New Machete Rebuild Project!

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Blackhorse

Blackhorse

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Went to a local Gun and Knife Show event locally. Picked up a decent Martindale Heavy Chopper style machete with a 14" blade...well used but very sound...stamped "Sheffield" with "6" centered below it. Looks like the Martindale British Special Forces model...no sheath. Paid $25. Plan on pulling the two pins and removing the handles, applying a sweet new Maple handle, and swabbing down the 'patina' a bit & grinding a new even bevel. Not a hard project, and it should be a fun one!

I just need to find a good canvas or nylon sheath for it...shouldn't be a big problem.

Looks like this one...kinda, but old and beat up:


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Really liked the marbles case the the large pockets on the outside.
 
Ah yes, another sows ear for the master to turn into a silk purse! Seriously I can't wait to see what you do with this!

Jim
 
I ordered a Cordura Nylon sheath for it from Amazon.  14" I think.  Cold Steel brand...it goes with their 14" Heavy Machete. Should work OK.  It was under $9 shipped.

So here's some initial shots of the Sheffield Machete...and two choices of new wood for the handle:

Go ahead and chime in on which wood you think would be the best!


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Some rather fine Claro Walnut...

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And a very high grade of Maple...

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I was gonna say the walnut until I scrolled down and saw that maple! Holy hell it's incredible!

Definitely the maple!!!!

Jim
 
The maple really looks good but to me the walnut would be better for a hard worrking tool like a machete.
 
Yeah, that's some nice piece of wood, eh? Being harder, Maple would generally be my choice as well. I thought it might be TOO nice for a grungy old machete...but heck, why not? So Maple it is! The Walnut is a more typical choice and perhaps a better color for the project, but being a "special" project I think the Maple will serve.

Looking at the fit and the fact that only two of the pin holes were used, I'm thinking that the handle that was on it is a replacement as well. It was very solidly pinned, but the edges didn't fit the metal anywhere. Interesting.

So now I trace out the outside handle profile and lay the tang on the insides as I'll need to cut a channel into which the tang can fit allowing the outside edges of the wood to meet and be flush. The spine will show along the top, most of the way back toward the butt, but it will appear solid all along the bottom and around the end to where it meets the end of the tang.
 
I know the contest is over, but I would've voted Claro all the way ! Looks a whole lot meaner than the maple.
 
Hmmm. Maybe I'll rethink the whole thing!  I mean, would Danny Trejo carry around a machete with a Blondie handle?



Maybe I should go Ronin and cover some plain wood with Ray skin and wrap it with silk cord...(make it a Zatoichi Special!)

Maybe one with little bitty sea shells and glitter glued all over it...(but then I'd hafta paint the blade pink!)

Maybe an iron pipe wrapped with barbed wire...(like OUCH!)

Gosh amigos, the world seems so full of ideas (both good and aweful) that I suppose I'll think on it for a bit. I wish I had some more of the Blue Masir Birch. That would look bitchin'!  Well, better dig deeper into the wood bin I guess.

Stay tuned.
 
I like the samurai handle idea. Ray skin is pretty expensive though.
 
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