best steel for a chopper/machete

Bubba, If you find those drawings, please do post them up. Would like to see them. As for those Condors, where is a good place to buy them. I have used Machetespecialists.com before, suppose I should have checked there before asking, but maybe you have a better place.
 
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Hello guys I’ve made some "Monster Choppers" or Golok`s like we know it for the traditional bowhunter community here in South Africa. I use 9mm thick, 1070 differentially edge hardened and if he brakes it, he did really something wrong with it! This is the thickness of steel I can get here so I’ve decided to use it as is the guys abuse this thing but no failures yet:biggrin:!

I’ve added a pic of how it looks! PS: Rex and Bubba I like where you guys are going with the CHOPPERS!!!!!



Martin,
That's a nice looking blade, it looks like it would take a good beating and keep going. The only pic I have that I could post is one from another thread, 1st knife/last knife, that one turned out NICE! Let me see if I can post it...There we go, y'all enjoy! Let me know what you think.

The specs as best I can rememeber are
Blade: OAL (Approx) 14" 1/4" thick Differentially HT'd with Hamon
Blade length 8 to 9"
Handle Material: Black Micarta w/ thing tubing for pins.
This one is very different, I was attempting to draw the steel out too wide, to get it 2" wide, didn't happen with 1/4" steel, I did get about 1 3/4" though, I went ahead and used it to make another knife and ended up tappering the full length of the blade from butt to tip, with the butt being the widest, I know that isn't the way I'm supposed to do it, but it was looking too good to quit and it felt so good in hand, once I took some weight out of the handle it was perfect, I only wish I would have put on some better looking wood! Micarta was not my choice and the guy that "ordered" it, recanted. So, I found her a new home, this one cuts like none I've made before, chops well, and still shaves afterwards, well so far. I took it out last weekend and did some testing, I cut 4 water bottles, numerous free hanging vines, 4 to 5 sapplings small to medium and blazed a trail all the way out and back! Got back to the shop and it's still shaving! I know I'm impressed!!! Not to mention, the Hamon came out about the best I've ever done!!! See if you can see it, I'm not sure, I have other pics at home, if y'all want more I'll see if I can get them posted tonight....maybe, we will start moving into our new home tonight through the weekend, if y'all don't hear from me for a little while, I'll be back and hopefully all moved in! Rex
 
Bubba, If you find those drawings, please do post them up. Would like to see them. As for those Condors, where is a good place to buy them. I have used Machetespecialists.com before, suppose I should have checked there before asking, but maybe you have a better place.

You can buy them from amazon or this place here . Amazon offers free shipping . I did not buy a sheath they run about the same as machete.
They are very good sheaths but I want to make my own. For 29.00 for the Golok I cant see how they make money . no matter if labor is cheap or not .


http://www.condortk.com/productsdetail.php?prodid=60943
 
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Hello guys I’ve made some "Monster Choppers" or Golok`s like we know it for the traditional bowhunter community here in South Africa. I use 9mm thick, 1070 differentially edge hardened and if he brakes it, he did really something wrong with it! This is the thickness of steel I can get here so I’ve decided to use it as is the guys abuse this thing but no failures yet:biggrin:!

I’ve added a pic of how it looks! PS: Rex and Bubba I like where you guys are going with the CHOPPERS!!!!!

View attachment 28750
thats all kinds of bad ass bro...what steel is it? 5160?
 
I always fall into the "big blade trap" and have a hard time climbing out. I seem to enjoy making them but it takes me so darn long to finish them. Small blades are quicker when you do not use power tools. Don't get me started on tomahawks. That is another fever that I catch...alot lately!
 
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