Chopper with Bucket Sheath-sort of

Church & Son

Well-Known Member
I made this one a while back but the socket handle seemed too short, didn’t give my hand room to slide
back for a good chop. SO it layed around ’till I broke a hammer handle last week and thought about this one.
I whittled the end of the wood handle down and drove it into the socket. I cut it off about an inch past and wrapped it in hemp.
Tremendous difference..
It’s a big one, 18″ overall with 12″ sharp by 2 1/2″ deep made from a 1/4″ piece of John Deere bushhog blade.
Forged on charcoal, edge quenched in brine, tempered on coals.....

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Sheath is pretty neat. I have a bunch of thin garment leather that I've traded for but it's too thin for sheaths
so it has to have an insert for strength. Traditionally the insert on beaded sheaths was rawhide or wood but I've seen
these PVC pipe sheaths where you heat the pipe and flatten it for an indestructible sheath for cheap machetes.
I’m always looking to re-use something, but I didn’t have any PVC pipe and I refuse to use new stuff.
Well, sheetrock mud buckets are 1/8″ PVC and I have hundreds of those so I cut a chunk out of one and used it for
an insert and wrapped hide around it. It is sturdy as rawhide and readily available. One bucket would provide a dozen
hunter sized sheaths.
The leather on the body of this one is from a coat with a little of my rawhide around the throat. The “Mexican” style
belt holder is from a saddle skirt and the fringe was ripped from scrap. A broken antler tine ties it together. The dye is
some reconstituted shoe dye that I got in a trade. All is finished with dirt, grease and shellac.

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Also thanks to Mr. Tai Goo for showing us the strengths and beauty of the socket handled choppers.
I have long been an admirer of your "Bush" series. All of mine get the same test before leaving,
"battoning" threw firewood with a hammer.....Randy

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Randy, this is one BIG UGLY yet beautiful package. As always your creativity shines. Leftovers make great knifemakings. Wade
 
If it wern't so goldurn expensive I would send you a whole bunch of PVC Randy. We have a plant in town and they have a lot of cut ends and "oops pieces." That chopper deserves a nice sheath. You scored on the whole package!
 
That's one mean looking chopper, Randy. Nice use of recycled material with that sheath. You did a great job taking something very industrial and making it look organic.
 
Cool tool. I like how you made the handle - thanks for explaining.
 
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