Does anyone know where I can find Collins or Nichols brand machetes? This made in china stuff is not cutting it (pun intended). I'm in the Chattanooga, TN area. Perhaps some of the Tennessee boys could direct me to somewhere local, but I'm not against having to order them.
older Collins sell at premium prices on ebay.
who would have thunk it?
> Does anyone know where I can find Collins or Nichols brand machetes?
http://www.loink.com/product/891/21
Crocodile brand and about as good as you can get now.
Jim Vianna
My choice is the Ontario Knife CT-5, a 22in blade with 1095 zinc phosphate coated steel blade
Best when paired with 24" leather sheath
0.02
I second the Ontario Knife.
Best steel out there that I've found.
> Does anyone know where I can find Collins or Nichols brand machetes? This made in china stuff is not cutting it (pun intended). I'm in the Chattanooga, TN area. Perhaps some of the Tennessee boys could direct me to somewhere local, but I'm not against having to order them.
Kris Morgan told me that APE has some.
I like these Fiskars found at Home Depot.
Carl
Not to hijack, but the last Nichols machetes I used were in fact cheap made in China junk. After much searching and wasting of funds, the two I'm using these days are Fiskars and the Cold Steel two handed Latin model. When the tendonitus is flaring up, having a two hand grip sure takes a load off the bad shoulder. I don't trust myself to cut right handed, like Gallager wonder why God gave us one good hand and one not worth a ****.
The Fiskars is a lightweight dream for light cutting, blade is too thin for the real deal but is great for about 75 per cent of my cutting needs.
I was lucky to get an old Bolo machete on eBay, made in Japan. It is a lot thicker than the Tramontina ones today. The old one is .130 (thicker than 1/8), and the Tramontina is .078 (5/64).
I like the bolo design, weight forward. It takes the thicker stuff out without the effort - just get it swinging.
The handle design with the back drop on it is my favorite, but I replace it with one made from iron wood (ipe, Brazilian Walnut) - it doesn't get slippery and dangerous like maple. It's got a "sandy" feel. It will eat saw blades, but won't burn.
I used to be a carpenter and used a 28 ounce framing hammer for the same reason. Let the weight work for you. I'd have used a 32 oz if I could have gotten one.
I do carry an older Collins along for the lighter stuff - I like the long one since the bolo covers the thick stuff that the longer whippier blade wouldn't work as well on. It's got a beautiful leather worked sheath.
It all depends on the woods. And of course, they have to be razor sharp. I now use a 30x1" sander to rough them out, then a file and stone.
I bought one last year at the local Army Surplus. It is a little heavier than what I have been using. Took some work to get a good edge on it, but it is solid. Not sure where it was made.
I'll second the Fiskar's blades at home depot. Picked a couple of these up a few weeks ago and they have been doing a really good job. They have a good weight, I'd like for them to be an inch or two longer, but for the price they are a really good value.
Tramontina is a well designed machete, It's a Brazilian company whose stainless is manufactured in China.
Back in the 1950s I was a teenager down in the Republic of Panama. Bare-footed men would walk door-to-door offering lawn cutting services with a machete. They'd carry it in a folded newspaper with a bastard file and a stick. They'd crouch down and actually cut your lawn almost as good as a lawnmower. Average fee to cut your lawn: $1.00. Prevailing wage for unskilled labor then was $1/day. The most common ones sold new had a black rectangular sticker on the blade in the hardware stores
I like the look of this one.. might be a bit small, but I bet it packs a wallop!
http://www.ontario-knife-store.com/sp8-machete-survival-knife/
LOPPERS....
I was a big machete guys now I'm doing it better, less energy and safer with loppers. Buy the big gear loppers and you love them!!!
I tried to find a real Collins to replace the one I lost, but had no luck.
LOPPERS....
Agreed, however, the knife is still in the truck, they both have their uses, the knife works good on smaller stuff in great quantities, the loppers work for surgically removing individual limbs and I can snip up to about a 2" diameter with mine.
SHG
I saw workers cutting lawns in Puerto Rico as you described in the 80's. I was amazed.
after looking at it again, I decided to order it. I'll post a review later.
