That’s very true, but the topic has temporarily switched from that to zombies and aliens. I’m sure we’ll get back on track soon.. Lol...
A machette here with all the ultra thick vines and brush. We used it to cut down everything from vines to small trees and it has held up very well. It was made out of a leaf spring of an older car, tempered and shaped and it has really been put to the test by us for past 25 yr.s. You slice down and side cut a small tree in a few moments with it. We also like the axe, that almost gave me a heart attack last year trying to take up roots from a Mimosa Tree. Problem is you don't know your about to drop dead till you stop!
As you get older the work related arthritis makes you want to avoid the shock related activity that comes from swinging axes and machete.
I'm gettin' old, that said, if you think about going down a forest road without an axe- please don't. You can get a couple mile down a road you've driven for years and there is a tree across the darn thing. Last summer my son-in-law awaken me to say a tree had come down on my 4X4 truck. He hadn't parked it poorly but a tree on the neighbor's property had come down and struck a tree on our property, because of a unbelievable amount of rainfall, that tree fell on my truck with about 20' sticking out on both sides. He cleaned up the driver's side with his chain saw and I did the other with my axe. Snow fall or high wind can lock you from going down a road. The axe, bow saw and a plastic wedge (so if your saw gets pinched you can using the axe and wedge get it out).
I'd probably go hatchet on this choice. I see advantages to both, but I was raised with plenty of hatchet use. Not so familiar with the machete.
unless you are having to make a trail in thick jungle.. I find that a hatchet is a much better tool. If I could only have one, it would probably be a hatchet.
When we go down East we have the shovel, and hatchet ready. If needed the shovel can be used as a makeshift axe.
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