New Condor Parang Machete $39.95

New Condor products arriving soon! We are the first website to obtain the new Condor product line. Product should arrive by the end of April.

We are very excited about the new Condor high-carbon Parang Machete, which features an 18 inch long, 1/4 inch thick blade for serious chopping.

Based on a design popular in SE Asia and Malaysia in particular, the Condor parang features a hardwood handle and expoxy-coated blade. Also soon to be offered, the optional leather sheath, perfect for this unusual and effective blade style.

The Machete Hook

There is nothing more important for cutting down on the time it takes to clear brush and tall grasses than the "gancho" or hook.

Typically, the hook is made in the field out of a bifurcating branch as the image above shows. By using the hook in the opposite hand as that which wield the machete, considerable time and effort can be saved. Just a few advantages:

1) Keeps hands further from where the machete will be cutting to avoid accidents.
2) Pulls vegetation taught so that it can be cut more easily.
3) Prevents animal and snake bites by eliminating the need to grasp with the hands.
4) Pulls vegetation aside to expose the stalks and trunks of plants for easy cutting.
5) Prevents cut vegetation from interfering with areas still to be cut.
6) Protects from thorns and briars.
7) Can be used to pull obstacles such as fallen limbs out of the way to allow unrestricted cutting.

Check out this video showing Don Fernando Caamano, a veteran machete-man, taking care of some brush with a 24 inch Hansa lampon machete.

Trimming Native Grasses

Using native grasses for landscaping has become very popular here in the US. Machetes and hand sickles are the perfect tool for maintaining native grasses.

In early spring, dead leaves and flower stalks should be cut-back to provide space for new growth. Hand sickles and machetes are perfect for removing dead, unsightly vegetation. Last year's growth should be cut to about 4-6 inches above ground level.

Additionally, machetes can be used to divide overgrown clumps of grasses into smaller clumps for replanting.

Machetes and Woodlot Management Part 1

The machete can be a vital tool if you are a landowner looking to improve the economics and diversity of your woodlot.

1) Clear vegetation around new planting to reduce competition.
2) Clear diseased or non-viable trees to make room for valuable timber species.
3) Diversify transition zones between forest and field by creating tiered levels of vegetation.
4) Create brush piles for local wildlife.
5) Avoid straight lines and angles, remember that organic growth usually appears random.

Martindale Machetes

Ralph Martindale & Company Ltd of England produces an incredible variety of edge tools for sale all over the world. Many of their machetes are produced in their factory in Ghana, West Africa. Once produced, they are sold all over the African continent. Martindale also makes other styles popular in Asia and the Americas. Well-known for consistent quality and attention to detail, Martindale supplies machetes and survival tools to the British Armed Services.
MacheteSpecialists.com now offers the largest selection of Martindale machetes in North America.

Palm Tree Trimming Tool

Most people knowledgeable about pruning palm trees know that some type of blade is required. Though old, dry fronds do not harm the tree, they can become unsightly if left for too long. A dense, shaggy mass often remains where the dry fronds broke from the tree, which can build up and become a fire hazard and a favorite nesting spot for rodents. With as many different palms as there are, it would be hard to recommend a specific machete for this task, but we can give some suggestions.

Palm trees are very sensitive to damage to their trunks, so utmost care must be taken when removing spent fronds. Generally speaking, pruners can better control their blades if they choose a machete with either a straight or concave cutting edge. Both provide more control compared to a machete with a convex, slicing blade. Sickle like blades have the further advantage of gathering the fronds together right before cutting them.

Since palm fronds are usually not woody, a lightweight machete is preferred to avoid fatigue. Avoid heavy blades.

Machetes with a hook have the advantage of allowing the uses to pull down vegetation to within reach.

If you are needing a palm tree pruning tool, look no further than MacheteSpecialists.com.

Old Edge Tools-Machetes and Billhooks

There are several sites in the UK that specialize in old-time edge tools, many of which are no longer manufactured.

Some great places to look:

timelesstools.co.uk
oldtools.co.uk

Agriculture in the UK has a long history, and for hundreds of years people used hand tools to harvest fuel and food. With the recent mechanization of agriculture, many of these implements were discarded and replaced by newer machines. In the UK however, land parcels still tend to be small, and the growing movement towards sustainable, small-scale agriculture has once again created interest in billhooks, machetes, and other edge-tools.