Machete vs. ax for survival scenario

[armoredman]

Following history, I might suggest a nice bearded axe, since it was the do all tool for a few thousand years, usable for work and self defense, even as a cane in some versions.
I have a hatchet in my survival stash, but it's no substitute for my knife, either. The tools both fill different slots.

[catspa]

Funny this should come up now. Years ago, when I joined my county search and rescue squad, I bought a Barteaux corn knife and filed saw teeth in the spine of it. It was a great tool for clearing trail, gathering dead limbs for firewood, cutting shelter poles, and I even dug catholes with it.

Unfortunately, some lowlife stole it. Ever since, I've wanted another but they're kinda hard to find. Barteaux is in Portland OR and although they make a good product they're lousy at filling orders. More than once I've asked my local hardware stores to get me one and they report back that the company is unresponsive.

So I finally found one in stock at Ben Meadows, a forestry supplier in WI. Ordered last week, supposed to show up tomorrow. It's a 24", which means I'll have to cut it down and file my own saw teeth, but I can do that. I also may drill a hole near the tip to insert a branch to serve as a forward handle when sawing.

Don't get me wrong, I've got quite an axe collection too. But in a "survival scenario" (not too different from a "search and rescue scenario"), I think the short machete is more versatile.

Parker

[Hamilton Felix]

The Gerber sawback machete isn't bad. The first thing I did with mine was clamp a 2x4 in a vise and saw through it. It's not bad as a saw.

One historical observation on the light bearded axe: availability of iron or steel was a bigger factor in the past. A light axe or hatchet requires less steel (and likely less skill at the forge) to produce than a larger blade like a short sword or even a scramasax.

[Steel Talon]

I this in the field/camp.
My USMC Corpsman Bolo

[catspa]

HF, the functions of saw and machete want different things from the steel they're made from. The saw wants to be thin, and not much tooth set, so it can easily be driven through the wood being cut. The machete wants to be thicker and heavier, so you don't wear out your arm pushing it through vines and brush, and so the edge impact doesn't wreck it. So any sawback machete is going to be a compromise.

That said, I tend to use more tooth set to compensate for the green wood I figure I'll be cutting, and keep 'em sharp. If the teeth get dull, no saw is going to perform well.

Parker

[swgunner]

How does a tomahawk hold up to these chores?

I am thinking about either the Cold Steel Trench-hawk or the SOG Fusion for post storm debris cleanup and roadside response.

[KodiakBeer]

How about an ice axe?

The kids' screaming jolted Laufer awake a little after midnight Friday, Laufer said. They told him someone or something was trying to get into the cabin; then Laufer heard the window breaking. He grabbed his father's old, wood-handled ice axe...

http://www.adn.com/2011/12/01/219851...-girdwood.html

[catspa]

Keith, that reminded me of the old wooden handled ice axe I had as a kid. I'd go up on this big hill across Chugach Way and practice "self arrest" (after a fashion) and pretend I was a bada$$ mountain climber. I also had a 50 foot chunk of crusty old manila rope. "Mountain climbing, huh? How hard can it be?"

Swgunner, a tomahawk is good for light chopping, and a spike hawk or poll hawk better balanced, but not so good for clearing brush because of it's short edge.

The Barteaux finally arrived, now it'll probly be a couple weeks before I have time to work on it, as everybody wants their little handyman projects done before the holidays. Oh well.

Parker

[Selena]

How about an ice axe?

Necessity is the mother of invention.

[ThrottleJockey]

I have a gerber camp axe on my BOB, but really like a HEAVY machete. I have yet to find one to do the work I want it too so I'm making one. My design should do the work of either with no trouble at all. Maybe if I ever get it done I'll put up a pic, I have a good start on it, but need to practice some blacksmithing skills before I go any further. Building a forge a little at a time as I acquire the components, then practicing with some railroad spike knives, drill bit knives, ball peen 'hawks....then maybe learn forge welding to make a motorcycle chain damascus knife...no hurry though. At least I have a plan

[Freiheit]

Kukuri.

[Hamilton Felix]

Some of them are pretty impressive. And they do fall right between a small axe and a machete. I have an old one I bought from Atlanta Cutlery maybe 25 years ago. I saw "I have" advisedly, because my knife-loving wife keeps it in her night stand now. If her shotgun (and mine) should somehow malfunction and the intruder gets really close, he will NOT like the results.

You can use that old Khukri for a cleaver, a hatchet, a machete, etc. Pretty versatile tool.

[theotherwaldo]

Which one are you actually going to carry with you?

Theoretical musings are fine, but reality rules.

I carry a Cold Steel kukri machete and a cheap, heavy Chinese double-bitted axe (among other things) in the SUV.

There's a much lighter falling axe just inside the back door.

There's a locally-made long machete that's sitting between the bed frame and box spring of my bed, right where I can reach it.

-And others too numerous to name.

A tool is useless if you don't have it with you.