Thank you for this video. I have a SP8-95 and have owned it for 20 years. I have it in my knife collection; never used it. I thought it was too heavy to carry on backpacking trips. However, a fallen tree limb 8 inches in diameter in my front yard needed to be moved. The SP8 and a folding Gorilla saw made very short work of the 30 foot limb. After this experience and watching you process wood I'll be sure to include the SP8 on my next outing.
Okay. Well I love Love that piece of steel. I've had one a while myself and it's been one of my top five favorite. But budy you really damaged those trees you were limbing. And when you chop try doing it with some smoother deliberate rhyme and reason. And for your own safety when your batoning, please bend at your knees more. If you bend from a stiff straight back the way you do you end up putting your face and neck right over the material your pushing through and hitting and if something bounces back up at you you won't ba able to react in time to get your face, eyes, neck out of the way and a piece of sticky pine in your jugular is a sticky death sentence. And the way you're chopping/chipping lends itself to that kind of injury. Try to think that your chopping to create a V shape no matter how small the wood material is. It will lend itself to better material removal and cause you to make minute timing judgements that should help your swing become more effective and energy efficient. Keep it up with practices but practice right and you'll get better quicker and quicker better. You have a great tool to practice with. And eventually you might want to change the edge geometry to a 40degree inclusive grind (20 degrees on each side) and that will help it "bite" into the wood a bit/a Lot better and relieve the bouncing effect and in affect save energy for better swings. And maybe save the trees some damage as well lol. Stay sharp and thanks for the video.
You demonstrated it's capabilities and possible uses. I have always liked the design and while many downgrade it for one reason or the other, like a typical Ontario blade it's good quality and It fits the place of a short machete or heavy knife to process wood. Bigger and heavier blade or axes will chop easier, but this is fairly light, compact and can serve as a cleaver for cooking duty or chisel and pry which the other tools cannot offer or achieve.
You really have to thin that edge down more for that to chop well though otherwise it’s pretty much just a hunk of steel built sturdy though can also do some digging tasks
Nice vid. I think your SP8 needs sharpened, I have 3 of them have carried them for yrs and all of mine would have taken most of those limbs in 1 swing.
I re-profiled mine to a higher grind and got **way** more performance than was shown in this video. I leave my camp axes behind now...no need for one. I get razor sharp feathers on wood.
Update.My Camillus Carnivore broke in half while batoning a piece of 3" + - piece of wood for the fire.Made in China.I received the SP8 in the mail today,and will be taking it with me on all my hikes and camping trips.The sheath being brand new is a bit stiff,the snaps hard to push on,but will loosen up with wear.Came sharp out of the box,that is sharp for a tool,not razor sharp like my TOPS B.O.B. knife.Even with the shock in the handle(of course depending on what your cutting/chopping)it's a small issue.Far better than the Camillus junk clone.These companies want to copycat the real McCoys like the SP8 or Kabar Tac Tool.I purchased mine on Amazon for only $45 including shipping.
... Which version of Carnivore did you have ?? Cameo Handle ? Tan-brown Handle ? The cameo handle version broke easily. Rattail tang, bad heat treatments, etc...
Russell Suender ... ahh yeah the camo version was weak and badly designed. The Tan handle versions fixes the design flaw. I have the Xz, chops great, batons great. Notching saw on the back of the blade not too useful, but wicked sharp.
i have one of these and it is a fantastic tool - give it a good sharpening and grind off the teeth at the back - they will ruin the sheath - it chops better than an axe and opens doors better than a pry bar - its the perfect urban survival tool - i even use it as a shovel - its a great knife / axe / trenching tool - you dont do it justice - take longer swings and let the weight dig into the wood - this is not the tool to take short chops with - you can sharpen it like a razor - you see how you pried that wood apart - just one of the many things it dos well
@Living Survival, great stuff. Would love to see another vid with the sharpened SP8. Now I have to get one:). Way safer than an axe. Double or triple the length of edge. More forgiving of your targeting. And much easier to control because the centre of percussion(sweet spot where it cuts best) is out near the end, but the centre of mass is nearer your hand for better control. With an axe of the same weight, you have less control once it gets swinging. I do go on. And yes, I did suscribe:).
I find this "tool" to be a necessary addition for all around duties at the camp site.Would be a bit too heavy for back packing.Presently I use the Camillus Carnivore,but the edge has chipped from heavy use(cutting branches,chopping,batoning)..Let's face it the Carnivore is not a good tool,Not well made like the SP8,or the Kabar BK3 Tac knife.The BK3 is a great knife,but I'd rather a machete that doesn't have a saw section on the blade like SP8.I'm ordering the SP8($50)fromAmazon.com.as I've finally made up my mind on choosing it based on it's affordability and design.
The flat grind starts too late -- too close to the bevel. This makes the blade relatively thick right behind bevel, and it gets thicker yet fast. As a result, these blades don't chop well as they tend to bounce back from the wood.
That should make it a decent splitter though. I think Ontario's main purpose for this is quite literally a "sharpened pry-bar". lol I don't think it is really intended to chop the best or do anything else the best. Its main purpose just seems to be not to break. This beast looks like it would do VERY well at that. lol If you want to cut and bash your way through a wall... ANY wall... this is probably the knife you'd want. ;) lol
Or batoning a hole through a cinder block wall with a lead pipe... lol For an actual woodworking option with the same general shape, one might look to a Japanese nata. It won't be as heavy duty as an axe (or the SP8) and I most certainly wouldn't use it on frozen wood, but for someone in the south that rarely if ever sees snow it might be just the ticket. Down here it seems a large knife or knife-like cutter is a more versatile option, while up north an axe is almost required.
I have one of these and I like it, but I'd much rather spend a few extra calories carrying a real axe that can get the job done in a few strikes rather than wasting lots of calories around the campsite whacking away at stuff with these chopping knives. These are really poor performers for their weight. They need a much less convex grind to perform at all.
I saw a video recently of a guy having this on his belt and leg while he had his handgun above this blade with no interference. This blade wuld be a good piece of gear on a LBE setup
Nice "knife". If you sharpen it it will chop through anything instead of trying to bludgeon your way through. Lots of vids of guys whizzing through stuff with the SP8, but they have an edge put on first. Most chopper(heavy blades like goloks and parangs) and typical machete(light flexible blades) come with very obtuse edges from the factory. You've really got to sharpen them first to let them do their stuff.
5:30 ok. Everybody has his own standards. Nothing wrong with that. But according to my standards "not too bad" referred to the chopping I saw you doing is really bad really bad in my book. Ok if this was the only knife i had ... sure. But as a chopper to me, as a chopper it failed miserably. And everyone and his grandson does the same tests. Why does nobody use the knife in an urban setting test? I don't have a channel and even more, where im from😂 One glance from the coppers at a knife like that in an urban setting 😂😂😂. I would get hit, shot, tasered, jailed and yelled at. And all that at the same time😅 But I so wanted to see this beast in an urban survival setting. Breaking open doors, windows, saving people (staged of course) from a car crash, building a city shelter, food prepping, fire making, fighting of bad guys (staged of course), fighting of a dog attack (staged of course) digging tranches .... that kind of stuff. But yeah... I know.
I agree, just had a fairly small area to work and was doing it almost from the other side of the tree as I am left handed and couldn't get around the other side. Was fun nonetheless, thanks for the comment ;)-
If I was going to carry around a knife that big i would want it to have a point on the front. If you think about it there really arent any doors to pry open in the woods. And if you pried a door at home your mom would get mad.
I'd like to play with one, but honestly, am not tempted to buy one. It just seems like a HEAVY, poor version of other bladed tools. It's pretty expensive. It's too heavy and short to work like a proper machete of the same weight. The weight isn't balanced toward the business end to make it good chopper(I think). And that geometry is going to vibrate, and shock your wrist. It has no pointy tip or belly. I've swung similar tools. They're hard work. So it's a poor machete, and a poor axe, and a poor crowbar, and a poor one-knife solution/ bushcraft knife. And the serrated spine worsens its use for batoning. Just my keyboard opinion.
Thank you for this video. I have a SP8-95 and have owned it for 20 years. I have it in my knife collection; never used it. I thought it was too heavy to carry on backpacking trips. However, a fallen tree limb 8 inches in diameter in my front yard needed to be moved. The SP8 and a folding Gorilla saw made very short work of the 30 foot limb. After this experience and watching you process wood I'll be sure to include the SP8 on my next outing.
Okay. Well I love Love that piece of steel. I've had one a while myself and it's been one of my top five favorite. But budy you really damaged those trees you were limbing. And when you chop try doing it with some smoother deliberate rhyme and reason. And for your own safety when your batoning, please bend at your knees more. If you bend from a stiff straight back the way you do you end up putting your face and neck right over the material your pushing through and hitting and if something bounces back up at you you won't ba able to react in time to get your face, eyes, neck out of the way and a piece of sticky pine in your jugular is a sticky death sentence. And the way you're chopping/chipping lends itself to that kind of injury. Try to think that your chopping to create a V shape no matter how small the wood material is. It will lend itself to better material removal and cause you to make minute timing judgements that should help your swing become more effective and energy efficient. Keep it up with practices but practice right and you'll get better quicker and quicker better. You have a great tool to practice with. And eventually you might want to change the edge geometry to a 40degree inclusive grind (20 degrees on each side) and that will help it "bite" into the wood a bit/a Lot better and relieve the bouncing effect and in affect save energy for better swings. And maybe save the trees some damage as well lol. Stay sharp and thanks for the video.
The spine is a rasp for notching. It quickly and easily makes channels that are the perfect size for paracord.
thanks for the comment!
You demonstrated it's capabilities and possible uses. I have always liked the design and while many downgrade it for one reason or the other, like a typical Ontario blade it's good quality and It fits the place of a short machete or heavy knife to process wood. Bigger and heavier blade or axes will chop easier, but this is fairly light, compact and can serve as a cleaver for cooking duty or chisel and pry which the other tools cannot offer or achieve.
My understanding is that it is not a sawback blade. The serrations are designed to be a rasp for shaping, notching wood.
Bill Gaines Right, that is what they are for ;)-
*Love the look of that blade!!*
_looks close to my survival machete that I made from s35vn_
thanks for watching and the comment!
Would you say the sp10 is capable of similar tasks, or should I look into something like the sp8?
i have been using my sp8 for years .. its great!
+mick sexton nice.
You really have to thin that edge down more for that to chop well though otherwise it’s pretty much just a hunk of steel built sturdy though can also do some digging tasks
It's not a saw, but a feature to prevent the baton sliding to your hand and break your thumb when batoning.
Awesome video, the sp8 is one of m favorite knives. A grea knife you can hump n wih out worrying about breakage.
Wow...That is an awesome "Lump" of steel...Love it...Great reveiw
thanks for watching ;)-
I have that machete and its awsome for cutting ( i go outdoors alot and still holes Up ) its a awsome machete!
Thanks for the video! convinced me this is the perfect replacement I needed for camp side tasks.
Alex May I will have to do a follow up because once further sharpened this becomes a beast.
did you sharpened the machete?
only like a minute in I can already tell this guy has some kind of fear of doors or something
good video mate, fancy a bit more a trong tanto tip on a survival machete, but looks ready for beating that one
Nice vid. I think your SP8 needs sharpened, I have 3 of them have carried them for yrs and all of mine would have taken most of those limbs in 1 swing.
I was wondering about that.
I re-profiled mine to a higher grind and got **way** more performance than was shown in this video. I leave my camp axes behind now...no need for one. I get razor sharp feathers on wood.
Update.My Camillus Carnivore broke in half while batoning a piece of 3" + - piece of wood for the fire.Made in China.I received the SP8 in the mail today,and will be taking it with me on all my hikes and camping trips.The sheath being brand new is a bit stiff,the snaps hard to push on,but will loosen up with wear.Came sharp out of the box,that is sharp for a tool,not razor sharp like my TOPS B.O.B. knife.Even with the shock in the handle(of course depending on what your cutting/chopping)it's a small issue.Far better than the Camillus junk clone.These companies want to copycat the real McCoys like the SP8 or Kabar Tac Tool.I purchased mine on Amazon for only $45 including shipping.
... Which version of Carnivore did you have ??
Cameo Handle ?
Tan-brown Handle ?
The cameo handle version broke easily. Rattail tang, bad heat treatments, etc...
Plastic camo handle
Russell Suender ... ahh yeah the camo version was weak and badly designed. The Tan handle versions fixes the design flaw. I have the Xz, chops great, batons great. Notching saw on the back of the blade not too useful, but wicked sharp.
Brian Mccann yes I have the tan handle, just purchased the sp8 today but I love the carnivore
i have one of these and it is a fantastic tool - give it a good sharpening and grind off the teeth at the back - they will ruin the sheath - it chops better than an axe and opens doors better than a pry bar - its the perfect urban survival tool - i even use it as a shovel - its a great knife / axe / trenching tool - you dont do it justice - take longer swings and let the weight dig into the wood - this is not the tool to take short chops with - you can sharpen it like a razor - you see how you pried that wood apart - just one of the many things it dos well
cassanoa great for urban use for sure. thanks for the comment.
It will be AAAMAZING to see that blade vs. El Chete by Tops Knive
El chete hands down. I have a video on it as well.
I bought the Camillius CarnivoreXZ instead.
The new Carnivore series do not break like the older cameo handle ones did.. Great choppers too.
@Living Survival, great stuff. Would love to see another vid with the sharpened SP8. Now I have to get one:). Way safer than an axe. Double or triple the length of edge. More forgiving of your targeting. And much easier to control because the centre of percussion(sweet spot where it cuts best) is out near the end, but the centre of mass is nearer your hand for better control. With an axe of the same weight, you have less control once it gets swinging. I do go on. And yes, I did suscribe:).
j greystoke I will have to make another, thanks for watching and the comment!
Great Video!!! I love my SP8
painfull to watch dont quit your day job bro and dont get lost in the woods
I find this "tool" to be a necessary addition for all around duties at the camp site.Would be a bit too heavy for back packing.Presently I use the Camillus Carnivore,but the edge has chipped from heavy use(cutting branches,chopping,batoning)..Let's face it the Carnivore is not a good tool,Not well made like the SP8,or the Kabar BK3 Tac knife.The BK3 is a great knife,but I'd rather a machete that doesn't have a saw section on the blade like SP8.I'm ordering the SP8($50)fromAmazon.com.as I've finally made up my mind on choosing it based on it's affordability and design.
The flat grind starts too late -- too close to the bevel. This makes the blade relatively thick right behind bevel, and it gets thicker yet fast. As a result, these blades don't chop well as they tend to bounce back from the wood.
goat worship Agreed.
That should make it a decent splitter though. I think Ontario's main purpose for this is quite literally a "sharpened pry-bar". lol I don't think it is really intended to chop the best or do anything else the best. Its main purpose just seems to be not to break. This beast looks like it would do VERY well at that. lol If you want to cut and bash your way through a wall... ANY wall... this is probably the knife you'd want. ;) lol
***** Right on, like prying doors open.
Or batoning a hole through a cinder block wall with a lead pipe... lol
For an actual woodworking option with the same general shape, one might look to a Japanese nata. It won't be as heavy duty as an axe (or the SP8) and I most certainly wouldn't use it on frozen wood, but for someone in the south that rarely if ever sees snow it might be just the ticket. Down here it seems a large knife or knife-like cutter is a more versatile option, while up north an axe is almost required.
A great heir to the U.S. 1910 bolo, Spetznaz machete, etc.
Versatile tool and french fried pataters mmmmhmmm weapon
how is it against zombies?
Pretty cool tool
I didn't like it when I first got it but after playing around with it some more it is growing on me. Thanks for watching!
I have one of these and I like it, but I'd much rather spend a few extra calories carrying a real axe that can get the job done in a few strikes rather than wasting lots of calories around the campsite whacking away at stuff with these chopping knives. These are really poor performers for their weight. They need a much less convex grind to perform at all.
scdevon New grind makes all the difference but I agree with the factory edge not very good.
I saw a video recently of a guy having this on his belt and leg while he had his handgun above this blade with no interference. This blade wuld be a good piece of gear on a LBE setup
Agreed. It does come with a knee strap.
Nice "knife". If you sharpen it it will chop through anything instead of trying to bludgeon your way through. Lots of vids of guys whizzing through stuff with the SP8, but they have an edge put on first. Most chopper(heavy blades like goloks and parangs) and typical machete(light flexible blades) come with very obtuse edges from the factory. You've really got to sharpen them first to let them do their stuff.
Thanks for the tip, I have since done that and yes it didn't come very sharp ;)-
nice bro!
thanks ;)-
EXCELLENT machete!
454pakr i like it more and more.
5:30 ok. Everybody has his own standards. Nothing wrong with that. But according to my standards "not too bad" referred to the chopping I saw you doing is really bad really bad in my book. Ok if this was the only knife i had ... sure. But as a chopper to me, as a chopper it failed miserably.
And everyone and his grandson does the same tests. Why does nobody use the knife in an urban setting test? I don't have a channel and even more, where im from😂 One glance from the coppers at a knife like that in an urban setting 😂😂😂. I would get hit, shot, tasered, jailed and yelled at. And all that at the same time😅
But I so wanted to see this beast in an urban survival setting. Breaking open doors, windows, saving people (staged of course) from a car crash, building a city shelter, food prepping, fire making, fighting of bad guys (staged of course), fighting of a dog attack (staged of course) digging tranches .... that kind of stuff. But yeah... I know.
IT'S NOT A SAW. IT'S FOR MAKING NOTCHES AND ABSORBING THE VIBRATIONS FROM IMPACT/CHOPPING.
Is a Cuto machete
I agree, just had a fairly small area to work and was doing it almost from the other side of the tree as I am left handed and couldn't get around the other side. Was fun nonetheless, thanks for the comment ;)-
I truly appreciate the comments ;)-
The blade is quite thick
I think it's to compensate for its small size soy have more momentum
Also is it already sharp when you bug it or you sharpened it
*Rasp, not saw.
Firebrand1967 Right.
If I was going to carry around a knife that big i would want it to have a point on the front. If you think about it there really arent any doors to pry open in the woods. And if you pried a door at home your mom would get mad.
+haywood jeblome an urban tool but also multipurpose.
Living Survival What is the multipurpose part? The flat front has no use. If someone makes a video of that prying a door open then i will believe it.
John cool
The handle is kraton.
At 4:17. Looked like you were cutting through fat wood
At $50 i would put my money on an axe.
good for cleaning up firewood .too heavy to carry except in a vehicle. anal-retentive sheath, saw back a hazard.
replace it with a small hatchet and a folding saw.
Just a clumsy parang, get a parang!
I'd like to play with one, but honestly, am not tempted to buy one. It just seems like a HEAVY, poor version of other bladed tools. It's pretty expensive. It's too heavy and short to work like a proper machete of the same weight. The weight isn't balanced toward the business end to make it good chopper(I think). And that geometry is going to vibrate, and shock your wrist. It has no pointy tip or belly. I've swung similar tools. They're hard work. So it's a poor machete, and a poor axe, and a poor crowbar, and a poor one-knife solution/ bushcraft knife. And the serrated spine worsens its use for batoning. Just my keyboard opinion.
A good, long machete chops better, with less effort than people might think. Thick, heavy steel feels macho, but makes for hard, jarring work.
"not to bad" WTF, it looks like this choppa is about as good as a block of steel :S
This has to be the worst machete I've seen
That's the worst chopper i have ever seen!
The handle is kraton.
Yup, kraton is polymer.