keeping the end of a machete as dull as possible is good advice. Here in the desert, we don't have to chop that often, but one of the most dangerous trees to hack at is the Ironwood tree. The wood is so hard it will tear up a chain saw. be careful folks!
I like mine sharp but I don't use the standard machete. Mine is about 20" long and heavy, a straight blade with an end that is flay and about 130° back from the blade, so being careless in the swing will get you, knowing what I am doing has prevented it from hurting me but you must pay attention and rest your arm when you start missing your mark. In brush and tree suckers, the pruning shears work better than most blade tools.
jud
John-
Repeat after me
S A N D V I K
http://www.americantrails.org/resources/info/tools3.html
It will come out of your hand too, but after 50+ years of hackin' & thwackin' IMVHO its the only "safe" one handed manual cutting took for vegetation clearing.
Cheers
Derek
Derek:
In full disclosure, I have a Sandvik brush hook. It was in the truck at time of said stupidity.
The wife said to me in a tone only wives can "Use a saw next time".
Sandvik
How do you carry it? The big advantage to the machete is it's always there on your belt. We don't head into the woods without hooking the machete to your belt.
I really like this suggested equipment from a poster on the old board:
Works great for most of what I work in. Others needs may require something different.
Sandvik
It fits very well in the lath bag or in the stake bag.
We had a 6 stitch incident two weeks ago. Damp NE woods and a sharp blade. Try as you might it's a dangerous tool.
Glad your OK, John. Rest up and heal!
Rick
I had one close call. From then on, very careful about direction and the inertia. ALWAYS sheathed it on hip when walking even a few steps. Always wrapped lanyard around hand.
We were behind an ambulance one day on the freeway. The ambulance went over a sharp crest and the back door slung open and a small red igloo looking box fell out. The ambulance had not noticed and did not stop. We pulled over and retrieved the cooler out of the roadway and curiosity got the best of us. Inside was a freshly severed toe on dry ice. We didnt know which hospital that the ambulance was going to so we called 911 and told them what we had found. They told us to just call a toe truck.
Well I mostly lurk around here but, since I am reminded of this everyday I thought I might share a couple of experiences. July 29 2007 we were staking r/w on a DOT project that was very thick and overgrown with vines and briars. Just a little back story, that morning the I-man and I were in a machete sharpening contest to see who was could put the best edge on our Ontario knives (the best blades I think). Now after lunch I was cutting my way away from the gun when my feet got tangled as I was walking, the momentum carried me forward, as I fell I stuck the machete in the ground to brace my fall, my grip slipped and the back of my hand ran down the length of the blade. I immediately covered it cut with my left hand and ran like hell to the truck while yelling for Luke (I-man). I knew it was bad but not until I let go of the wound to open the truck door, blood spewed with every heart beat. Luckily we were only a few miles from the hospital. Lots of x-rays, consults with the hand specialist, 18 stitches, and cast they let me leave. Three months of therapy worked well, but nasty scar and numbness on the back of hand remind every day that I was lucky and a machete (a sharpe one) is dangerous and even deadly.
I worked with a guy once that said he and two others were running a large mountain boundary in a remote part of NC. They climbing a hill and one guy was using his machete to stab in the ground like a walking stick. His hand slipped and cut him between his thumb and index finger. They tied a shirt around his hand and started down the mountain. He bled out on the way to the hospital. One of the worst surveying stories I have ever been told.
Sorry for the depressing stories, but thought I would share them.
Glad to hear you are ok.
:good: :drink:
I don't use a machete because it tears up my shoulder and elbow swinging it all day.
I'm much happier with a gear lopper.
:music: Amen. The choir.
Sandvik
> It fits very well in the lath bag or in the stake bag.
I guess that's why no one uses them around here. Can't be hauling a stake bag around while I'm setting up a woods traverse.
The machete .... my favorite surveying tool...
...nicked myself once in the way back....but my least fondest injury was with an 80 lb gasoline powered jack hammer. I was carrying that jack hammer on my shoulder to a corner that needed setting and I was crossing a log over a creek when my feet slipped out on the slimy rotten bark... one leg on each side of the log...and there was like a 2 to 3 inch long portion of a branch on the log sticking straight up under me..
Now falling straight down on a log with your leg each side would usually kill a normal man....but falling straight down on a log with a leg each side and a stick sticking straight up and a pjionar jack hammer on ones shoulder was a really fooked up experience...
Hid the machetes years ago. Regular axe and loppers/nippers/whatever you call them. Rarely use the axe, but, it's great to have on hand when needed. We don't have the kind of underbrush many of you deal with all the time.
I do so have a good laugh about it these days
Sandvik
Fits in a hammer loop also.
