This is likely the one tool I get more emails about, close second is flashlights.
Remember a few years back, OK more than a few, when Leatherman was the tool everyone needed to have. It had and has a great knife, little saw, scissors in some, etc. Letherman became a household name for a multi-tool, and today I barely hear the name anymore. What ever happened to the Swiss Army Knife?
While we all carry a multi-tool in any type of disaster area, its just a small tool for when you don’t have the bigger sibling. Just yesterday I got a promotion for a Gerber Broad Cut Machete, wow that is a nice tool. I am a volunteer of Team Rubicon and a sawyer for them, so I assume someone that knows me added my name to a list. A bushman probably would say “what a beauty”. And indeed it is, I don’t own one but had the pleasure of cutting some vines with one.
I should point out that none of the vendors here asked me to write about their tools.
Now I would love to put to a test some axes against this Gerber Tomahawk, its expensive but incredibly worth it. A pry bar on one end, ax obviously and a hammer behind it. I may even consider this over the machete just so I don’t have to carry another tool. That oval shape like area between the lower point of the ax and the logo is very sharp, put it behind the vine and pull and you are done. WARNING: don’t pull the vine close enough to hurt you. Which brings me to a point, you always need training and practice with this tools. If you have ever been cut by a small knife or multi-tool, imagine what this can do.
Gerber is probably my go to brand right now for cutting tools.
Now if I further want to cut in tools to carry as they are heavy, Off-Grid Tools has this ax, hammer, bottle opener, wrench, saw, and whatever those other ones may be. I have never used one but a friend of mine loves his. And he got it from Amazon I believe.
Of course I am leaving for last my favorite vine and small shrubs cutting tool. The Gerber Gator Machete is a cutting edge on one side and has this hook to pull-and-cut or gather, and you can even dig or sharpen by what the website says. I absolutely loved the pulling vines and how easy it cut them. Something bigger, turned it and slashed it.
Talking about slashing above. Many people swing a machete like if they we smacking something, sure that will work but won’t be the best. Blades are made to slide up or down through what they are cutting, so when you swing a machete and as soon as it hits what you are cutting, make sure to slightly pull as well so the blade can actually do its job. In other words, if you are cutting a banana that is 1 inch in diameter, the banana should have seen 1.5 to 2 inches of that blade. Or you can just take a bite.