Looking for a good CHOPPER

[spectre327]

Ok, so My wife and I are gonna go do some old school camping. Let it be known I am a blade nut

I am Looking for two things. A Tomahawk and a Machete

Qualities:
Durability
Edge retention
Weight (I like a slightly heavier feel than those fond of newer age composites and their lightweight-low momentum feel)
Cost (more affordable the better but dont let the price be the limit. I want quality too)


I am Leaning towards the Ontario SP8 just from youtube reviews but I have played around with the SOG machete and have cut down several 3-6 inch trees with moderate effort and little post-purchase sharpening.

Never toyed with a hawk but would be very secure with one in my pack

let the reviews rip please

 

[jd4320t]

What is your budget? I'm a Busse fanboi and now have three choppers. I recently purchased a Swamp rat kill devil sniper hawk and I've been very impressed with it.

 

[spectre327]

Honestly I really don't want to spend more than $100 for each but I am definitely curious what kind of suggestions people have.

 

[Double T]

Why not buy a camp axe for the cheap and set back some money for what you really want? Camp axes are perty durn easy to sharpen on the fly as well

 

[spectre327]

mainly because of space on my pack. I was looking into the SOG hawk but really don't want to drop any money into something I don't know will fit my need.

 

[jd4320t]

I think I read some good reviews in here about the Gerber and Fiskars camping axes. I've been meaning to pick them up.

 

[Double T]

I have a camp axe, it's pretty freaking amazing. You can also use it to drive in tent stakes (if you're careful)

 

[spectre327]

I'm not opposed to camp axes. I just would like to even out the space between my self defence knife, hawk/axe, and machete on my pack. Weight and size are to be taken into consideration. Unless of course in my noobie-ness, I have confused a camp axe with an axe much larger than a machete.

I don't trust Gerber since they became so cheaply built (personal experience in gerber failures sadly)

 

[jd4320t]

ESEE Junglas may interest you.

 

[tom1025]

I second the Junglas. I know where you can get a good deal on a new one.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/knives/298813-esee_junglas.html#post4255260

 

[ISP 5353]

H&B Forge has some great hawks and are nice folks to deal with.

 

[Corporal D]

H&B Forge has some great hawks and are nice folks to deal with.

^^This.

Also 2hawks makes a real nice camp axe called the Long Hunter.

A little out of your price range, but, you might want to give Bryan Breeden a call and see what he can come up with. Not quite a machete, but my Lord Greystoke is my #1 or 2 choice to grab if I'm going out to the woods to really rough it.



(compared to a ESEE 5)

 

[grunt soldier]

One of my absolute favorite pack axes is the gransfors bruks small forest axe. it's about the size of a machete length wise but so useful. it will way a bit more but if your really going to be in the woods this will split woods, chop, ect like no ones business. and it will fit inside a regular pack. they are about 120 bucks so not to far out of your range

Or you could save a bit of money and buy the wetterlings large hunters axe or small hunters axe. they are also very nice and made just across the street from gransfors in sweeden. still stupid sharp and very nice just not finished as well.

as far as a chopper blade goes for the money it's going to be hard to beat the esee junglass. they are amazing blades, one of the best warranties in the business, come with a very nice sheath. set up and ready to roll. made in USA also!

Or you could go with any number of condor machete, the esee lite machete ect. they are all great but remember they are machete's not choppers.

 

[spectre327]

The Eese is beautiful

I'm lovin the suggestions here!

 

[M67]

Save for a Scrapyard 911 or 1311

For the money too, Ontarios arent bad

 

[spectre327]

Save for a Scrapyard 911 or 1311

For the money too, Ontarios arent bad

The Ontario SP8 is on my list because it is well weighted, not too long, and under $50

There is a shop in town that has one and I am just weighing some decisions and seeing what everyone has to offer as far as suggestions before taking any plunge

 

[M67]

The Ontario SP8 is on my list because it is well weighted, not too long, and under $50

Not too long?

We're talking about choppers here, they're supposed to be long

 

[drbarnes]

for under 100 the condor boomslang is good. for under 200 the esee junglas and scrapyard 911 are good. for under 250 the scrapyard 1311, 1111 and swamprat kill devil hawk are great...

for more money you cant go wrong with a busse battle mistress, or anything with bill siegles name on it.

 

[Tom Threetoes]

I'm not sure if they are still available but I have a little Norland camp hatchett that I wouldn't part with. It will definately take a shaving edge. Just bought a Condor machette that I'm wanting to try out.

 

[PapaScout]

I bought one of these from an antique store years ago for $25. It started off with plastic slabs but I made some out of wood instead. That and a leather sheath now makes it my go everywhere, do everything around my property.

ETA: This first picture is not mine but one I found on the net to show the blade. Second picture below is mine but you can't see the blade.