I've run into a couple situations lately where one of these would sure come in handy. I'm not trying to clear a path through the Amazon jungle; it would mostly be used to clear away small pricker bushes, vines, and other undergrowth from work sites in my woods. Mostly stuff 1/4" diameter or less, occasionally a 1" thick vine here or there. Anything bigger, I'd probably break out the chainsaw anyway. I was initially leaning towards the Fiskars, because I love my x27. But their brush axe got some poor reviews; sounds like at some point recently they switched production of this model from Finland to China, and the quality predictably dropped. A lot of times I'll disregard some of the worst reviews, but a lot of these had photos to go along with them, showing chipped and broken blades. So I figured I'd turn to you guys for some reviews. You guys are probably more likely to use it like I would, since we use many of the same kinds of tools. Who knows, maybe "dumbazz reviewer xyz" doesn't have a chainsaw and was trying to use it to chop down a tree. Anyhow, let me know what you've used, and how you liked it, or what problems you had with it. Thanks.
I have a cold steel bolo machete that I like and also some other machete made in the Phillipines I believe that I rewrapped the handle. Both work well and will take pics when I get down to the shed. Also have a Ontario military machete that's nice. The woodsman pal tool looks nice but never used one.
I have a machete in the basic style of the Berber gator. We it when I go camping primarily. Not really anything to write home about.
I have a fiskars machete. It works I guess, but comes in the box VERY dull. Not an easy sharpening like with some knives, it actually doesn't have an edge. It's serviceable i guess, and cheap. But I wouldn't really recommend them. From what I've read, all big box store machetes come dull so people don't try to whack on stuff they shouldn't and chip/break the blade. I imagine most of the reviews you see for their brush axe are caused by misuse. My saw shop sells them and they seem pretty nice
I have a WWII Army surplus machete with "1945" stamped in the blade and the original olive drab canvas sheath. I don't know if these can still be found but its a good tool.
If there's much to clear, I put an 80-tooth 10" blade on my straight-shaft Echo 22 cc trimmer from '78, and take no prisoners. Hand-hacking tangles of weeds, fuggedaboudit!
