How'd it go today?

[lxskllr]

I wonder. I had some issues with it from new. I used to have the wood handle version, and I'm about 85% sure that got stolen. There's a small chance I left it somewhere, but I don't think so. The one that broke was the leather handle with the knuckle guard. That guard wasn't properly peened when I got it, and I didn't fix it. It ended up coming apart, and all the washers fell off. I never did get them in exactly the right position, but it was close enough, and I peened it properly.

What makes me reluctant to make a claim, is I bent it slightly a couple times from sitting on it when it was hooked to my belt. In addition to that, impact tools seem to just break. I've broken three machetes and a brush hook blade over the years. Something just happens to them. Maybe crystal realignment from repeated impacts? I only have the vaguest notion of metal working/properties. I don't like taking advantage of companies for normal wear/tear, but I guess they kind of owe me for the original bad build.

I also wonder if they're even really in business. I'll checkout their site a bit closer, and maybe contact them. I liked having it, but I don't think I liked it $175 worth to buy another one. They should be $70-$80 depending on version.

edit:
Just looked, and ownership changed in 2018, and they say no warranty on stuff from the old company. They claim they cheaped out on materials. Perhaps... but it sounds like BS to me. I think they offer a lifetime warranty on the new stuff cause it costs three times more than it's worth. They could do three replacements, and still make a profit.

 

[cory]

There’s a bit of a mess to clean up a few miles away from me.

Interesting they are using those pipe laying dozers to move the trains. 09? Seen that before?

 

[Jonny]

I’m not familiar with any of the equipment really, we occasionally derail a single car at the plant I work at, and they always call in a contractor with a crane to put it back on. Not sure what all is in the railcars but I haven’t heard of any spills besides diesel from the engine and no injuries. For a 98 car train derailment, it could’ve been much worse.
Anyone else feel an earthquake around 5pm? Wasn’t much here, but noticeable.

I wonder if a good kukri knife would do the same as the Woodsman Pal. Doesn’t have the sharpened hook on the back but definitely a very nose heavy chopper that should blaze some trails or whatever
I don’t own their kukri, but I have a few fixed blades from Ontario Knife Company. Usually very affordable, and excellent quality, made in Ontario, NY.

 

[lxskllr]

I have a 22" Ontario machete I love. For just about everything, it's the best machete I've used. Good stiffness and weight, but, no hook. That hook is super useful for cutting stuff off at ground level, or reaching above your head, and shaving through branches and vines. Also, a quick pull will cut, but you can just hook a bundle of vines and brush, and drag them out of the way.

I'm gonna try to live without it, and perhaps I can make good use of my Estwing tomahawk. Backup plan is to get steel plates welded to my broken one, and I'll shape a new steel handle, or just buy a new one for $175. That's a steep price to pay though.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I know someone that used to do derailments. D-9 sideboom Cats. He's got a lot of stories. Couldn't get a Cat in to a derailment, so they parked it across the tracks and pushed it a few miles with a locomotive.

 

[ruel]

First coat of primer on the inside of the boat today! Got some organic vapor respirator cartridges, this paint has some SERIOUS fumes

 

[lxskllr]

That boat's really looking good :^)

 

[Tree09]

I've never seen them for working on trains, but it makes sense. They can go anywhere, doze if needed, and can pick ungodly weights, can travel with said load on almost any terrain, and have the utmost control. They are also very very robust, unlikely to have a breakdown like a blown hose or something.

 

[cory]

Couldn't get a Cat in to a derailment, so they parked it across the tracks and pushed it a few miles with a locomotive.

That, sir, is insane.

Good info, 09, thanks.

High Gloss, Sean!!

 

[Tree09]

I've broken three machetes and a brush hook blade over the years. Something just happens to them. Maybe crystal realignment from repeated impacts?

It's called work hardening, which shouldn't be happening honestly. Good tool steel would be tempered enough to flex but still hold an edge decently. Maybe not tempering enough? Crappy steel?

 

[cory]

09, Ive heard about work hardening but I'm kinda hazy on it and it seems a curious topic. Care to hit us up with a treatise suitable for laymen??

 

[Fiddler]

Boat is looking sweet!

Flooded out of work here. Three days of rain. I walked around the range some & threw some balls out of the water but not getting a machine out yet...

 

[Tree09]

When a material has a force applied to it large enough to cause it to flex, the material has its grains stretched. Over time, this causes hard spots, in an attempt to resist the strain. These spots are the starting point of the material failing. It's easy to see first hand too, take a metal object like a paper clip, and bend it back and forth slightly. You will notice it is harder to bend, and then repeated bending will eventually make it easier, and then it breaks.

 

[flushcut]

I have a 22" Ontario machete I love. For just about everything, it's the best machete I've used. Good stiffness and weight, but, no hook. That hook is super useful for cutting stuff off at ground level, or reaching above your head, and shaving through branches and vines. Also, a quick pull will cut, but you can just hook a bundle of vines and brush, and drag them out of the way.

I'm gonna try to live without it, and perhaps I can make good use of my Estwing tomahawk. Backup plan is to get steel plates welded to my broken one, and I'll shape a new steel handle, or just buy a new one for $175. That's a steep price to pay though.

The axes I've been throwing are the Estwing double bit, they fly nice.

 

[cory]

09 I thought it was sorta supposed to be a good thing, like work hardening of excavator buckets, like they are stronger after some use than when brand new. Guess I had that kinda bass ackwards

 

[Jonny]

The axes I've been throwing are the Estwing double bit, they fly nice.

Estwing makes some beautiful axes and hammers. I got a couple ball peens and the camp axe. Holds an edge and takes some serious abuse. Just wish the backside of the axe was bigger and better suited for hitting wedges.

 

[Tree09]

No you didn't, there it's designed in, with specialty alloys. It's also a huge failure mode, which is why highly engineered stuff doesn't last as long as older stuff. The newer stuff is designed to use as little material as possible, so any overloading past design causes it to fail by work hardening.

 

[flushcut]

My hammer drawer has many Estwing products in it, 3lb drilling hammer has solved many problems and what it won't solve the 4 pounder will.

 

[cory]

Chit's complicated.

 

[flushcut]

That sucks. Looks fairly clean considering the tonnage though.

edit:
Broke my Woodmans Pal machete today. Snapped at the handle when I was putting tips on stakes. Just looked up getting another one, and they have almost no stock at the company store, and the one model they have is insanity priced at $175. I wonder if they're going out of business. The hook on the back, and compact size made it really useful for certain things. I'll miss not having one.

Could you try welding it? Braze perhaps?

 

[lxskllr]

I can't weld myself, but that's one thing I'm considering. Make a sandwich out of the pieces, then grind it to be comfortable in-hand. I'd lose a bit of cutting area, but it would be functional.

As to the failures... Two could be attributed to flexing. They'd get bent, I'd bend them back, and it left a weak spot. Three of them are more of a mystery. The brush hook was a TrueTemper bank blade. Good steel, but perhaps there was a flaw in the manufacture. Two of the machetes were military issue. I think Camilus and Ontario both had contracts at the time, but I couldn't tell you who made them. They're pretty hard steel for a machete, perhaps too hard. They both broke in half, and if I remember right, both were on mountain laurel. Mountain laurel's interesting to cut. It's very hard, but depending on where you cut, the blade can either go right through, or just hit and send a shockwave up your arm. Might have been to much for the hard steel :shrugs:

 

[flushcut]

It's a skill worth knowing. It always sucks when a favorite tool breaks.

 

[lxskllr]

Yea, I'd like to know how to weld. That's something that's kind of on the backburner. I don't need it often, but would be super useful on occasion. Just need to make the time to learn.

 

[flushcut]

I was just on Woodsman Pal's website and they are saying lifetime warranty and for any reason you are not 100% happy bla bla.
Yeah welding is handy especially in the tree business not only to make stuff but repair stuff as well.

 

[Tree09]

Welding is one of those things that once you learn you will wonder how you got anything done before without it.