Do-It-All Jungle Tamers
On a quest for the ultimate survival blade the author finds the Gerber Gator and the Condor El Salvador machetes to be truly cuts above!
Having spent more than the last decade practicing survival skills in the jungles of South America, I’ve learned that a simple machete is one of the most important blades to ever be invented. True, most of them are not made from some super-duty, exotic steel; nor will they pry the tracks off a bulldozer, but when it comes to vegetation and chopping out a living in the wilds, no other blade can outdo the common machete. In my opinion, a lot of folks often overlook this style of blade since it doesn’t have the cool tactical factor, but users such as surveyors and indigenous cultures who spend a lot of time in heavy undergrowth will tell you there’s nothing more valuable.
The simple machete is often thought of as a cheap piece of steel made only for jungles and tropical regions. And while there are tons of low-priced machetes out there that do an exceptional job, a few manufacturers have recognized the value of the blade style and are beginning to add higher quality machetes to their lineup. When I say “higher quality,” I’m talking about better fit and finish, along with better heat treat, and, most important, good factory edges. While I’ve been a user of cheaper machetes for many years now, the one thing that’s always a given is you have to sharpen the factory edge before using it. For years I’ve kept an old belt sander in the shop that’s used for nothing but sharpening machetes. Well, these new higher quality machetes come ready to cut right out of the box. A couple of notable blades that fit this category are the Gerber Gator and the Condor Knife and Tool El Salvador Machete. Both of these blades come from the factory with shaving sharp edges (the Condor’s edge is convex), comfortable handles and a heat treat made to work in heavy vegetation.
Be the first to comment!
Leave a Reply