Machete Use Tips (5 of 13)

The six day trip would have been incomplete without some tutorial video on the machete.

I have my own opinions and way of doing things. In the words of Bruce Lee, "Absorb what is useful." The machete can be applied in so many different environments that what works for me may not work for you. Here in Central Brazil I mainly use a 16 inch Latin pattern Tramontina modified to my way of working. This blade may or may not work for you but I am happy with it. One thing is universal, if your hand is getting ripped up by the machete you need to change the way you are working. You can't afford to reduce your hand to blisters and raw meat in this environment.

The basic grip when chopping is the pinch grip, however, when cutting through masses of light material (such as grass, matted ferns, tiny vines, brambles, etc) I often use a slash which is delivered with a locked wrist and a full grip on the handle. I didn't really bring that out well in the video. The idea is to force the light material to slide along the blade and sever rather than power trough with a single point of contact on the blade as in a chop.

The bush and the blade will teach you how to work if you listen. Watch your hand for hotspots. In machete country the palm of your hand is every bit as important as the soles of your feet. When you have to cut trail you are literally walking on your hands.

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[danishconsumer]

How do you sharpen it ?

[Colhane]

@danishconsumer In the field I use a small mill file to remove edge damage and a diamond rod to retouch the edge. At home I use sandpaper over a mouse pad.

[toliverfive]

At ~4:30, you say the other machete you use for heaver chopping is a 13" ...and then I can't hear what it is. Cyklo? Is that a brand name or type? I'm new at this and am soaking everything in I can.

[Colhane]

@toliverfive SAICO, it's a Brazilian brand that is no longer in business. The closest thing would be the 12 inch Ontario. The SAICO has a very heavy 1080 steel blade, really good for chopping hardwoods

[beast12101]

great tips, have you had any experience with the woodsman pal?

[Colhane]

No I don't. I've wanted to try one though.

[nightstalkersasslt]

A machete is a mode of transportation but it is not a ride you want to take. lol Some deep words their brother.

[giutoniolo]

@RandomConcepts No dude!This only shows how you have no idea of what your talking about whatsorever! Im from Brasil, a place where bulldozers and chainsaws knock down millions of trees in the jungle every year.Now THATs sth to critisize and not one man with a machete cutting up his way through vines and low bush!What you said is so funny it makes me laugh!Are you a tree hugger or some type of 21st century big city hippie?An option would be simply you shut the f*** up and not make a new comment!

[uncutsquid]

You look like Gil Grissom from CSI

[pantera677]

en mexico se usa mas cabron el machete saludos...........

[LuceStule1234]

ever try a chain saw works alot better

[SneakyTeaBag]

how often do people get bit by spiders down there?

[EnterTheMuffin]

@giutoniolo haha no problem! I do what I can :)

[giutoniolo]

@EnterTheMuffin Thank you man! Hahahaha!

[EnterTheMuffin]

@toliverfive instead of focusing on the specific brand or model, maybe look at types. Like Colhane said, the SAICO is good for hardwood chopping, mainly because its thick and not too long. If you want lighter brush clearing I would go for one like the one he has, 16" and a nice blade (its a lot better if you can put your hand on the blade for carving). If you want to do both, look for a panga machete. I would personally go with a 16" blade imacasa machete from el salvador, theyre really the best

[EnterTheMuffin]

@giutoniolo hahaha I grew up in a place where there are basically no environmentalists and the place is thoroughly deforested... and even I think youre a pretencious prick XD anyways, from experience I can tell everyone else this was quite an informative video. Nice machete too, good size.