How to Sharpen a Machete to KILLER Sharpness
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ต.ค. 2024
- I've been asked how to sharpen a machete so it really chops up the brush. Want a scary sharp machete? Here's how to do it. I also discuss machete brands and which ones work and which one is terrible.
Today I show you a simple method for machete sharpening, which only takes a file and some elbow grease - and I show you what you can do with a really sharp blade. Quit working so hard and start sharpening a machete so it works for you!
Just watch out for your fingers.
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Word of advice: You see the tip of the blade, the part that has the hook? Sharpen the back half also and use that for cutting roots. It saves the main part of the blade and it helps reduce the amount of sharpening sessions. Strangely enough, in my experience that part very rarely needs sharpening.
Thanks.
Like an Italian "roncola" or a "pennato", they're like machete but sharpened on the hook side
You… you can do that..?
I have a Schrade , not sure of the model but it's a cross between a machete and a Ghurka's blade . It sings when I sharpen it as does any blade made of quality steel . The method you are using is called " draw filing " and depending which way you hold the file , tang away from you or tang towards you , determines if the file will cut on the pull or the push . The burr that is created is called a " wire edge " which is a molecule of thickness of the metal and if you want the keenest and sharpest edge all you do is strop the blade on a leather belt or heavy piece of denim . If you pay attention you will see the fine ribbon of the wire edge peeling off , and will be amazed how sharp your blade is ! One more thing , I used to test my blades on my forearm shaving the hair away but a much easier method is to just draw your blade across your thumb nail . You can feel where the blade needs work . Thank you for ALL the information that you have shared and I'm really glad to have found your channel !
Thank you so much.
Obvious or not, i'm gonna ask it: will then pulling the file towards you ( the handle/grip) make the blade cut when pulling towards you? Or the orher way round?
So tang away = cut on the pull? Because obviously that's what I want.
This is the most direct video I've watched on how to sharpen a machete . . . not that I've watched a lot but I appreciate him calling out the garbage and showing exactly how to use a fine-tooth file to sharpen a machete . . . it doesn't need to be knife sharp. Well done sir!
Man, and I was about to build a jig to sharpen my machete with the diamond stones that I use for my plane irons and chisels, haha. I'm so used to sharpening up to 3K and then stropping for those tools, that I didn't really consider that a machete doesn't really need that level of precision and sharpness just to hack through heavy brush, etc. Not exactly the fine woodworking that I'm used to sharpening tools for. Thank you so much for saving me a bunch of wasted time and effort!
Funny how the wind started as soon as you mentioned "Gerber" lol
I do more of a 30 degree angle. Same technique with a file. Could hone it afterward with a sharpening stone to get razor sharp. I like the larger acute angle for thicker metal on brush.
I use an 18v Mikita grinder with a grinding wheel on new or badly abused machetes. For sharpening machetes in good condition I change over to an 80 grit “flapper” sanding disk on the grinder. It makes quick work and the edge will shave the hair off my arm. However, it’s a pain to carry into the jungle, so I always keep a hand file in my pickup.
Hey David .....I watch most of your videos but this is pure gold. Love from a sweaty Westerner living in Thailand with a blunt machete until now ❤🙏
Thank you, 555.
In Thailand we can get the Ralph Martindale crocodile brand really inexpensively as they are assembled here from English blanks, then shipped back to UK. $8 on Lazada.
Very informative and straight to the point, thank you
All that talk about fingers and tendons had me thinking you were going to say something different for the outro. "May your thumbs always be attached."
Keeping my tools sharp is a struggle so I really appreciate the tip!
One review for a Gerber said it was "a dollar a whack", it was that bad.
Thanks for the info!
they make some good knives.
Yeah, they do. That's why them selling a bad machete is puzzling.
This is gonna be so useful! I've got a machete that needs sharpening as well!
Man, you're right about that Gerber steel. I had a knife, didn't last a year.
Believe it or not one of the best machetes I found was at Ace True Value Hardware on Cape Cod, $20, back in 1983 and still have it. Go figure.
Finally broke the handle doing hurricanes Irma and Maria clean ups in Puerto Rico.
Been handling machetes since the 3rd grade. It's a family right of passage if you will and Dad was a task master. LOL
We begin by placing end, tip, area flat against your knee for support and start filing small from the tip working your way back towards the handle.
You will know once the file begins to "bite" the blade. Even the tone will change.
Keeping working your way back while increasing the length of your pass and stroke.
Flip and repeat.
Dad's test? Flip blade up to the vertical. Go up to the stem of a leaf of a hibiscus hedge and with a very slight flip of the wrist, cut.
"Now that's a knife!" LOL
When cutting through branches or tree trunks, use the heel (back towards the handle) of the machete to keep and maintain your edge.
Keep control and the whereabouts of the blade at all times, even when walking or resting.
You don't want to hear Dad!!!
Please be safe by keeping others clear and away at all times.
Enjoy.
Good Dad to teach you! You're right about the "bite," too. You can feel it.
Got one as a present with a bent tip - a picked up sandstone shaves the metal right off, great to reshape a blade or fix a chip. Instead of a file, I use a sickle sharpener stone - it works too.
making sure that your right about the angle of the edge is hugely important when it comes to sharpening
The knife sharpener arrived quickly and in good condition th-cam.com/users/postUgkxDcr-y2Pf6xdnrFHrSP7dl9kpKaCozcSQ I was happy to see that that packaging was easy to open. I did not need a chain saw to get into the package.The sharpener was smaller than I expected but that might turn out to be and advantage because it will be much easier to store than my old sharpener. The instructions on the package were simple and concise; perfectly adequate for this product. I liked that the two slots were labeled with "Course" and "Fine" on both sides of the sharpener. Now, how does it work? It's fantastic. A few swipes of the knife through the two slots and the knife was sharper than when it was new. The rubber surface on the bottom held it in place while sharpening. I thought the small size might be a problem but it was not a problem at all. In fact, I prefer it to the larger sharpeners I have used in the past. On top of that, the small size makes it very easy to store.I love it and highly recommend it.
I got a new machete recently (like a month ago) and it's a Latin machete from Landscaper's Select. So far, I'm not disappointed in it and it works like a dream, somewhat, though I need to file the edge instead of taking a belt sharpener to it.
Thank you David, you are such a Blessing. Always willing to share your knowledge with us.
I love your shirt. 😆 It would certainly make some heads pop here in the States right now. 🙄 😏
-6 F feels like -24 F 😰 Brr! Sure wish Spring would come.
Your last statement is so true.....sad. Watching this video would probably pop some heads here also....snowflakes!
Martindale machete blades are the best on the market., because of weight, design, and the type of steel, they're made of. They literally last for years and years of everyday use on a farm.
They're from England, and quite popular in the Caribbean.
Great tips, David! Nothing like a good sharp machete for cutting up some brush.👍👊
Nice technique, man! That’s the most popular way to sharpen machetes down here in México. What’s that model you use? I’d like to try it but I can’t find it online. Also, what’s the lenght of your blade? Saludos, amigo!
Mine is a Martindale. Short model, which I like for precision work. Not sure of the exact length.
I cleared a heavily wooded lot that added up to roughly 1.5 acres of land.. Tramontina wood handled is the only brand I could use any more than 5 minutes.. Gerber/fiskars handles will pitch and roll under heavy chopping torque on the largest wood diameters like a 2 ta 3 inch oak limb or 3 ta 4 inch pine limb.. Bad handle design dooms the function of a hand tool..
I use something called The Block sharpener made in USA. Very simple little device I keep it on a string around my neck. Been using it for over 40 years.
Finally I'm able to start watching these again. Got big piles of yard waste together. I need to sharpen mine up and mulch them up with a sharp machete
I sharpen the same way.. but I dont use a new file. I always learn something from your teaching. Also very inspiring.
Thanks, man. I've found files are worth paying for. You forget how great they are new until you try a sharp one.
i always take a inner tube of a old bicycle cut it to 1 inch strips and put it over the handle in a way they overlap a little bit. grips better that way.
Thanks for the tip. Love the shirt 👕
Hahaha, I bought a new machete to garden with because of you. I just searched "how to sharpen a machete" and here you are...
I've never had a TH-camrs intro make me hit that subscribe button so freaking quick. When you hear the name David the good it's a name that instills trust experience and know how at least that's how I felt when I saw you sitting under The canopy in your power stance I feel like I just found secret Sensei that's up in the mountains of some mysterious land that is going to teach me things that I might not use everyday but if I can use use them they will be extremely efficient
You made me laugh. Thank you.
I actually got the Gator machete a week ago and I haven't found anything wrong with it. Cut some branches like normal, it cut them like any machete would and it's still perfectly fine. It does bend if there's enough force on the side but you shouldn't be forcing any kind of blade sideways anyway
As i'm reading his review screenshot stopping this video at 1:01, i was astonished as really the Gator (or maybe the Clearpath) is, the machete i want to get (but of course open to suggestions). Am here cos i must give first sharpening to a cheaper one i got years ago. Anyway.
As the Gator has the back edge saw, i dont think it's even planned for cutting branches by strokes from the cutting edge of the blade. Which really is the point why i want a saw+sword machete in the first place.
I just think i do understand his approach as he's used to felling wood axe-like. i also give that a more "fragile" blade (sorry, writing fast&rough) is more prone to mistake breakings.
Cheers
@@dorianblue4229To be honest I haven’t found a saw backed machete that’s worth a damn. You’d probably be better off with a standard machete and a small folding saw but that’s just my opinion. For the price I see the Gerbers I would never pay it. There were a few I’ve used that were family members and they were completely trash. For the price I’d recommend looking at other options. Not sure how you plan on using it but I’d recommend looking to see what’s most commonly used in similar areas of agriculture etc. Condor has an excellent selection with awesome leather sheaths for a bit more money than the gerbers. Cold steel has a lot of options as well, and best bang for the buck id recommend Tramontinas.
@@John5.56 hey man thanks for the tips (i'm saving the brands you mention and am checking them up right now), what you're saying makes absolute sense to me, in my area Western Italian Alps country/woodland, they use "falcetto/trancetto" which is a sort of machete but with a curved end (like a hook so if you pull it it "encircles" a fistful of weeds every hit. Bit like a scythe. Like the thumbnail here, but sharpened on the inner hook edge).
Well anyway, my cheap machete just like in the video, served me well but i might have rubbed it too hard while sharpening, last time it didnt cut.
Fun fact: as the spring is coming in my place, the wild fishing season opens just next Sunday after five months (wild trout reproductive period), and i have some lil budget too at last, i was looking around right this week for a higher-end machete. And my memories have faded (after using my cheap one alright) i just vaguely remember I kinda fancied the special Fiskars Machete-Axe (heard of it?).
So your references are just the right thing for me now to check and compare.
I also agree with having a separate, dedicated saw and will keep mine less grudgely now. It's not heavy after all.
Thanks bud!
Thanks man just tried this out on my machete and loppers and damn are they sharp now holy moses
so use a grinder wheel to take the square edge off and from then on use a metal file at a 15 degree angle, one side at a time, remembering to file off any buildup burs that occur after each sides continual sharpening at that 15 degree angle.
what angle is best to uncover the shatpened edge under the bur? or is it literally a couple/few strokes to take that off? i may have fudged my chete pretty bad today at a froends. neither one of us knew what we were doing. but it sure looked like we did from far away.
About 15 degrees
Cold Steel sent my already sharpened.
Thanks for the excellent video!
Thank you
Love your shirt! 👍🏻 🇺🇸
Although I chuckled at how frugal you are by repairing a $10 straw hat. 😆👍🏻
I have a different Gerber Gator then the one shown. The one shown in the video is a hybrid machete/saw and is not full tang. It would likely be pretty unstable. The one I have is more of a bolo style blade and full tang. It's actually pretty solid so far. It also comes with a really good sheath.
Good to hear. The steel in mine was awful.
@@davidthegood Mind you, I'm not hacking wood with it. I've only used it for overgrown weeds and brush.
I got the exact one in the vid and I haven't had any issues with it. It just cuts through decently sized branches like normal and the tang isn't terrible. Maybe it works better on some types of wood than others but I dunno. It also bends on the side if given enough force but unless you're being reckless, you won't notice that too much. Just my experience
I’ve got a condor ‘eco parang’ as a pack machete, need something larger for the yard. Maybe something that can cut through buttermilk biscuits. I like the file & touchup with a Lansky puck if needed.
Larger? I use this one.
Ontario Knife Co 1-18" Military Machete www.amazon.com/dp/B0001WBIEY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Fl.mFbM3MK9QQ
I bought myself a Joker 45 CM machete - cheap trash, but it's thick and looks nice. Works great, dulls easily.
Wait correct me if I'm wrong.. at the beginning when you first started sharpening the blade the point of the blade was facing away from you and was pointed towards the trees you took the file and start sharpening it, then you do the other side? The same direction? Or whenever you flip it over you go from tip to handle? I'm confused
You would enjoy a genuine Nepalese Khukuri. Shaving-sharp, and with a weight behind it. Good for small brush and I even chopped down a small 6" pear tree with one. Like a cross between a hatchet and a machete, but you have to get a genuine one with the full tang. :-) Fun chopping!
Yeah, that sounds great.
I have 5 I need to sharpen, one exactly like what your sharpening in this video.
Lol! I literally bought a Gerber gator at bass pro cause it was only 17, wasn't worth the saving. The Latin and West Indy market down the road sell the good ones for 30 and up just like the ones my grandfather used in PR
Yes any machete in mexico/south america and south africa come out good quality for good price.
Just bought a corona machete, now all I need is a file. Thank you sir!
If you can find a good sharpening stone/rock those are nice, sustainable and easier to use unless you have fine grit sand paper on a angle grinder.
Helpful. Thank you.
Does Condor make good machetes? (The El Salvador model, for example.)
From what I have seen, yes
I'm just going to patiently wait for someone to be upset that his kids were using the machete yesterday.
There's always one.
Don't go giving the goodniks any bright ideas!
Good advice on the factory edge. Bought a Hansa machete and the factory edge is awful. Great machete though once I got it filed down. Thank you.
Thanks, Marcus. Good work.
Is it better to use a single sided file or double sided? I have a file that has both not sure which side to use..
I got a Tramontina. It came already sharpened at the correct angle. 15 degrees is good for brush and general chopping but grass will laugh at it. For grass I sharpen at 10 to 12 degrees. Even the cheap machete from Harbor Freight is decent if properly sharpened. A few people have gotten a good edge from the factory but you should plan to work on it a bit. I have mine sharpened for grass. I'll probably pick up another one to use for the DTG method of planting. I'm sure as H not going to shove my Tramontina in the dirt.
Yes. That really fine angle would be good for grass. I've seen locals, when their machetes are worn half-way through from sharpening and use, then take them down to a fine angle and use them for cutting grass. Blade is lighter at that point, too.
What kind of file do you suggest? I'm really not sure how to tell the differences in files or what kinds there are
What happened to the broad blade machete with a hook. You know the one you injured yourself with ?
I still have it. It's in time out.
@@davidthegood Don't you think it learned its lesson by now.
You my friend, learned to sharpen a cutlass somewhere in the Caribbean. Slightly bad technique putting the but in the ground, is best to place it across your knees
Yes, you are right - a local Grenadian farmer taught me.
Nice tutorial.
imho - If you need to use 'strength' with a machete, there is something wrong :)
The weight of a machete itself should do all the work (unless you are cutting something really dense).
With a new machete and using a bastard file;
i establish the edge angle and edge length about half a centermeter (or a little more).
Giving me a narrow scandi type edge (easy to resharpen, as it is flat and straight).
I then use a fine file. Followed by one of those rectangular metal, diamond coated sharpening 'stones'. Which gives the edge a decent polish. fyi - like you, i I hold the sharpening devices and keep the machete 'fixed' in place (usually on my leg - to steady the blade while shapening).
If i strop/deburr the blade, i put some fine (green) compound on some newspaper (on a flat surface). And strop the blade on that (does a decent job, if you don't have a leather strop).
I then use 600 wet+dry over the rest (the sides) of the blade.
And then some 'OOOO' wire wool.
This makes the sides of the machete nice and smooth (aids cutting and helps to protect blade).
Finally, I coat the machete in Choji Oil with a cloth (any fine mineral oil/sewing machine oil will do - don't use WD40). And leave it to soak/set overnight. The oil protects the blade and also facilitates better cutting. Similar to 'candle waxing' (or 'dry soaping') the blade before any cutting work.
From there, any later re-sharpening (on the job), is very quick.
Peace.
Good process - thank you.
@@davidthegood The only thing i forgot was the handle :) I always sand a new handle down (with approx. 320 grit sand paper). I do that to remove all the sharp angles/edges from the handle design (basically, wearing in the new handle). Less issue with hand callouses/pain then.
Finally, i take some tru-oil gunstock finish (basically Danish oil) and mix it with a few drops of tru-oil wax finish (basically furnature wax). Apply a few light coats with a rag and cut if back with '0000' wire wool, once dry.
In practice, this makes more difference than you might think :)
Enjoy.
I got my machete from Walmart for $4 does it still count as a good machete I mean the blade was still dull when it came out the packaging
My gerber has given me two years of solid service, chopping through everything from simple brush to medium size trees (with the blade) and it's never given me a single problem. I have like fifteen different blades and it's easily my best, all of which makes me curious: where was the dud gerber sold? I bought mine at an independent hardware store for like fifty bucks. I'm wondering if Walmart and the chain stores sell a shitty version, cause that happens
It may be. I think I got mine from a hardware store.
crocodile martidale is most useful for soft vegetation especially banana plantation or maintenance purpose
How does this file compare to using a lansky puck
You can use file, only in simple steel, like 1065, or 440, but if you have a very difficult steel, you can kill the file. Actualy a use naniwa 1000 for sharpening tramontina 12 inch. File not be efective, steel have 58 - 60 hrc. But it very simple in the other knife at 54 hrc
What does the ISM on your shirt stand for? I see you do not use any machetes with the hook bill anymore.
I found my machete while working for a trash company I used it for 3 years before I thought of sharpening it. If u strengthen ur swing and get a good technique when I did sharpen it idk if its the sharpness or my technique but I can cut through a standard inside door in 2 swings. I be feeling like zero from 1 peace. It makes a wishing sound and the impact feels like I hit dirt no matter what I hit for the most part.
As I found that I'm to into machetes more than my saws what's the absolute best machete. Strongest blade, best grip handle, and easy multi purpose
I like the Tramontinas and the Martindale "Mongoose" machetes.
In the Caribbean... we call that a "three canal".
What type/brand of file do you use?
Dude you remind me of my grandma everytime I visit him in Mexico he would wear a hat like that and just sit under a tree sharpen his machete with and a sharpening stone and just feel for the edge when he liked it he would chop up the brush in his terrenos
You're grandma was a dude?
Just curious...I notice that you file one side in one direction and the other side in the opposite direction....does it matter? Sorry if this is a stupid question but I am just learning about taking care of knives and a machete that my father left me. Thank you for your help.
The file cuts one way.
Aren't you supposed to file in same direction?
Great video and information
1.) A second cut file 2.) a whetstone 3.) and a leather strop block
Yes, that could make it terrifying, but it's harder to carry in the field.
An axe puck helps a lot too, especially for dull stainless steel knives. 😂 But sharpening carbon steel knives, files are definitely the best for a blunt dull blade 👍
I got a gator lol...I’ve warrantied mine once but what do you expect for $16-$19? 🤷🏻♂️ haha
Which model of Martindale is it
That edge is all fine and good but how long will it last?
If you take a few more swipes with the file after an afternoon's work, you can keep it up.
LOVE that T-shirt!
Thanks for the info and demo. Guess what we are ordering soon? LOL He is now going to get rid of all his million files to buy a $5 good one. You are a wealth of info and really good entertainment as well. God Bless!
I start with a 1000 grit artificial stone, then a 5000 grit artificial stone, then an 8,000 grit natural stone, and finally a 10,000 grit natural stone. I was almost able to chop a small oak tree in half. I highly recommend sharpening the machete not like an axe, but like a knife or a short sword. Just my two sense. Good video though, helped a lot.
Yes - definitely keep that blade angle, not a higher ax angle. Your method sounds worthy of a Samurai.
Cool 😎 Thanks for the info. 👍
OMG just listened to you on Kevin's Epic Gardening Podcast. Hey maybe you should do a podcast. That would be great!!!!
I have thought about it. Decided to do the Goodstreams instead. Kevin is the bomb.
Can you sharpen a harbor freight machete like that
Wow I have the exact same machete. Love it.
What is the name call?
can i use a sander to do it? like the oscillating sandpaper type handheld sanders
Yes
Just keep the angle right
How long a file would you recommend?
8" - 12"
Just got a thai machete from cold steel, cant wait for my nanners to fruit, its going to be so fun chopping.
It's great fun chopping banana trunks.
Great info, thank you!
Superb video.
Many thanks
Thank you, John.
In Central America only the Latino machete imacasa brand is the best for the hard wood vegetation in belize where the tree are hard as iron
I like your video, thanks for sharing your knowledge
Thank you, Victor.
A NEW file?! And not yard sale new, im guessing... somethings just need to be new. I bought some undies at a yard sale. I think they belonged to an Olympian. They all have racing stripes. XP
😁
Will a 14.5 degree angle work?
Their baby food sucks too.
I have a carnivore x not the best but my friend gave me it after I moved away we used it every day we made forts in the woods and used it for everything I wanna sharpen up the ol girl now
Sweet, man, thanks for sharing
Too sharp that I cut myself watching the video ;P
Hey David what file do you use, I mean the coarseness. Is there a number for that?
I dunno - probably. It's a medium fine of some sort.
Thank you for showing
Thats what she said
Dave, you know I like and respect you, but nevermind getting a new file. You need a new hat, dude!
hehheh
Holy Sh!T I just when back to the video after reading this and JESUS ! LOL
I like your duct tape hat😁
A boring file?!? You could probably get more folks to follow your methodology by suggesting an exciting file over the boring model! Now, your knife build with the old dull one, that’s now an exciting file!!
I know people who mow your lawn with machetes. I also know a case of an old man who accidentally hit himself on the femoral and died on his way to the hospital. Something I would never want to see with my own eyes is a machete fight.
Great vid thanks!
Bro even my rusty blade can cut down banana trees😅😅😅
You wont believe me if i tell you a machete only lasts me 3 months during sugar cane planting season and it ends up looking like a sword up front...
Great job👍
Dang! I've got a Gerber, now I hate it.
I don't think I could bring myself to take the burr off like the way you did, I would be afraid I'd just blunted the machete.