Thread: Machete

I made this machete for one of the members here. This is actually the very first thing that was commissioned when I started my business. It took a while before the stars aligned. This is a working man's machete. I finished it to 320 or 400 grite before HT, and then left the fire scale on it. I like the black look, and it helps protect against moisture and sap. Not unimportant for something that is going to be actually used.

It would look sweet with a 1000 grit hand polish, but after half an hour of use, it would all be for naught. I did the heat treatment with my oven. Takes a while to bring it to temperature, but otherwise it would be very hard to get such a long piece heated evenly. I tempered it like I always do, but after tempering I took it out and immediately put a Bunsen burner on the spine to bring down the temper of the body of the machete to make it more impact resistant.

The handles are camo pattern micarta, with glow in the dark liners between the micarta and the blade. I got the freedom to make it the way I thought it should be made, and being a kid of the 80s, I think that everything gets better if it has glow in the dark.

I did some initial testing today. If the weather is ok, then tomorrow I'll make a video featuring some pointless destruction of wooden objects.

That finish does match the scales & durability of the micarta should be a plus.

The only machete I know is a real mean dude.

I think it's a fine tool, Bruno. Excellent work.
Looking forward to the video!

Very nicely done - it looks like it will be very nicely balanced to do what one wants a machete to do. I also like the glow-in-the-dark liner idea. That could come in very handy without being too in your face with the glowing business.

Out of curiosity, what kind of steel did you use? A machete is on my to-do list and I'm torn between just using some leaf spring steel I have and ordering some O1 or something similar.

I thought about that glow in the dark thing. May be pretty handy to grab it at dusk, as finishing, or at night, as needed! A proper scabbard should be forthcoming?

I really want one of these!

Originally Posted by Cangooner

Very nicely done - it looks like it will be very nicely balanced to do what one wants a machete to do. I also like the glow-in-the-dark liner idea. That could come in very handy without being too in your face with the glowing business.

Out of curiosity, what kind of steel did you use? A machete is on my to-do list and I'm torn between just using some leaf spring steel I have and ordering some O1 or something similar.

I used O2 steel, simply because that's what I had in the right size and it's great steel. in 52100 it would have been more resilient against abuse, but then again it is a machete. If you want to fell trees, use an axe

I think O2 is a better choice than 52100.... would probably not have bothered softening the spine... just austenize at the bottom of the range, oil quench and temper at 180 deg... it really would be very strong... and not brittle at all...

Looks like it works really well...

I like it, what thickness is the spine?

I see it got a lanyard. Smart ! I used to hack through some pretty thick stuff making horse trails and when your hands get sweaty it can get ugly quick.

Darn fine tool you got. nice job Bruno :<0)