergency fixed blade handles.

And try wrapping your handles with electrical or better yet silicone tape before using them. I did that to my Marbles wood machete handle that had a long crack starting and handle play with silicone tape. Seemed to fix the issue.

[Jeb]

I just have used what I have in the trucks, I will see about sourcing some of it. When I have time I have wrapped mine with the Scotch 33+ and then take superglue and a small paintbrush and paint the tape with superglue and sandblast media and that works pretty good.

The killer grip is the G10 Spyderco put on the scales of my Tomahawk, those scales grab you as much as you grab them lol... everyone should have one of these D2 Tomahawk 's, I want another to put in another truck I have. Been to busy buying 200 dollar plus Mules off ebay to get that lol.

[PM2Josh]

I just have used what I have in the trucks, I will see about sourcing some of it. When I have time I have wrapped mine with the Scotch 33+ and then take superglue and a small paintbrush and paint the tape with superglue and sandblast media and that works pretty good.

The killer grip is the G10 Spyderco put on the scales of my Tomahawk, those scales grab you as much as you grab them lol... everyone should have one of these D2 Tomahawk 's, I want another to put in another truck I have. Been to busy buying 200 dollar plus Mules off ebay to get that lol.

Trust me on this much. Source one roll of silicone self fusing tape and try it out. I promise you will love it compared to electrical tape. And be thanking me.

If you wanted. You could even do a few wraps of electrical tape and one or 2 wraps of silicone tape over the electricsl tape.
Silicone self fusing tape has become my best friend and improved grip.

It may not last forever. But it will last a pretty good while as long as you don't wrap it more than 3 times its length of 10 yards.

Best of all. It can be removed with a small cut and not leave a sticky goo on your handle.

[Jeb]

I will get some and give it a smoke test lol. Right now I got this new BK21 to run out and see just how it does, I noticed on the specs of this thing, they have it as .19" thick, which is not what mine is, may be the black coating thicker on mine but mine is .24" thick, least right at it.

I really like the extra scales I added to the order for these, the original are plastic and slick finished, these optional scales have a texture to them and are way thicker and heavier made scales. Here is a link to the BK21...

Ka-Bar Becker/Reinhardt Kukri Fixed Blade Knife - Blade HQ https://share.google/T5qUPHqgJ3xEwCn6Q

[vivi]

athletic tapes work well too. tennis tape, cycling bar tape, hockey stick tape etc. i seal the ends with super glue too.

[JoviAl]

Interesting thread. I think Nick's concept is valid There is always the question of, "Is the market large enough to support the inventory"?

For the sake of conversation;

How long?
How thick?
Steel options / suggestions?
Handle material and design?
Overall design?
Optimal cost?
Sheath or carry method?

The Darn Dao is not a good comparison. It was a special build to recognize Bob's eye for beauty. We built it very right and it is a worthy piece to own. I bought one of his original pieces when he first made them and sat on it for years planning to build a run.

sal

For me as a commercial user my thoughts are:

How long?
14 inches is a sweet spot as @vivi mentions - long enough to be useful, short enough not to practically be a sword.

How thick?
2.5-3mm would be my suggestion.

Steel options / suggestions?
H1/H2 or possibly even LC200N or less hard heat treated Magnacut. Something rust proof is the goal.

Handle material and design?
injection moulded FRN. JM2 shape with a pronounced hook.

Overall design?
Seax style machete blade for ease of sharpening on belt sharpening equipment. Offset blade to handle with a slight negative angle from horizontal (like an Ayoob)

Optimal cost?
$300-600 depending on materials

Sheath or carry method?
Blade guard clip on kydex or similar that hooks over the point and just covers the actual blade edge. Not fabric or leather - they rot.

[PM2Josh]

Interesting thread. I think Nick's concept is valid There is always the question of, "Is the market large enough to support the inventory"?

For the sake of conversation;

How long?
How thick?
Steel options / suggestions?
Handle material and design?
Overall design?
Optimal cost?
Sheath or carry method?

The Darn Dao is not a good comparison. It was a special build to recognize Bob's eye for beauty. We built it very right and it is a worthy piece to own. I bought one of his original pieces when he first made them and sat on it for years planning to build a run.

sal

For me as a commercial user my thoughts are:

How long?
14 inches is a sweet spot as @vivi mentions - long enough to be useful, short enough not to practically be a sword.

How thick?
2.5-3mm would be my suggestion.

Steel options / suggestions?
H1/H2 or possibly even LC200N or less hard heat treated Magnacut. Something rust proof is the goal.

Handle material and design?
injection moulded FRN. JM2 shape with a pronounced hook.

Overall design?
Seax style machete blade for ease of sharpening on belt sharpening equipment. Offset blade to handle with a slight negative angle from horizontal (like an Ayoob)

Optimal cost?
$300-600 depending on materials

Sheath or carry method?
Blade guard clip on kydex or similar that hooks over the point and just covers the actual blade edge. Not fabric or leather - they rot.

Interesting. We both have different thoughts on this. Yet similarities. I love brain storming ideas with other members on this forum.

1. Fourteen inches to me seems a bit short for machete type use. I guess using 16 to 18 inch long blades resonates with me more as a traditional machete.

As I do landscaping and bushcraft. I would think a longer length would be better for brush. With that said. I own two 14 inch Marbles machetes that are wonderful for working in tight spaces or under trees for weed removal.

I guess I could do 14 inches. But I don't get the impression a 16 to 18 inch machete resembles a sword.
So lets compromise and say 15 inches.

2. Thickness I would like 3mm to 3.2 mm. Good middle ground for edge stability, increased toughness, and keeping the weight light and snappy. If 2.5mm works I am game. No complaints.

3. I agree with your stwel choices and particularly like H2. Due to ease of sharpening and high toughness. But I got to thinking about the cost with H2 and started to give thought to AEBL or 14C28 and possibly 4116 Krupp.

Not as rust resistant as H2. But tough, pretty good rust resistance, and a bit better edge holding on a plain edge.
I still prefer H2 if possible to keep the price range in the $300 to $600 range.

But I am going to leave steel choice up to Sal and the Spyderco team as they have far more knowledge of steels and characteristics than I could ever hope to have.

Plus, if I am not mistaken. Those steels are a bit more affordable. Particularly AEB-L. Since it has been around since the 1960's. Which may help with final cost and lower prices.

I have heard Magnacut performs better with a higher Rockwell than a lower Rockwell.

4. Handle material and design. I like the JM2 style. It has become my favorite handle style. Injection molded is cool with me. Roughly 5 inch handle. Agree with a pronounced hook.

5. Overall design. Not a fan of Seax unless there can be some belly and upsweep in the blade.I would prefer a traditional machete style with a tip or a panga style tip that is pronounced at the tip and has a point. But I am willing to try a Seax if that is decided on.

6. Optimal cost. I would say you are on par with that. But I don't think a steel like magnacut or H2 would be able to hit that ballpark. Which is why I mentioned older steels like AEB-L and 14C28 in order to keep cost in that range. I could be wrong though.

7. Completely agree on sheath style. But I also think maybe use and include a cordura sheath style Cold Steel uses for their machetes for keeping cost down. And having Spyderco offer the Kydex/Boltaron as an optional purchase on their website.
As they do with the Bow River and Mule series.

I like your ideas and enjoy reading your thoughts. I am just thinking on ways to keep the cost down in your $300 to $600 range.
Maybe we can with some luck and enough demand get this idea to life.
for the win!

[Scandi Grind]

My take on this awesome thread I tried to start a few months ago well, it's about time lol. This thing is killer.
First thing we all need to get on the same playing field on the length.

Some are measured over all length, others are actual blade length. For me 16" blade length and this length should be directly related to how thick the blade is made. If .25" thick the 16"- 18" blade with over all length of 21" - 22" and yes a nice lanyard hole lol...

Quarter inch thick? Their are a few things of the sort available from a few companies.Perhaps something like this would serve you well?

For me this would definitely be a chopper more than a machete. I want something of the sort one day, but I think I could only swing something like this around for so long. It is only 12 in. long, which would be my limit for something ".25 thick, but that means a lot of bending over if I were using it to cut a walking path.

It seems that my brush isn't as stout as yours since I have never run into anything short of a tree that I had a problem cutting with my $7 stainless machete. Honestly I wish I had a reason to buy something heftier just because, but the only things I can't cut with my machete are best handled with and axe or tomahawk, so the chopper just hasn't been a practical need in my environment.

[Fireman]

I have the Bravo 3 that is 1/4” thick and 11.5” long. That is not a machete 2.5mm might be the sweet spot. The Tramontina is 2.2mm thick.

[PM2Josh]

Here is a blueprint sketch rough draft I did on my thoughts of a Spyderco Machete. I even added a finger choil.
16 inch blade. (Roughly 15 inches with finger choil)
6 inch handle. (Longer length to help balance weight and make lively in hand)
3mm thick.
Could not add a Jumpmaster 2 handle due to patent rights and my software respecting those. But I got as close as I could.

[vivi]

oh,on the handle.

please no bidirectional texturing.

it would be too abrasive IMO for a chopping tool.

I could see a handle composition like the street bowie being an interesting choice. FRN with a rubber inlay.

[James Y]

How about an FRN handle with a matte finish?

Jim

[zhyla]

3.0 to 3.5mm thick. For increased toughness and edge stability. Without being too heavy.

3mm on a wide 18" blade is going to be very heavy.

Here is a blueprint sketch rough draft I did on my thoughts of a Spyderco Machete. I even added a finger choil.

What exactly is that choil for? You're not going to have your finger up there when swinging this around, right?

The handle looks like a chopper handle. You want the handle to be able to rotate in the hand a bit during strikes. I think simpler the better with handles in this case.

15 inch blade. (Roughly 14 inches with finger choil)

Is it really a 15" blade as drawn? It looks like a 9" blade with a 6" handle?

[PM2Josh]

3.0 to 3.5mm thick. For increased toughness and edge stability. Without being too heavy.

3mm on a wide 18" blade is going to be very heavy.

Here is a blueprint sketch rough draft I did on my thoughts of a Spyderco Machete. I even added a finger choil.

What exactly is that choil for? You're not going to have your finger up there when swinging this around, right?

The handle looks like a chopper handle. You want the handle to be able to rotate in the hand a bit during strikes. I think simpler the better with handles in this case.

15 inch blade. (Roughly 14 inches with finger choil)

Is it really a 15" blade as drawn? It looks like a 9" blade with a 6" handle?

The first one yes I did change it around. If it still looks short. Then we just got to use our imagination a bit. My CAD program is giving me troube and I am new to CAD. I still think those photos serve a basic idea. And I did switch out the first one.

I added the choil with an idea for csmp use and making a machete have a second purpose. Such as shaving bark and having the choil to assist. Or other reasons such as steadier grip if used as your only tool in a csmp setting to gut a fish or animal.
Not ideal of course. But an idea nonetheless.

I welcome input and critiques as I am no knife or machete designer.

The six inch handle I think can aid in a 18 inch blade length to sort of counter weight and add balance to prevent forward heaviness.

However. I got to thinking maybe a 15 to 16 inch blade at 3mm would be better concerning the valid weight issue you brought up.I will be the first to tell you I don't know how to design machetes or knives.

But I also feel like if Spyderco take an interest down the road in this project. They can tweak out the flaws and I at least laid down a basic blueprint of 2 different blade styles which can be improvised on as they see fit.

If Spyderco decide a machete is worth pursuing. I think they should do a poll on 4 or 5 different styles and let the forum vote.

[JoviAl]

I think an H2 Machete would be too cost prohibitive for the vast majority of Spyderco's market. In my opinion, it would not be worth their time to develop and produce one. I would expect it to be comparable in price to something like the Darn Dao, which sat on shelves for literally years after it was produced. (Might still be available some places)

I have no doubt that a Spyderco machete would have buyers but I also genuinely believe that anything Spyderco produces would have buyers. "Will it have enough buyers?" is the real question though. It's rare to find someone willing to spend $450 on a machete, just so they can use it the same way they use their $10 Tramontina.

I’m not outright disagreeing with you on this one, but I do wonder if comparing this and the Darn Dao is a bit of an apples to oranges comparison - the Darn Dao is a martial arts inspired weapon with very limited use cases and (as indicated by the steady sales) a very small target market, whereas a H1/2 machete taps into a commercial market of tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of potential customers where it is not uncommon to spend $2000+ per unit on a batch of ten chainsaws, well north of $20,000 on a wood chipper, and house mortgage tier money on specialised heavy plant and crane mounted vehicles. I’m only a small fry in that world and I wouldn’t bat an eyelid at a $500 machete if it had a measurable impact on my productivity in a real world way like not turning into a blob of rust after a few months. This year alone I’ve had to pay for four replacement Silky Nata blades for my team as they’re the best machete-ish thing I can get locally. That’s ~$400 USD already, and they’re a nightmare to maintain. We waste so much time sharpening them and failing to stop the edge rusting. It is an exercise in frustration management that I’d happily invest to avoid.

*edited for typos

If comparing a Darn Dao to an H2 machete is comparing apples to oranges, then what is comparing an H2 machete to chainsaws and wood chippers?

Sure, you would be willing pay $500 for an H2 Machete but much like the Darn Dao, I would suggest that you are in a similar type of niche target market. Is the market that is willing to purchase a $500 H2 machete really large enough for Spyderco to justify its production? I wouldn’t have thought so but if you’re saying it might be, then maybe they’ll consider it.

Would you be able to get a Spyderco machete locally? Or would that require ordering internationally? What’s stopping you from ordering some $12 Tramontinas instead of locally sourcing the $100 Silky’s?

If your team is already using ~$100 machetes like they’re disposable, that won’t change with a more expensive version. It’s just going to be more expensive when they need to be replaced.

I don’t know, I guess I just think their resources should be focused more on what they’re currently doing opposed to diving headfirst into the machete market with a high end H2 version.

Hi Mushroom,

We don’t use Tramontia’s as they are flimsy and rust fast. We have other local brands that are a step up from them at a similar price point. The Silky’s don’t get abused, they just rust like crazy so we are forever having to sharpen the rust off the edges which eats the blade away way faster than is reasonable. We’re trying the outback editions this time as they’re coated, but what would make a tremendous difference to us is if we could sharpen it and store it for more than a few days without rust forming. I guess what we’d really like is a marine grade machete