in survival situations every energy you waste on a knife that does not work can mean life or death. having a good tool that will not jeopardize your energy is a plus in survival
What a great educational video. After watching this video I ordered a BK 9, 7 and 16. I'd never heard of them before, and wow, am I pleased with what I received. Never come across items that have been so impeccably made and felt so good in the hand. I have an eye for perfection and could not find any fault with all three knives. These are tools to keep for life for sure. Thank you.
I have read all the comments on here and I have to say that Chris you are a God among the knife collectors, I see a lot of people look up to you including myself for your reviews and honest opinions not to mention just the fact that you reply back when someone has a question. I have asked questions to a few others on youtube and have received no reply at least you take the time to help and to me thats everything to us viewers. Just a late night thought while working.
I own, and use a Fiskars x7 hatchet when I camp. It's going on almost four years, and is still going good. I'm going to be ordering in a Condor Parang soon.
I have been extremely impressed with my friskers 7 A reviewer called it a chainsaw,,,I agree. Just a well made hard use small carry hatchet that out performs many
I do a TON of chopping every year here in the pacific northwest, you reviewed one CRKT machete in this video, but not the best one IMO. Review the CRKT Mah-chete. I've been using it for around 5 years now. It holds it's edge extremely well, easy to sharpen. One of the benefits of having the belly of the chopper closer to the tang is how little it fatigues your hand/arm. I can sit and chop with this knife for hours, starting with heavy chopping, switching over to more controlled swings using the belly of the blade to reduce fatigue. Batoning with it is also fairly easy. The price is less than 100$ as well. The steel is 1075, which I actually prefer over 1095 in a blade like this that endures heavy use, as it's easier to resharpen IMO.
Ontario 18" military machete, still have my issued model it's over 34 years old. I love that machete though it's heavier than a traditional Latin type. I use it on saplings and fallen limbs off of our maple trees.
Been using. Kershaw Camp10 for years now. Love it, and no interest in wasting money to change. Does everything well, and a few things very well. Its awesome
Yes, you can chop and baton with the Tramontina machete. Definitely will transmit the chock, but it does the job. And when you are in a tropical forest, the main use will be clear the way. And a long blade, long as 20', will keep you safer from snake bites.
I know I'm old & Old School, and I do love knives of all kinds, but in my experience a really good hatchet that'll fit in your backpack or on your belt with a good sheath & at least a 9" handle, will do almost anything I need in the Wisconsin Woods with alot of hardwoods. But I do like the Becker BK9 as a SHTF bug out pack knife.
Wow. How far you have come in 7 years. The schf 37 was my first step into bushcraft survival knives. Still my most used knife after 7 years. My schf9 is my best batoning knife. Great geometry for splitting, indestructible tip, not great for cutting rope or meat without changing the secondary bevel to a shallow convex grind.
I agree with the shock on the SP-50, but I have had a great deal of experience with it - all excellent. I have found it to be an awesome chopper, splitter, and even make small shavings after a long day of beating on it. Tramontina looks interesting.
I know this is a decade old, but I enjoyed this. The best batoner I have EVER used is designed by YOU! My Schrade Froe after I triple wrapped the handle with Wilson wrap, and then used several layers of plasti-dip over that, stripped the coating, then duracoated the blade. I'm glad I bought a spare before they stopped making them, although I doubt I will ever be able to break mine. It's my FAVORITE tool! One type I did not see here in your review was a "Woodsman's Pal" type "billhook" machete. Now, obviously, the REAL Woodsman's Pal is awesome. However, it is NOT cheap! I would love to see you review some cheaper "knockoffs" of this type of chopper/machete and get your opinions. Thanks sailor, this Army veteran appreciates your work!
for me there is only one large knife pick, one that I have tested and has proven to be a superior chopper against all comers, and that knife is the TOPS Power Eagle 12. I also have an issue with your assessment of the flat grind, when testing many different knives with various grinds the flat grind proved to be the best for chopping. Any blade with a secondary bevel in it grind was hindered by that secondary bevel. Flat grinds may sacrifice some edge strength but gain a whole heap of chopping ability.
The whole reason knifes work is because of wedges. Physics prove that wedges are better at separating a material. While a flat grind is not as applicable to this advantage. You may find flat grind blades more suitable due to a condition called the placebo effect.
Chris, if you love huge knives that can be used as choppers, then check out Mtech's xtreme 'Raptor' bowie! 18 inches over all, with a 12" + tinted satin finished blade, jigged micarta handles with red liners! It is the largest in my collection; even larger than my Gil Hibben 'Crescent' bowie! This thing is a beauty and very comfortable in the hand! I would love to see you do a review on this one!
My husband came up against real dried palm branches. Even with a badass very sharp 18" Tramontina, this stuff was obstinate! When it's live, it can still give you a run for the money but dried? The Tramontina tore it up, but it was work for real. Our Tramontinas prove themselves daily.
Okay, as for the bad guys (common theme), don't bring a knife (machete) to a gunfight. They are almost certain to have firearms today and will blow you away while you're standing there going "yip yip" with your "chopper." As for small tree branches and similar, a hatchet or small axe is better. The machete is for clearing small brush. I use one to trim my neighbors' decorative bushes away from my backyard fence.
I have went to a large knife last year and i like it as it chops well for it's grind and 17 ounce weight .. Also last year i bought my first Kukri and i spend hours watching you guys demo this design , i bought the Ontario , ya it's a full flat grind and some wood it does stick in the wood...
What you're experiencing with the FFG knives is not enough of a shallow, low angle cutting surface grind with not enough "shoulder" (most all "FFG" knives we see have a secondary edge grind of some kind). The shoulder is what keeps felling and splitting tools like axes from getting stuck into the wood vs a carving grind with a thinner, more concave, fine cutting profile which is designed to remove controlled shavings of wood from a given surface. A true "shoulderless" FFG or too fine/severe a hollow-grind, unless it's thick enough, will not be a great splitter/chopper cause it'll be too fine a cutting instrument and will stick in the wood more instead of forcing the wood apart (not to mention how delicate it makes the cutting edge/blade if it's too thin/fine) and blowing out those chips with it's shallow beveled shoulders or even a convex shape in the case of axes. IMO the RTAK II is one of the best chopper's out there (a lot better then the BK9, which I LIKE, but because of some design omissions like a lack of choil and the thermo-plastic handles, I don't "love") in terms of a true "knife", and a very well rounded "big knife", but you can change that by putting too fine a carving grind on it (or any knife for that matter). The CS Recon Scout and Trailmaster do well with the FFG because of the wide stock they're made of giving them a big wedge shape vs a thinner knife (love some things about those knives and again, hate other bits, just like the BK9). Others like the Ontario SP52 (an amazing chopper to ME, and much better then the SP50 IMO) and the Schrade SCHF28 (that I believe you reviewed) with their pronounced re-curve help to get the cutting edge a nice "bite point" and also to present the cutting face to the surface with more force in the swing. Another often overlooked tool is the Gerber/Fiskars "Brush Hook tool" that is a monster shopper, very capable splitter/froe, and will take small trees down as well as any small Forrest axe. Plus it's very low-cost and only needs a handle wrap to really finish it off. I live in the PNW, I grew up working wood, I heat my house with wood primarily, and in general live in a timber rich environment... wood processing is just part of daily life for me, let alone in a wilderness situation, but it's also taught me a lot of things about tools and how they work on wood and most importantly what DOESN'T work. I'm also a confirmed "knife junkie" and not much of a believer in the "one knife" theory.... In fact I'm very much against "one tool" for anything. After decades of experience in both wilderness travel and EMS/Fire/Rescue/Wildland FFing, I've just come to accept that I'm better off with a few key tools then I am with one tool trying to be too many things and coming up short (which I know you;re also a proponent of).
I've recently opened up using cleavers for outdoor work. If you can get one which has a decent, full tang, then they are an incredible, underestimated, versatile chopping tool for their weight & size.
Thanks for a balanced review, and some ideas on big knives and choppers, and also belt knives. Now, I've used knives for many decades, and made quite a few. I once made a 12 1/2 (overall) knife I called my Bushwhacker, that I thought would be my "one knife" that would do it all, and I used it for 30 years, and still do. BUT ....... I found it was too small for doing chopping type tasks well, and too big for the smaller tasks that needed to be done. So I was left feeling that there had to be something better. I took your advice and narrowed down my search, and found out about Lynn Thompson, and the company Cold Steel. Clearly, he had done much of the thinking years ago! Also, he had come up with a two knife solution to all my problems and questions. The two knives he designed have been around for decades and still make Top knives lists on UA-cam and elsewhere with unfailing regularity. Now, I don't for one minute say that these two knives are "the best ever" or anything like that. I so say, they definitely answer the questions using my Bushwhacker had raised, and brought me some solutions I had not even anticipated! I refer of course to these: 1. The Cold Steel Trail Master San Mai III - This knife is a curious blend of fighting Bowie, chopper (a bit on the light side), and slicer, and with the ability to split wood like a champ (thanks to the full convex grind and 5/16inch blade). Yet it weighs in at just over one pound. Will it clear brush like a machete? Of course not. But it will clear it! Will it featherstick like a Scandi grind bushtool? Of course not. But it will make them ( a bit coarse perhaps). Can it split wood like an axe? Of course not. But you can baton very effectively with it! [Note: personally, I don't advocate batoning with a knife, especially large diameter logs, especially those with big knots. Those are blade breakers. But splitting smaller logs is OK in an emergency, like needing dry centre wood when it's very wet. ] The TM has an amazing balance in my fist and it just feels RIGHT, something my Bushwhacker did not. 2. The Cold Steel SRK (with the sabre grind) - This is the quintessential Survival Rescue Knife from way back, and it also still makes many Top ..... lists today. It has many of the attributes of the TM, and is in my opinion the perfect belt knife for me. It can handle all those smaller tasks which may be a bit awkward with the TM, and is not nearly as heavy on the hip. These two knives together, as a team, answer the questions that I raised, and in a way that I would put my trust in them, much as you do with your Becker BK9.
You should try the Ontario Knife Company SP-10 Raider Bowie. I have one and it's a great chopper and it is pretty good at doing the finer tasks. I would at least suggest not giving up on OKC.
I agree OKC is AWESOME they make/manufacture the MILITARY EQUIPMENT MACHETE, A VERY AWESOME AND TOUGH MACHETE I HAVE BEEN OWNING AND USING MINE FOR MANY YEARS!!
For approximately the same weight as a large chopper, a well made properly designed hatchet or small camp axe can provide more versatility for chopping splitting and hammering. If you carry a big chopper you are going to want a good smaller blade (or two) for more detailed and delicate work anyway, and you won't have a hammer when you need one. To me a hatchet / knife combo seems more practical long term. But I have a couple of big choppers just in case I lose my hatchet and need to "make do".
i think you are correct about the flat grind. if you think about it ... it makes sense ... what is the "traditional" chopper ? an axe / hatchet / tomahawk ... and the best ones are not flat ground.
What do you think of good quality folding saws for processing large pieces of wood instead of choppers? It just seems like you're always going to be using more energy swinging a big blade around than you would simply sliding a blade back and forth on the wood.
If you know you are going to be processing thicker pieces of wood, 100mm+, it's definitely worth your while to carry a saw. A chopper excels on anything up to about the thickness of your arm - you can sail through it in a few cuts letting gravity do a lot of the work as long as you are making relatively downward cuts. As wood gets thicker more effort is required so you're better off with a saw or an axe. I think the big advantage of a large chopping knife is how good a jack of all trades it is, meaning you can get away with carrying less. Machetes and axes and saws excel at specific tasks, but none are as versatile as a chopper.
I bought hunting knife from the closest weapon shop for 9$ (18 bg leva) and i can say that im surprised, the blade is thick (4mm) 30 centimeters big and the steel quality is very good, i chopped down small tree, after that i split lot of wood logs with it and it was still sharp, when i battened with my cheap shit axe on it it had no sign that it was hit by another steel, however my cheap shit hatched has small lines from the impact with the knife's back. the knife itself has fixed blade with 2 piece of wood on the sides and its not the most comfortable, but for 9$ this was the best thing i could find, its perfect for camping! awesome video, cheers :P
Thank you for this. Appreciate your objective review. Polite suggestion: perhaps edit in the names of the various products, or have them written down on a piece of cardboard. Otherwise it's so difficult for the viewer to note the name and manufacture of the product if they cannot quite hear you. As far as choppers, more for splitting/batoning are - the Silky Nata (9 1/2 blade, double bevel) and the Shrade Froe. The Nata is more for when I have my vehicle. The Froe for backpacking. Combined with the innocuous Mora companion for finer cutting. Plus the Leatherman Surge and appropriate Silky saws
PREPAREDMIND101 I like taking toose injection molded handles off and replacing them with a riveted wood handle,stabilized wood sometimes with a leather wrap or something like that.
I bought a Becker crewman Becker combat Bowie and the little Becker Mora and the Ontario machete with the saw back those the only knives I ever bought one time instead of buying something cheaper and then upgrading
I can appreciate someone who has the experience and knows from that,what the hell they are talking about,good vid.Been looking into a nice machete/chopper for camping purposes,thanks.
Just for your information and your viewers or fans Texas laws have changed and now you CAN legally carry larger knives. There is however still restrictions on where you can carry those larger knives such as bars. PS thank you for your review great job.
My personal preference is the Condor Bushcraft Parang. I kind of blame Ray Mears for this just a little bit. I also researched, and reviewed many videos on it before I got my first one. It's still my go to chopper. As of until recently I got interested into the Bark River Machete.
Thanks Chris I really enjoy your all your videos and your honest evaluations on all the cool stuff :-). I have gotten several of your things that you recommend like the work sharp field sharpener it was really good and works really well. Gets my blades really sharp considering I do not have a work sharp power sharpner. I also have gotten the SCHF 9 knife. I also brought a set of diamond sharpener hone & stone 150, 250, 4080, 600 & 1200 grit. I use the 1200 grit stone after I use the ceramic stone on the work sharp hand sharpener. Gets it nice and sharp.
Great vid as usual, and I especially liked(besides the knives) that you, unlike a few other people that review items, suggested to Google whatever it is you're lookin' at, read reviews on Amazon, and learn all you can. Lots of us live on a tight budget, at least I do, and I can't afford to make a big mistake just because so and so said it was the greatest thing ever. Money's easy to spend, but not so easy to get back, so thanks for reminding people to research first. I've picked out a couple things I thought would work for me personally, but after reading what other people said about it, and doin' a little bit more reading up on it, I completely changed my mind and went for something else that I'm totally happy with. Regardless of what it is, you can NEVER learn too much about it. I'm sure you're probably moved into the new house already, so I hope you and the family enjoy it, and keep on keepin' on brother! Oh btw....if you ever get tired of luggin' all that steel around, I'm always lookin' for a new toy or four. haha Santa always seems to pass my house on Christmas Eve and leave nothing, even when I've been reasonably good! lol Take care o' Becky, 'cause if you two break up, send her my way. I like a lady who can handle it a little rough sometimes LOL Take care
Fiskers axe? I wouldn't rely on it. If it breaks in the woods it's over. At least with a regular axe especially the trail hawk. You can make a handle for it
I like the ChanceinHell. Looks like it may be the next one on the least like maybe this Tuesday. Chris, you and my husband have the same tastes in knives.
i totally understand him. if you spin fast enough the blade makes "weeee" and "swoosh" sounds. thats how you talk with your blades if you got nothing to smash it in an make "thwack"
+fiddlor If you want to listen at sexy blade singing and look cool you start train Iaido and cut with a japanese sword with Bo-Hi (grooves) on the blade. Man right blade angel it even whistle.
Check out the marbles machete on sale for 12.99 at smkw. Im pretty sure its a tramintina sold by marbles, it is made in el salvador. Also it has a white and black tiger stripe coating on the blade and since its carbon steel great for protection. Its not full size although they do have the full size for 14.99 with the orange blade. Handle is very grippy paracord wrap. Sheath is durabe as hell.
I picked an aranyik tai coconut machete and tai sickle which I find to be perfect for chopping they are extra thick machetes 5160 spring steel and can be bought for less than 40 bucks
Did you ever try the Ontario SP51? The saber grind on that 1/4" 5160 makes it an excellent hard use chopper. I will always stay away from full flat grind knives especially in survival blades. Full flat grind is for slicing. I also have the Becker BK9 and I think the SP51 beats it. I also picked up a Ontario RD Tanto and that thing is just a saber ground prybar.
Hi Chris. Looking forward to your knife design. I am dabbling in that as well so i have a general idea how much work that is. Especially interested in your reasoning for steel selection and heat treat process.
My brother bought a Fiskars X7 and a guy who was doin some work with him hit a rock while trying to cut some roots .... Chipped the corner off so. watch for rocks and stuff
I live in Texas and made the mistake of attempting to chop down a small cedar bush and bent the blade to the side. I need a blade that can chop through incredibly tough wood (oak) and incredibly flexible and tough wood (cedar)
I really wish Mora would come out with a good affordable chopper. Like how they have mad the very affordable companion into one of the most highly recommended basic bushcraft knives
Yo! Can you now do a chopping test on just parangs? I am in the market for one and I cannot think of a better channel to test a chopper than you. Thanks in advance! I believe the condor bushcraft parang is one of the best. Do you agree?
The point about swinging with a heavy machete being tiring is very true. I do battle with blackberry infestations every year, and have yet to find the perfect tool to deal with them. But a thinner blade tends to be more useful in many ways. Proper carbon steel should still be plenty strong, even in a thin blade. I guess some people need a thicker blade just in case. I've done a bit of research and it seems like people who take big knives or machetes into the wild in a survivalist fashion tend to optimize based on weight. A Condor Dischord or Condor Panga would probably be left behind because it's too heavy. junglecrafty prefers a small, sharp parang knife when he goes into the jungle. The point he made is that it's not necessary to cut EVERY branch or chop every long grass. As long as it isn't thorny or dangerous, a lot of brush can be moved around, under, over or straight through. The choice of axe vs big knife, I dunno. A lot of wilderness people really prefer their hatchets. I have to assume they know something I don't. A plumb hatchet also doesn't look like an evil weapon (black paint on a large knife is extra-evil) for the purposes of legislation.
Problem with the Fiskars Hatchet is the plastic/fiberglass around the head will wear thin after repeated slices through wood and eventually break away from the head. Ive seen it myself,but it did take 2 years-ish of wear to do it with almost daily use. 30-40 camping adventures a year. Wouldnt be a big deal if you could craft a replacement handle while in the wood.
I personally have a ghurka kukri, and that does the job, the traditional shealt and style also includes a small knife and a sharpening tool, i was dissappointed not to see a kukri in this
have you done a review on bush axes? a knife of sorts on a long handle... i feel the bush axe is a tool that many forget about. i also feel it needs a break down handle or collapsible handle like a telescoping baton. making for ease of carry. the bush axe is made for everything your talking about. well maybe not batonning wood. who knows it may be a tool for that too if the handle collapsed or broke down to a smaller size....
I used to have one but I gave mine to Dave Canterbury last time I was there because they were doing a lot of clearing the new school out. It's a good tool.
yes it is. i was wondering if you had done a multi-angle review of it's uses. chopping, batoning if you can with it. all the things that you would use a machete/big knife for. i knew the one my grand mother had was double edged. but that can be remedied easy enough.
Cutting devices in central and south America are not only use for the purpose of cutting and chopping wood trees and brushes but also to hunt and chop fish reptiles and wild animals to treat further for consumption. in that case chopping meat prefer flat edges and crushing bones prefer a little more angled edges. Any how your You tube video was amazing !
"Get to de choppa!" - - sorry, couldn't help myself. Sooch also had a few good things to say about the "ChanceInHell" (sp?). I'll pick up one of those because you both seem to agree on it. But MAN! You sure make a great case for the Becker BK-9, guess it's time to go shopping, thanks for the word Sir!
Chris, Lets do a comparison with the Condor Moonstalker, Kabar BK9, Esee Junglas and the SCHF52M. I want to make the purchase but I want to get some more data first. Keep up the cool knife videos! Thanks ⚡️😎⚡️
I hate the SP handles. RTAK not comfortable. I think the saber grind of the 9 chops better than the FFG of the Junglas. 9 has the best balance too. It's a near perfect large knife.
dude if you want the most powerful and capabe one go with the sp53 it is far superior then all the other ones when it comes to chopping and splitting but it is heavy
PREPAREDMIND101 uhm, a Junglas does not have a ffg. Did you actually use it to chop with? Because I have, and it chops better than my BK9. My San Mai III Trailmaster also chops better than my BK9.
Hello. Have you ever tried any of the ARANYIKA knives & Machetes. You can find them on EBAY & many go for under $50. They are a POWERHOUSE handmade line of knives. Thank You for Your Time.
7 years later and this is still very useful! Thanks!
in survival situations every energy you waste on a knife that does not work can mean life or death. having a good tool that will not jeopardize your energy is a plus in survival
What a great educational video. After watching this video I ordered a BK 9, 7 and 16. I'd never heard of them before, and wow, am I pleased with what I received. Never come across items that have been so impeccably made and felt so good in the hand. I have an eye for perfection and could not find any fault with all three knives. These are tools to keep for life for sure. Thank you.
I have read all the comments on here and I have to say that Chris you are a God among the knife collectors, I see a lot of people look up to you including myself for your reviews and honest opinions not to mention just the fact that you reply back when someone has a question. I have asked questions to a few others on youtube and have received no reply at least you take the time to help and to me thats everything to us viewers. Just a late night thought while working.
I own, and use a Fiskars x7 hatchet when I camp. It's going on almost four years, and is still going good. I'm going to be ordering in a Condor Parang soon.
Maybe it's because I typically use hand forged tomahawks and hand axes, but I also have a Fiskars x7 and it's a pure piece of crap. Utterly worthless.
u should do another vid like this! I can't tell u how many times I've watched this
17:50 "Say you're not into the large knife thing..." I fully expected to hear Chris say:
"...well, get the hell off of my channel." 😂
I have been extremely impressed with my friskers 7
A reviewer called it a chainsaw,,,I agree. Just a well made hard use small carry hatchet that out performs many
I do a TON of chopping every year here in the pacific northwest, you reviewed one CRKT machete in this video, but not the best one IMO. Review the CRKT Mah-chete. I've been using it for around 5 years now. It holds it's edge extremely well, easy to sharpen. One of the benefits of having the belly of the chopper closer to the tang is how little it fatigues your hand/arm. I can sit and chop with this knife for hours, starting with heavy chopping, switching over to more controlled swings using the belly of the blade to reduce fatigue. Batoning with it is also fairly easy. The price is less than 100$ as well. The steel is 1075, which I actually prefer over 1095 in a blade like this that endures heavy use, as it's easier to resharpen IMO.
Chris knows his stuff very knowledgable, thanks for your time Chris
Ontario 18" military machete, still have my issued model it's over 34 years old. I love that machete though it's heavier than a traditional Latin type. I use it on saplings and fallen limbs off of our maple trees.
Been using. Kershaw Camp10 for years now.
Love it, and no interest in wasting money to change. Does everything well, and a few things very well.
Its awesome
so why you waste your time watching his video ?
Yes, you can chop and baton with the Tramontina machete. Definitely will transmit the chock, but it does the job. And when you are in a tropical forest, the main use will be clear the way. And a long blade, long as 20', will keep you safer from snake bites.
I know I'm old & Old School, and I do love knives of all kinds, but in my experience a really good hatchet that'll fit in your backpack or on your belt with a good sheath & at least a 9" handle, will do almost anything I need in the Wisconsin Woods with alot of hardwoods. But I do like the Becker BK9 as a SHTF bug out pack knife.
Wow. How far you have come in 7 years. The schf 37 was my first step into bushcraft survival knives. Still my most used knife after 7 years. My schf9 is my best batoning knife. Great geometry for splitting, indestructible tip, not great for cutting rope or meat without changing the secondary bevel to a shallow convex grind.
My go-to is my Buck 108 Compadre Froe for batoning and chopping. It’s just too awesome.
I agree with the shock on the SP-50, but I have had a great deal of experience with it - all excellent. I have found it to be an awesome chopper, splitter, and even make small shavings after a long day of beating on it. Tramontina looks interesting.
I know this is a decade old, but I enjoyed this. The best batoner I have EVER used is designed by YOU! My Schrade Froe after I triple wrapped the handle with Wilson wrap, and then used several layers of plasti-dip over that, stripped the coating, then duracoated the blade. I'm glad I bought a spare before they stopped making them, although I doubt I will ever be able to break mine. It's my FAVORITE tool! One type I did not see here in your review was a "Woodsman's Pal" type "billhook" machete. Now, obviously, the REAL Woodsman's Pal is awesome. However, it is NOT cheap! I would love to see you review some cheaper "knockoffs" of this type of chopper/machete and get your opinions. Thanks sailor, this Army veteran appreciates your work!
Excelent video. Machete is the king here in Brazil. Congratulations. Flavio
for me there is only one large knife pick, one that I have tested and has proven to be a superior chopper against all comers, and that knife is the TOPS Power Eagle 12.
I also have an issue with your assessment of the flat grind, when testing many different knives with various grinds the flat grind proved to be the best for chopping. Any blade with a secondary bevel in it grind was hindered by that secondary bevel. Flat grinds may sacrifice some edge strength but gain a whole heap of chopping ability.
The whole reason knifes work is because of wedges. Physics prove that wedges are better at separating a material.
While a flat grind is not as applicable to this advantage. You may find flat grind blades more suitable due to a condition called the placebo effect.
that's the kind of vid why I subscribed! You tried em all out and tell us your clear and true opinion. Stay like that. Quality always pays out!
Chris, if you love huge knives that can be used as choppers, then check out Mtech's xtreme 'Raptor' bowie! 18 inches over all, with a 12" + tinted satin finished blade, jigged micarta handles with red liners! It is the largest in my collection; even larger than my Gil Hibben 'Crescent' bowie! This thing is a beauty and very comfortable in the hand! I would love to see you do a review on this one!
Leonard Szubinski man.. Idk about mtech. I've heard so many mixed reviews. i just bought a knife from them, we'll see how it is lol.
I recently picked up a condor Hudson bay and it a real soldier handle a little small but cuts real and choos real well.
My husband came up against real dried palm branches. Even with a badass very sharp 18" Tramontina, this stuff was obstinate! When it's live, it can still give you a run for the money but dried? The Tramontina tore it up, but it was work for real. Our Tramontinas prove themselves daily.
Okay, as for the bad guys (common theme), don't bring a knife (machete) to a gunfight. They are almost certain to have firearms today and will blow you away while you're standing there going "yip yip" with your "chopper." As for small tree branches and similar, a hatchet or small axe is better. The machete is for clearing small brush. I use one to trim my neighbors' decorative bushes away from my backyard fence.
I have went to a large knife last year and i like it as it chops well for it's grind and 17 ounce weight .. Also last year i bought my first Kukri and i spend hours watching you guys demo this design , i bought the Ontario , ya it's a full flat grind and some wood it does stick in the wood...
What you're experiencing with the FFG knives is not enough of a shallow, low angle cutting surface grind with not enough "shoulder" (most all "FFG" knives we see have a secondary edge grind of some kind). The shoulder is what keeps felling and splitting tools like axes from getting stuck into the wood vs a carving grind with a thinner, more concave, fine cutting profile which is designed to remove controlled shavings of wood from a given surface. A true "shoulderless" FFG or too fine/severe a hollow-grind, unless it's thick enough, will not be a great splitter/chopper cause it'll be too fine a cutting instrument and will stick in the wood more instead of forcing the wood apart (not to mention how delicate it makes the cutting edge/blade if it's too thin/fine) and blowing out those chips with it's shallow beveled shoulders or even a convex shape in the case of axes.
IMO the RTAK II is one of the best chopper's out there (a lot better then the BK9, which I LIKE, but because of some design omissions like a lack of choil and the thermo-plastic handles, I don't "love") in terms of a true "knife", and a very well rounded "big knife", but you can change that by putting too fine a carving grind on it (or any knife for that matter). The CS Recon Scout and Trailmaster do well with the FFG because of the wide stock they're made of giving them a big wedge shape vs a thinner knife (love some things about those knives and again, hate other bits, just like the BK9). Others like the Ontario SP52 (an amazing chopper to ME, and much better then the SP50 IMO) and the Schrade SCHF28 (that I believe you reviewed) with their pronounced re-curve help to get the cutting edge a nice "bite point" and also to present the cutting face to the surface with more force in the swing. Another often overlooked tool is the Gerber/Fiskars "Brush Hook tool" that is a monster shopper, very capable splitter/froe, and will take small trees down as well as any small Forrest axe. Plus it's very low-cost and only needs a handle wrap to really finish it off.
I live in the PNW, I grew up working wood, I heat my house with wood primarily, and in general live in a timber rich environment... wood processing is just part of daily life for me, let alone in a wilderness situation, but it's also taught me a lot of things about tools and how they work on wood and most importantly what DOESN'T work. I'm also a confirmed "knife junkie" and not much of a believer in the "one knife" theory.... In fact I'm very much against "one tool" for anything. After decades of experience in both wilderness travel and EMS/Fire/Rescue/Wildland FFing, I've just come to accept that I'm better off with a few key tools then I am with one tool trying to be too many things and coming up short (which I know you;re also a proponent of).
Nor Wester put
Yup I love my BK-9. So solid and versatile.
I've recently opened up using cleavers for outdoor work. If you can get one which has a decent, full tang, then they are an incredible, underestimated, versatile chopping tool for their weight & size.
I got a BK9 for my brother-in-law for christmas because positive reviews on it and he absolutely loves it.
Thanks for a balanced review, and some ideas on big knives and choppers, and also belt knives.
Now, I've used knives for many decades, and made quite a few. I once made a 12 1/2 (overall) knife I called my Bushwhacker, that I thought would be my "one knife" that would do it all, and I used it for 30 years, and still do.
BUT ....... I found it was too small for doing chopping type tasks well, and too big for the smaller tasks that needed to be done. So I was left feeling that there had to be something better. I took your advice and narrowed down my search, and found out about Lynn Thompson, and the company Cold Steel. Clearly, he had done much of the thinking years ago! Also, he had come up with a two knife solution to all my problems and questions. The two knives he designed have been around for decades and still make Top knives lists on UA-cam and elsewhere with unfailing regularity.
Now, I don't for one minute say that these two knives are "the best ever" or anything like that.
I so say, they definitely answer the questions using my Bushwhacker had raised, and brought me some solutions I had not even anticipated!
I refer of course to these:
1. The Cold Steel Trail Master San Mai III - This knife is a curious blend of fighting Bowie, chopper (a bit on the light side), and slicer, and with the ability to split wood like a champ (thanks to the full convex grind and 5/16inch blade). Yet it weighs in at just over one pound. Will it clear brush like a machete? Of course not. But it will clear it! Will it featherstick like a Scandi grind bushtool? Of course not. But it will make them ( a bit coarse perhaps). Can it split wood like an axe? Of course not. But you can baton very effectively with it! [Note: personally, I don't advocate batoning with a knife, especially large diameter logs, especially those with big knots. Those are blade breakers. But splitting smaller logs is OK in an emergency, like needing dry centre wood when it's very wet. ]
The TM has an amazing balance in my fist and it just feels RIGHT, something my Bushwhacker did not.
2. The Cold Steel SRK (with the sabre grind) - This is the quintessential Survival Rescue Knife from way back, and it also still makes many Top ..... lists today. It has many of the attributes of the TM, and is in my opinion the perfect belt knife for me. It can handle all those smaller tasks which may be a bit awkward with the TM, and is not nearly as heavy on the hip.
These two knives together, as a team, answer the questions that I raised, and in a way that I would put my trust in them, much as you do with your Becker BK9.
Nice videos. It would be great if you can add the names of the articles or links. It is sometimes difficult to understand the models.
You should try the Ontario Knife Company SP-10 Raider Bowie. I have one and it's a great chopper and it is pretty good at doing the finer tasks. I would at least suggest not giving up on OKC.
I agree OKC is AWESOME they make/manufacture the MILITARY EQUIPMENT MACHETE, A VERY AWESOME AND TOUGH MACHETE I HAVE BEEN OWNING AND USING MINE FOR MANY YEARS!!
For approximately the same weight as a large chopper, a well made properly designed hatchet or small camp axe can provide more versatility for chopping splitting and hammering. If you carry a big chopper you are going to want a good smaller blade (or two) for more detailed and delicate work anyway, and you won't have a hammer when you need one. To me a hatchet / knife combo seems more practical long term. But I have a couple of big choppers just in case I lose my hatchet and need to "make do".
i think you are correct about the flat grind.
if you think about it ... it makes sense ... what is the "traditional" chopper ?
an axe / hatchet / tomahawk ... and the best ones are not flat ground.
What do you think of good quality folding saws for processing large pieces of wood instead of choppers? It just seems like you're always going to be using more energy swinging a big blade around than you would simply sliding a blade back and forth on the wood.
If you know you are going to be processing thicker pieces of wood, 100mm+, it's definitely worth your while to carry a saw.
A chopper excels on anything up to about the thickness of your arm - you can sail through it in a few cuts letting gravity do a lot of the work as long as you are making relatively downward cuts. As wood gets thicker more effort is required so you're better off with a saw or an axe.
I think the big advantage of a large chopping knife is how good a jack of all trades it is, meaning you can get away with carrying less. Machetes and axes and saws excel at specific tasks, but none are as versatile as a chopper.
+ShadeSlayer1911 a saw is limited to wood processing only you won't be able to do carving. If you use proper technique you won't get to winded
The cold steel dadao machete, and the condor viking machete, and the thai aranyik e-toh and or aranyik extended cane machete. All powerful choppers
I bought hunting knife from the closest weapon shop for 9$ (18 bg leva) and i can say that im surprised, the blade is thick (4mm) 30 centimeters big and the steel quality is very good, i chopped down small tree, after that i split lot of wood logs with it and it was still sharp, when i battened with my cheap shit axe on it it had no sign that it was hit by another steel, however my cheap shit hatched has small lines from the impact with the knife's back. the knife itself has fixed blade with 2 piece of wood on the sides and its not the most comfortable, but for 9$ this was the best thing i could find, its perfect for camping! awesome video, cheers :P
Thank you for this. Appreciate your objective review.
Polite suggestion: perhaps edit in the names of the various products, or have them written down on a piece of cardboard. Otherwise it's so difficult for the viewer to note the name and manufacture of the product if they cannot quite hear you.
As far as choppers, more for splitting/batoning are - the Silky Nata (9 1/2 blade, double bevel) and the Shrade Froe.
The Nata is more for when I have my vehicle. The Froe for backpacking.
Combined with the innocuous Mora companion for finer cutting. Plus the Leatherman Surge and appropriate Silky saws
PREPAREDMIND101 I like taking toose injection molded handles off and replacing them with a riveted wood handle,stabilized wood sometimes with a leather wrap or something like that.
In Texas if it is 5 1/2 in you can conceal it anything over five and a half inch blade has to be in the open
Chris, would you consider an Ontario "12 inch machete" Spring steel, batons well, holds a good edge. Full hand guard, protects the hand well, too.
Thank you for your input. As you stated personal preference and experience is the best teacher.
I bought a Becker crewman Becker combat Bowie and the little Becker Mora and the Ontario machete with the saw back those the only knives I ever bought one time instead of buying something cheaper and then upgrading
I can appreciate someone who has the experience and knows from that,what the hell they are talking about,good vid.Been looking into a nice machete/chopper for camping purposes,thanks.
If you really are all that into chopping wood and prepare firewood, nothing beats a small axe like a Gransfors Bruks small axe.
Just for your information and your viewers or fans Texas laws have changed and now you CAN legally carry larger knives. There is however still restrictions on where you can carry those larger knives such as bars.
PS thank you for your review great job.
I love your stuff, man. this is what I'm in to, and it helped me make a huge decision. thanks man! I subscribed.
My personal preference is the Condor Bushcraft Parang. I kind of blame Ray Mears for this just a little bit. I also researched, and reviewed many videos on it before I got my first one. It's still my go to chopper. As of until recently I got interested into the Bark River Machete.
Could not find any I like , so I am building myself one out of s35vn 1/4 25" :)
That should just about do it!
You are absolutely right. The BK9 is suitable for everything.
Thanks Chris I really enjoy your all your videos and your honest evaluations on all the cool stuff :-). I have gotten several of your things that you recommend like the work sharp field sharpener it was really good and works really well. Gets my blades really sharp considering I do not have a work sharp power sharpner. I also have gotten the SCHF 9 knife. I also brought a set of diamond sharpener hone & stone 150, 250, 4080, 600 & 1200 grit. I use the 1200 grit stone after I use the ceramic stone on the work sharp hand sharpener. Gets it nice and sharp.
Great vid as usual, and I especially liked(besides the knives) that you, unlike a few other people that review items, suggested to Google whatever it is you're lookin' at, read reviews on Amazon, and learn all you can. Lots of us live on a tight budget, at least I do, and I can't afford to make a big mistake just because so and so said it was the greatest thing ever. Money's easy to spend, but not so easy to get back, so thanks for reminding people to research first. I've picked out a couple things I thought would work for me personally, but after reading what other people said about it, and doin' a little bit more reading up on it, I completely changed my mind and went for something else that I'm totally happy with. Regardless of what it is, you can NEVER learn too much about it.
I'm sure you're probably moved into the new house already, so I hope you and the family enjoy it, and keep on keepin' on brother! Oh btw....if you ever get tired of luggin' all that steel around, I'm always lookin' for a new toy or four. haha Santa always seems to pass my house on Christmas Eve and leave nothing, even when I've been reasonably good! lol Take care o' Becky, 'cause if you two break up, send her my way. I like a lady who can handle it a little rough sometimes LOL Take care
Fiskers axe? I wouldn't rely on it. If it breaks in the woods it's over. At least with a regular axe especially the trail hawk. You can make a handle for it
Thanks for commenting and reminding me of this video. With multiple new items in this catagory (including Jessica-X) I need to do this one over.
+PREPAREDMIND101 Your 'however, comma' [25:19] was a feature of this video.
Nice to see some of the handle inspirations for your Jessica-X.
+PREPAREDMIND101 did you forget again?
I like the ChanceinHell. Looks like it may be the next one on the least like maybe this Tuesday. Chris, you and my husband have the same tastes in knives.
Man, he's proud of those little spins he can do with his knives aint he.
Hellz yeah! It makes me look kewl! RMEs
Lol was a good review
i totally understand him. if you spin fast enough the blade makes "weeee" and "swoosh" sounds. thats how you talk with your blades if you got nothing to smash it in an make "thwack"
+fiddlor If you want to listen at sexy blade singing and look cool you start train Iaido and cut with a japanese sword with Bo-Hi (grooves) on the blade. Man right blade angel it even whistle.
He thinks it makes him look like he knows how to knife fight. It's douchey but hey, give the guy a break.
I miss when Chris did his videos like this. They aren't the same to me anymore.
Check out the marbles machete on sale for 12.99 at smkw. Im pretty sure its a tramintina sold by marbles, it is made in el salvador. Also it has a white and black tiger stripe coating on the blade and since its carbon steel great for protection. Its not full size although they do have the full size for 14.99 with the orange blade. Handle is very grippy paracord wrap. Sheath is durabe as hell.
Great show Sir. Please hold the item up front steadily while explaining it's merits until done..expecting more from you...
Try a Nepali Khukuri.. It's the real bad ass for chopping.
True
I picked an aranyik tai coconut machete and tai sickle which I find to be perfect for chopping they are extra thick machetes 5160 spring steel and can be bought for less than 40 bucks
Did you ever try the Ontario SP51? The saber grind on that 1/4" 5160 makes it an excellent hard use chopper. I will always stay away from full flat grind knives especially in survival blades. Full flat grind is for slicing. I also have the Becker BK9 and I think the SP51 beats it. I also picked up a Ontario RD Tanto and that thing is just a saber ground prybar.
Hi Chris.
Looking forward to your knife design. I am dabbling in that as well so i have a general idea how much work that is. Especially interested in your reasoning for steel selection and heat treat process.
I love your UA-cam channel!
You are very practical when it comes to knives and choppers!
My brother bought a Fiskars X7 and a guy who was doin some work with him hit a rock while trying to cut some roots .... Chipped the corner off so. watch for rocks and stuff
I live in Texas and made the mistake of attempting to chop down a small cedar bush and bent the blade to the side. I need a blade that can chop through incredibly tough wood (oak) and incredibly flexible and tough wood (cedar)
i have the chanceinhell, and i dont get why they dont use that handle material for everything! lol, its really so good.
Sp53 All the way man, things a monster.
I got a schrade axe that you reviewed and it is awesome!!! Bugout bag coming together real nice because of Chris!!!
I really wish Mora would come out with a good affordable chopper. Like how they have mad the very affordable companion into one of the most highly recommended basic bushcraft knives
Yo! Can you now do a chopping test on just parangs? I am in the market for one and I cannot think of a better channel to test a chopper than you. Thanks in advance! I believe the condor bushcraft parang is one of the best. Do you agree?
Hey there, you should make a video on the different grinds on knives
i seriously recommend tomahawks. itll do anything you need to do. maybe not super great for batoning but it will more than shine in most other areas
I agree - Lovely chopper to have! Great review!
This is one of the best videos I have seen with such a variety of machetes.. thanks...
The point about swinging with a heavy machete being tiring is very true. I do battle with blackberry infestations every year, and have yet to find the perfect tool to deal with them. But a thinner blade tends to be more useful in many ways. Proper carbon steel should still be plenty strong, even in a thin blade. I guess some people need a thicker blade just in case.
I've done a bit of research and it seems like people who take big knives or machetes into the wild in a survivalist fashion tend to optimize based on weight. A Condor Dischord or Condor Panga would probably be left behind because it's too heavy. junglecrafty prefers a small, sharp parang knife when he goes into the jungle. The point he made is that it's not necessary to cut EVERY branch or chop every long grass. As long as it isn't thorny or dangerous, a lot of brush can be moved around, under, over or straight through.
The choice of axe vs big knife, I dunno. A lot of wilderness people really prefer their hatchets. I have to assume they know something I don't. A plumb hatchet also doesn't look like an evil weapon (black paint on a large knife is extra-evil) for the purposes of legislation.
Chris you forget about Esee junglas and GSO 10 great choppers and bushcrafters both
Problem with the Fiskars Hatchet is the plastic/fiberglass around the head will wear thin after repeated slices through wood and eventually break away from the head. Ive seen it myself,but it did take 2 years-ish of wear to do it with almost daily use. 30-40 camping adventures a year. Wouldnt be a big deal if you could craft a replacement handle while in the wood.
Must be nice to be retired. lol
Great video! Do you prefer the CRKT Chanceinhell or the Schrade bolo for brush clearing, "family" camping, etc? Keep up the great work.
Chanceinhell
Good review on the Tramontina. It does everything you said and more. Can you please review the Gerber Gator Golok?
I personally have a ghurka kukri, and that does the job, the traditional shealt and style also includes a small knife and a sharpening tool, i was dissappointed not to see a kukri in this
I got the EKA MachBlade W1 and it is just awesome!
Great video mate! Greetings from Greece. The becker looks fantastic indeed. I will get one as soon the freakin capital controls run over.
Great video.. Great production as well.. Good audio and no wind 💨 + good content. A+ Thank you!
I'm gonna get a couple trail Hawks. I liked the vid u did on rifle mans trail hawk and extending the handle. The war hawk. Great video
have you done a review on bush axes? a knife of sorts on a long handle... i feel the bush axe is a tool that many forget about. i also feel it needs a break down handle or collapsible handle like a telescoping baton. making for ease of carry. the bush axe is made for everything your talking about. well maybe not batonning wood. who knows it may be a tool for that too if the handle collapsed or broke down to a smaller size....
I used to have one but I gave mine to Dave Canterbury last time I was there because they were doing a lot of clearing the new school out. It's a good tool.
yes it is. i was wondering if you had done a multi-angle review of it's uses. chopping, batoning if you can with it. all the things that you would use a machete/big knife for. i knew the one my grand mother had was double edged. but that can be remedied easy enough.
Cutting devices in central and south America are not only use for the purpose of cutting and chopping wood trees and brushes but also to hunt and chop fish reptiles and wild animals to treat further for consumption. in that case chopping meat prefer flat edges and crushing bones prefer a little more angled edges. Any how your You tube video was amazing !
Great video. You produce some great reviews. Every knife has a purpose and variety is important in the field.
"Get to de choppa!" - - sorry, couldn't help myself. Sooch also had a few good things to say about the "ChanceInHell" (sp?). I'll pick up one of those because you both seem to agree on it. But MAN! You sure make a great case for the Becker BK-9, guess it's time to go shopping, thanks for the word Sir!
These type vids are the reason why I subbed. Something I can listen to while I work and still get the gist of. Also, have you lost weight recently?
Chris, Lets do a comparison with the Condor Moonstalker, Kabar BK9, Esee Junglas and the SCHF52M. I want to make the purchase but I want to get some more data first. Keep up the cool knife videos! Thanks ⚡️😎⚡️
Get the johnson adventure potbelly knife, think you'll like it
This is one of the best teaching vidio I have ever seen.
Dame good job.
if its about chopping I would recommend you japanese machetes. The design is perfect. It maximises chopping power /weight.
I still can't decide between the BK7, BK9, Junglas, SP51, SP53, or RTAK II.
PM101 is correct on the BK9 it chops and chops, great edge, I have been trying Kukri blades to out match it and I have not found one yet.
I hate the SP handles. RTAK not comfortable. I think the saber grind of the 9 chops better than the FFG of the Junglas. 9 has the best balance too. It's a near perfect large knife.
dude if you want the most powerful and capabe one go with the sp53
it is far superior then all the other ones when it comes to chopping and splitting but it is heavy
PREPAREDMIND101 uhm, a Junglas does not have a ffg. Did you actually use it to chop with? Because I have, and it chops better than my BK9. My San Mai III Trailmaster also chops better than my BK9.
Get an Aranyik E-Nep K1. X3
Hello. Have you ever tried any of the ARANYIKA knives & Machetes. You can find them on EBAY & many go for under $50. They are a POWERHOUSE handmade line of knives. Thank You for Your Time.
great review but wish you had shown the sheaths for each..thanx
you should do a video on the tactical katana machete it actually looks like a katana
need some handy chopper, dont know wich one coldsteel kukri, gerber kukri, walther mac tac ?
The cold steel latin machete plus is REALLY good