Best light-weight machete/long-knife?

Years back, I inherited my grandmother's Brushking longknife. She had used it for trimming the Christmas trees on her farm. I loved that thing! It sliced through salmonberries really nicely, and it was lightweight and easy to swing. It held it's blade well, too. And then it encountered a rebar someone had hid in the salmonberries, and half the blade broke off. We bought a new one...but their quality has decreased in the 30+ years since my grandmother bought her's. The handle split in two. Not good!

This is what the long knife looks like:

USA Brushking Christmas Tree Knife, 16

My brother gave me a machete a few years back...but the thing was thick and heavy and hard to wield. My husband didn't care for it, either, and he has no wrist problems and his arms are very strong.

When I look online, I see a lot of thick, heavy looking machetes. Anyone know of any light-weight, durable, easy to wield long-knifes/machetes/other-hacking-blade?

Thanks!

Nicole,

That blade looks like it was razor-sharp, feather-light and with one flick-of-the-wrist could slice right through brambly brush--is that about right?

I, too, appreciate a well-made blade, but as you pointed out they are hard to find and the ones that appear to be quality also cost a fortune.  A lot of modern blades are made with cheap soft stamped stainless steel as opposed to a hardened forged steel.  I personally have a couple of blades in mind that I almost would be willing to commission a traditional blacksmith to construct if the quality and price were right.

I am not certain that what I am about to mention is the item that you are looking for but I have an interest in Kukri machetes which are a Nepalese type of knife that curves forward.  About the best way that I can describe their geometry is that if you were to hold your hand out with forefinger outstretched in the typical "hand-pistol" position, your hand would naturally angle out about 45 degrees from your forearm.  The Kukri is angled so that the handle naturally fits your hand while continuing the natural angle of your arm and forefinger.  It makes for a relatively light blade but with a very heavy chop.  additionally, a traditional kukri, while having a very sharp edge, has a thick blade that is up to 1/4 inch thick at the back.  This makes for a very sturdy, virtually indestructible knife/machete.  I doubt that rebar would have done more than make a dull spot on a reasonably well-made kukri.

I don't know if this is the tool for swinging through light brambles though as brambles are so light and springy that the blade must be moving really fast to cut them before they get the chance to get out of the way.  I do have one (it is OK, but certainly not great) and it does chop really well, almost as well as a small axe but with much less weight.  If chopping is what you really want, a kukri might be a great option (start out cheap though to see of you like it, not everyone does), but if you want to swing very fast through light brambles, Then this might not be your best option.

I really hope you can find a replacement for your machete and hope you can tell us about it when you do find it.

Eric

Hi Nicole ;
Years ago I worked in the woods  clearing trail for surveyor's.
For brushy areas they supplied us with a tool that I thought I would hate... (I  thought I wanted a machete)
Called a Sandvik brush axe.    https://thearboriststore.com/products/clearing-axe-29

This ended up being an all time favorite tool and I own two of them to this day.

light , safe , wicked sharp, replaceable blades after you whale a few rocks...
This thing can cut down a small tree if it has too!  
I highly recommend it!

If the blade of the new one seems usable, I would try to fix the handle or make a better one. The three screws in a row like that is just asking to have it split in bare wood without any kind of brackets or ferrule to hold it together.  A few hose clamps might get it going. A good lashing job would make it quite secure.

I like a billhook, they come in many different designs some have a straight blade on the back but those are heavier. they're designed for cutting coppice and the curve helps stop brambles etc from escaping, However the british ones are pretty short you need to get up close and personal with your prey, india has a longer version that looks like this one but stretched.

I think you're not the only one whose handle broke. The new models have a ferrule added to reinforce it. These are not cheap -- maybe there is a warranty? Worth asking.

If the blade is still good, I would put a new handle on it. You can also try repairing with a couple of hose clamps.

There is a place for a fast, thin blade. I have a Zwilling Henckels carving knife, very long and thin, that goes through heavy weeds like butter.

while i was in nepal we used a sickle. There appears to be many different variations of sickles. The one we used looked like this photo.
We cut just about everything with it. even used it for cutting vegetables. The sickle was also used to cut tea trees. People would swing with one arm while the other was behind their back so as to not get cut! I loved the sickle

I will try and find one as i tried to bring one to Canada on my return flight and it got thrown out in customs due to the wooden handle being of an unknown wood.

This is my cousin in nepal. I had to look quite hard to get a decent photo. The blade is curved yet is straight. and does not go further than the handle.

Hey,

So I have spent many years using, Brush hooks,
I can down 200mm trees in one swing, and work them faster than your eyes can track.
these brush hooks are prone to break if hit on the wrong angle by an amateur.
in addition the wood will split over time and break, to fix this I use a roll of duck tap and use this all the way up and down the handle.
I have used brush hooks for 8 hour days with no breaks.
And the number one thing to do is keep them sharp.

cutting use on an angle, work with the material you are using, fewer cuts is better.

I prefer brush hooks than machetes because they are safer.

Also I would avoid harden steel like the plague, in regards to these.

when working I also carry a brush saw in my pocket, and a pair of secateurs.

Some days I would look down at the clearing I did, and look at the wake of destruction, every 50m a 20m line of lantana, or blackberries cleared, out often with nitrogen fixer trees making them into a canopy, and vines in and around them,

and often having to do so trekking down in ponds and swamps.

Wear glasses your going to get stuff in your eyes, were gloves they will get destroyed,
wear thick pants you can sew back up.
wear long sleeves, and wear a hat that covers your face like a bucket hat with a neck guard, or neckerchief.
steel caps are a must have. gadors and wadors if you can.

But I do like the look of the Swedish, it may not have the reach, but it looks strong,  and it can also be used as a hook to rip down high branches.

The wooden handles and going to split with weaker woods, and over time with use. one must maintain them. or be able to carve and replace the handles.

I do like them, a while back I had a client who wanted us to survey for a planned development, they had an area, of invasive thorned coral trees, lantana, blackberries, bamboo, and castor oil plants. they had planned on getting a bull dozer in to remove them, I did it as part of the survey in 2 hours with a bush saw, a brush saw. sure it probably cost them a few hundred for my time but it saved them thousands.


I am so experience with using these tools, that Its not even about the tools anymore I am the tool.

I'm hoping to bump up this thread to see if there any new suggestions out there.

I'm looking for something that is more ergonomic than stooping over with my current machete to fight back against brush, ESPECIALLY vines.

I'm intrigued by the idea of a billhook but I have not found something to purchase quite yet.

So... what do you suggest?

Depending on how crafty you are, you could mount a light weight machete onto an axe handle, or even an old scythe blade.

I have a vintage corn knife that is light, long of blade and wicked sharp.
It seems very ridged/fragile, so I don't use it in the field.

Cane knives and tobacco knives are lightweight foliage slashers that might fit the bill.

For some tasks, a scythe with a brush blade might do the trick, but I don't think that's a proper replacement for the longknife, in general.  They're different tools, with only some overlap.

As mentioned upthread, I too have a kukri style blade (a Becker Knife and Tool Machax), but as with the scythe, there is only some functional overlap with the longknife.  The kukri blades are short enough that a slip might gash your shin - even knee or thigh.  Paradoxically, as with axes, sometimes the longer tool is actually safer, because it's likely that the end of the tool will contact something else before the blade reaches the user.  The Machax is a passable draw knife, in a pinch, however, and can do some of the things a hatchet can do.

Unfortunately, I don't know of a better source for  the longknife style of tool.  It seems like an Asian tool manufacturer or vendor might be a good bet, but I have no idea what keyword(s) to use.

I once had one like this. It was light enough for my weak wrists. My only regret was that I bought the one that was only 18 inches long. The serrated edge could saw through small, maybe tiny branches. The notch is great to pull just chopped blackberry canes out of the overgrown patch. Just don't use it to chop ice out of your not frost free freezer. The tip may break off. Don't use your good chef knife for that either. Sigh. It takes me a while to learn my lesson.


Amazon link

Hi, I have been using all kinds of machetes for many years. It is indeed quite difficult to find ones that are both lightweight and effective. Many models prioritize an overly military-style appearance to be fashionable, and as a result become too thick, too heavy, and inefficient.


It’s better to turn to manufacturers of agricultural machetes—those designed for cutting sugar cane are extremely lightweight in use.
Brands such as Tramontina, Imacasa, and 32Dumas produce good machetes.

Take a look at what Fiskars offers in a brush hook. They have some short ones reminiscent of a USAF survival tool and longer ones like this, Called The Woodsman's Pal nowadays, pretty expensive but the Fiskars is an adequate replacement if you want a short replacement. Some of the longer Fiskars versions of brush hooks look good if you need the reach.

I have used many types of blades for brush clearing, and it really matters what you are cutting when selecting the tool.
I switch tools for different sorts or conditions, and to mix up which muscle groups I am using to avoid overstraining my body.
Most of what I have to cut around here is bramble canes, lots of them - mostly on flat ground.
I favor different tools depending on the age/size of the patch of blackberry brambles.

In small spaces like around the garden fence I like a hand sickle of some sort - the serrated blade kind are very effective, but tedious to resharpen.  A Billhook, as someone mentioned, is good for this too.  (And the scar on my thumb begs me to remind you to cut *away* from your body - and to keep bleedable bits out of the line of work).

Then again, I like to use my 5-foot ARS pole-lopper - the cutting head can rotate with a twist of the wrist and has a trigger handle.
It keeps some distance from the thorns, and I can pull vines out with it too.   Regular loppers and Secateurs are also useful in this zone for me.

If the area is covered with much taller brambles I will use my Scythe (some day I will get a brush scythe, but I have a smaller grass blade that works well).  It is nice for sweeping through the thicket, when you can't see where the canes emerge, and dragging them to a pile with the tool likewise.

For these same conditions of thick tall growth, I think my favorite tool has become ... a manual Pole Saw!
I have a Jameson brand, with a curved saw blade and a branch hook.
I can reach in low to the ground and saw through thick canes with ease, and drag them out... though I generally push/pull them and roll up the vines and stomp them down as I go when it is a large area.  

I also have a Ditch Blade, a double sided one from Council Tools.  It is a heavy beast, but it has a lot of power.
It can chop through thick brush and cut through the blackberry crowns pretty terrifically.  However, I don't use it much.
I think with its weight, a Ditch Blade is made for... wait for it... Ditches!  Cutting things down-slope.

I have machetes of various sorts, but I find I don't like using them except for clearing a trail, really.
There's also a neat trick I've seen from places where machetes are the main tool.  The wielder holds a hooked stick in the other hand to both steady the stem being cut and give another barrier between blade and body.
There are machetes specific for cutting grass, to vines, all the way up to heavy Parang types for branches and saplings.

My top choice right now is the Pole Saw.

Please everyone be very aware when using sharp tools like these.  Plan your cuts, and line up your body so you are not in the way of the blade's path.  It sounds fun to go swinging a machete through the thicket, but the injuries can be bad.  Safe cutting.

thomas rubino wrote:Hi Nicole ;
Years ago I worked in the woods  clearing trail for surveyor's.
For brushy areas they supplied us with a tool that I thought I would hate... (I  thought I wanted a manchette)
Called a Sandvik brush axe.    https://thearboriststore.com/products/clearing-axe-29

This ended up being an all time favorite tool and I own two of them to this day.

Dang, I have one of these buried in my shed. The old orange ones. I totally forgot about it -- it must be 40 years old. I need to dig it out!

I use one of these and am entirely satisfied with it.

Second from top in picture:
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/catalog/122526-vintage-4-j-a-henckels-international-serrated-edge-kitchen-knives-ready-for-use


There is also a thinner one of the same sort, which I may like a little better.

I get that -- for vegetably materials I have a bunch of long carving knives and long serrated kitchen knives that zip through like butter. (Hint: sharpen serrated blades by laying them 99% flat on the stone on the non-scalloped side. That way you sharpen the whole inside circle of each serration. Easy!)

For woody materials past the first year's growth, it takes a more substantial blade.

I’ve cut brush and carved wood using it. It definitely isn’t an axe, though.