HF Machete modded Bushcraft knife

stronghorse

stronghorse

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Jan 28, 2012
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Coastlands of Virginia
This is my latest knife project that I just started today. I took my old, ugly Harbor Freight wood handle machete and cut it down to make a custom bushcraft knife. This is what I have come up with so far. The machete only cost me about $5 or so, but it's worth more than $5 to me now.
Here are my specs so far:

Handle length: 5"
Handle thickness: 3/4"
Handle material: Oak harwood
Blade length: 6"
Blade thinkness: 1/8"
Overall length: 11"
Blade grind: Scandi

IMAG1434-1-1.jpg


I sharpened it up and it cuts very nicely. The 1/8" blade flexes some, but it's very strong for its size. I hope to be able to polish it more, if I don't get side tracked with something else... So far, I've only worked on it for about 1 - 2 hours. It was fun!
 
Actually it does. It's a carbon steel blade that threw some nice sparks even from the belt sander. I was able to do some light honing with a sharpening steel. It sliced a sheet of paper up pretty well and made some quick feather stick in a piece of cedar. I still have to put a better edge on it and do some more field testing. ;-)
 
Nice mod on the HF. I've got an Old Hick that I need to work on. Should turn out similar to yours. IF I ever get off my butt and get it done.
 
shutternut said:
Nice mod on the HF. I've got an Old Hick that I need to work on. Should turn out similar to yours. IF I ever get off my butt and get it done.
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Thanks! I really like to feel of it. I'm sure that you will enjoy your project. As for getting off the butt... I made this bigger knife Friday & yesterday, but jumped to another knife project before finishing it. I improved the angle on it, but it is a task grinding down 1/4" steel into a knife. So I feel your pain...

feathersticks.jpg
 
very nice blades stronghorse:) what did you make that bigger of the 2 cord wrapped ones out of?? i really like it:)
 
thriller100 said:
very nice blades stronghorse:) what did you make that bigger of the 2 cord wrapped ones out of?? i really like it:)
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It was from a piece of a 1/4 " steel brace that I found from a building demolition. It was just scrap metal going to the trash. It's pretty stout! I began testing it for some hacking and cutting. It did better hacking than cutting because the edge was too convex so I flattened and steepened the blade angle. It cuts a lot better now. I still need to drill a lanyard hole in them.
 
I never thought of this, that is very cool!

Is the heat treat too soft on a machete to hold a edge?
 
LANE4 said:
I never thought of this, that is very cool!

Is the heat treat too soft on a machete to hold a edge?
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No, actually it holds an edge quite well. I added some maple to that blade and sharpened it to see how it would do. It sharpened to a fine edge on the bottom of a cup (After beveling it with my file.)
 
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