Ok folks, since the forum change and slight exodus of a few folks, I want to make sure I'm somewhat correct and updatedin my list. DJ rgc Delkancott Wisdom EMETCALF FortyTwoBlades Dave41079 Southern Gent Charles Bower arskrg Marty W. I honestly can't find my list of who has already had it. If you've already taken a turn can you please chime in?
@DYSPHORIC JOY @rgc @Delkancott @Wisdom @FortyTwoBlades @Dave41079 @Southern Gent @charles bower @arskrg @Marty W Anyone else? I think EMetCalf is banned as @Frankenstein Oh and @Murphnuge just because.
Murph, EMETCALF has it now. Check your email, I sent you a note with his contact info and gave him yours as well.
The bolo landed at my place today. After exchanging hands so many times the edge was a little rolled over on the main region of the belly and a bit flattened inside the forward sweep. My initial reaction to the overall design concept is very positive, but there are a few changes I'd make personally. More details after I get some more dirt time with it and charge my camera battery.
Thoughts, after getting more time in with it: • Comfortable upper grip with very secure hook, though the hook at the lower portion of the handle is too thin for comfort in chopping when using a relaxed machete-style grip since it transmits shock directly to the pinky. As such, I did my chopping work holding it by the upper portion despite this reducing its chopping power. Thickening the contact region of the hook would greatly increase the comfort in use and allow that nicely formed shape to securely hold the hand in position with relaxed, but forceful blows. • Excellent handling dynamics and shift of mass between grip positions for adapting the tool between chopping and knife-like uses. • Nice use of the fuller to reduce weight in the spine while maintaining rigidity. It also makes a handy grip point when choking up on the spine for detail tasks. • Good taper and overall form to the blade. Useful, general purpose blade profile that balances mass distribution appropriately while defining a sweet spot and entrapment zone. The base remaining comparatively narrow both aids in the mass distribution as well as making it nimbler in knife use. • I received it in fairly dull condition from repeated prior use, so I touched it up at the already-present angle. I think it could be taken a point or two harder in heat treatment, as it was soft enough to feel a little gummy while sharpening, and I had to fight burr formation. Nice and tough, but a little harder would still be plenty hard given its geometry. That would also allow it to support a thinner edge angle for increased performance. The blade did get blunted in a couple of small spots that you can see in the photos at the end of the above video, and I attribute this to the hardness. The sapling I'm processing is a bear oak, which is a scrubby variety, and when dealing with smaller diameter pieces of such woods it can be harder on an edge than thicker stuff since it concentrates the force of the blow on a small area, so this is blunting that's fairly common in choppers given the circumstance. However, I feel that a slightly harder heat treatment would have come out unscathed. • The sheath has a nice gentle retention that makes for a smooth draw. Personally, I like that a lot, though I know some prefer a firmer retention in molded sheaths. • I eschew lanyards under the majority of circumstances, so while the multiple lanyard holes and lanyard design are proper and well thought out, I removed the lanyard while using it. I'll be re-installing it before sending it on to the next tester. • The design definitely falls into the same weight and build class as a lot of the old Sheffield-made bolos. A quite robust design that I feel is deserving of the name. Though we usually hear the term "bolo" these days used to describe "bolo machetes", this piece is squarely in the full bolo category, much like how a "kukri machete" is not a full kukri despite the resemblance in profile. In conclusion it's a fantastic design with excellent execution and I like it a lot. The only things I'd do to change it would be bumping up the hardness just a little, thinning the edge angle (it was about double what I usually use on my own choppers, though on the mark to general industry practice) and bulk up the pinky contact area of the hook at the lower grip point. I have some photos I may or may not get around to posting up that show a lot of detail and the various comfortable holds that can be used with the handle.
I'd like to thank everyone that's had an opportunity to use this blade so far. I will verify that Todd has been able to process all of the feedback we have received. I'll admit, it's been tough at times to keep track of the reviews with the forum change and whatnot. Still, everyone provided great and honest reviews.
Any chance of me being the end of the line? I figure that by the time I get the chance I would have moved by then and living near Redwoods. Julia and I are moving to Monterey. She leaves the end of this month to start her new job on May 1st. I will follow later in May. Our lease in Santa Barbara ends May 31st. She will stay with her sister which in Monterey and find a place for us before I come up. Then we leave for our wedding on June 1st. Lots going on over here at this time. I'm still looking for work so I'm staying here and making a paycheck to the least possible moment.
Got the machete today. All I've done is handle it and I don't know that I want to give it back. What would one of these run to buy? Only thing I may not like about is how extreme the hook is, but we'll see...
I believe that you and Delkancott are the last two. We can work something out to where you get it when you want it.