Making my own Machete

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  • ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,500
    God's Country
    I have some excess 8ga steel and I’ve been thinking about how to use it. I came up with this machete design a few months ago and had my first chance to try and cut out the shape today.

    1038a567b12aeefd320dd6cfba67b8bb.jpg



    This is a rendering of what I’m shooting for.
    37c6ab5d696ca6e2aee26b285be26adc.jpg
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,500
    God's Country


    I’m 90% sure it’s A-36.

    How are you gonna heat treat it?


    I’m considering this as a practice run. I was planning on grinding the edge and then case hardening it in motor oil. I’ve read it’s not the best option but like I said it’s more or less a practice run for me to grind the edge and make the scales. If I like the final product I’ll pick up a bar of 1030 and do another one.
     

    justiw

    Active Member
    Jan 26, 2012
    302
    1080 or 1084 may be easier to heat treat with basic equipment. There are tons of people offering heat treat services too, so pick any hardenable steel and send it out. You can even get hardened steel and slowly grind bevels as long as you keep it cool. Tons of options
     

    willtill

    The Dude Abides
    MDS Supporter
    May 15, 2007
    24,337
    Nice design. I like that. But are you taking away from the chopping power of the machete with the absence of steel with that design?
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,500
    God's Country
    Nice design. I like that. But are you taking away from the chopping power of the machete with the absence of steel with that design?



    I looked at other designs and made the blade a little fatter to compensate a little bit. Also 8ga steel is probably a little thicker than a normal machete, which is probably 1/8 thick.

    But there is another reason that I added that banana shaped hole along the spine. Actually being able to add your offhand grip gives a few more options as a tool. You can drive the tip into something or the ground as a makeshift shovel. Plus the tang is going to protrude from the back of handle slightly like this design.

    3f850b4600f1466265f54f7a98a63ae4.jpg


    There might be a 3rd reason too...

    d27cd4dbf0e5f0aaba747f4a755bb01a.jpg
     

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