Best steel for these machetes

[SpydieFlicker]

Thanks to everyone for replying! I really liked your post Mike Slayer, it was full of stuff I didn't know.
I also agree that it would be col to see an ethnic series khukri or parang from Spyderco, and in fact I am going to make a poll in General Discussion on it.

[JD Spydo]

I like S7 for impact tools a lot.

Are these the first machetes that you are making?

I cut my first blades from AEB-L and 80CRv2 because they were reasonable steels that were inexpensive, and I'm still in the steep part of the learning curve--I started in August and have made about 10 blades now. I'm nowhere near feeling proficient enough to spend the money on really good steels (or handle materials, or whatever) at this point.

I haven't worked with 3v, but I do own a Machete in 3v and it's a beast. Holds up really well to abuse and still has better edge holding than any other machete I've owned. I have a big chopper in S7 that doesn't do as well--but 3v is expensive stuff.

Well TOM you stole my thunder :D But I'm glad you did. I was just coming back from a visit to a friend of mine who does all kinds of shop work at his home. He told me that he has spoke to several guys who make their own axes, hatchets, hawks ect. that "S-7" tool steel is believed by several of his metal-crafting friends as a great steel for making striking-cutting tools.

I've also noticed reading in several of the knife magazines I subscribe to especially over the past 3 to 5 years that there are more and more custom makers that are now using "S-7" for making various striking-cutting tools. Not sure how S-7 stacks up on raw material price but I don't see any steel going for bargain prices anymore. Albeit if I was making custom axes, hatchets or hawks I would want to use a high quality type of steel.

If there is something that exceeds the quality of "S-7" I would sure like to know what that might be? Because overall I've heard nothing but good about it for striking tools.

[TomAiello]

I have a condor baryonx or however its spelled.
It's thin with 1075 and it is amazing...

I have two of those and I'm very fond of them. I bought the back up after dinging the first one up hard doing some trail work, but I was able to clean up the first one (I had to grind the blade back a ways) and now I've got two in service.

I haven't found a better working tool at that price, for those tasks.

[M Sea]

I have a condor baryonx or however its spelled.
It's thin with 1075 and it is amazing...

I have two of those and I'm very fond of them. I bought the back up after dinging the first one up hard doing some trail work, but I was able to clean up the first one (I had to grind the blade back a ways) and now I've got two in service.

I haven't found a better working tool at that price, for those tasks.

I have been wanting one of these. Did you go to them direct? Thanks, Blade HQ is out of stock.

[MacLaren]

I have a condor baryonx or however its spelled.
It's thin with 1075 and it is amazing...

I have two of those and I'm very fond of them. I bought the back up after dinging the first one up hard doing some trail work, but I was able to clean up the first one (I had to grind the blade back a ways) and now I've got two in service.

I haven't found a better working tool at that price, for those tasks.

I have been wanting one of these. Did you go to them direct? Thanks, Blade HQ is out of stock.

Think I got mine from either Amazon or Knife Center

[M Sea]

I have a condor baryonx or however its spelled.
It's thin with 1075 and it is amazing...

I have two of those and I'm very fond of them. I bought the back up after dinging the first one up hard doing some trail work, but I was able to clean up the first one (I had to grind the blade back a ways) and now I've got two in service.

I haven't found a better working tool at that price, for those tasks.

I have been wanting one of these. Did you go to them direct? Thanks, Blade HQ is out of stock.

Think I got mine from either Amazon or Knife Center

Thank you, will check now!

[TomAiello]

I have a condor baryonx or however its spelled.
It's thin with 1075 and it is amazing...

I have two of those and I'm very fond of them. I bought the back up after dinging the first one up hard doing some trail work, but I was able to clean up the first one (I had to grind the blade back a ways) and now I've got two in service.

I haven't found a better working tool at that price, for those tasks.

I have been wanting one of these. Did you go to them direct? Thanks, Blade HQ is out of stock.

I bought mine direct.

https://www.baryonyxknife.com/bama.html

[M Sea]

I have a condor baryonx or however its spelled.
It's thin with 1075 and it is amazing...

I have two of those and I'm very fond of them. I bought the back up after dinging the first one up hard doing some trail work, but I was able to clean up the first one (I had to grind the blade back a ways) and now I've got two in service.

I haven't found a better working tool at that price, for those tasks.

I have been wanting one of these. Did you go to them direct? Thanks, Blade HQ is out of stock.

I bought mine direct.

https://www.baryonyxknife.com/bama.html

Thank you

[MacLaren]

I have two of those and I'm very fond of them. I bought the back up after dinging the first one up hard doing some trail work, but I was able to clean up the first one (I had to grind the blade back a ways) and now I've got two in service.

I haven't found a better working tool at that price, for those tasks.

I have been wanting one of these. Did you go to them direct? Thanks, Blade HQ is out of stock.

I bought mine direct.

https://www.baryonyxknife.com/bama.html

Thank you

You'll be suprised just how very sharp you can get her too :D
Pretty wicked piece of equipment imo

[M Sea]

I have been wanting one of these. Did you go to them direct? Thanks, Blade HQ is out of stock.

I bought mine direct.

https://www.baryonyxknife.com/bama.html

Thank you

You'll be suprised just how very sharp you can get her too :D
Pretty wicked piece of equipment imo

Thanks for the heads up, a buddy had one and I used it cleaning up after a storm and fell in love with it.

[James Y]

That Baryonyx machete looks like an excellent design. I can imagine several uses around my property where a shape like that would come in handy. I may have to get one for myself one of these days.

Jim

[Naperville]

My Bark River Knives 1V Machete is waiting for me to pick up. I'll get it next month. I've been waiting for one of these for quite some time.

[me2]

1045, 1055, 4140, 4340, and 1075 are all steels I’ve considered for a machete. S7 is extremely tough but you can hit a rock full swing and the others won’t break so I don’t know if it’s beneficial and S7 is much more expensive than the 10xx steels. Machetes don’t live an easy live and while used in soft materials usually they have accidental impact with all sorts of things. I want my machetes to be easily fixed with a file. That requires a relatively low hardness. Over tempering a higher carbon steel isn’t the ideal way to go unless you have very limited material choices.

[Fireman]

AEB-L, LC200N, 1V, S7