Is there a Folding machete or slasher

Hi

As an xc map explorer ( and ? I go rambling with the mrs) this year seems to be the year of the overgrown trails. I’ve got a bramble proof shirt from Polaris (*and so far it does appear to work and has been stress tested) but I still resent getting brambled or rosed as you’re crashing through and I now know that my lightweight walking trousers and shirt are neither nettle nor bramble proof after a particularly overgrown half mile section between a fence and hedge.

Anyway I have a folding pruning saw, the ranmblers all seem to carry secateurs but I reckon a slashing type too would be best as you can take to tops off everything fairly quickly. So is there such a thing as a reasonable (30l daypack) sized, lightweight, folding tool that might do the job. Ta

We carry a folding scythe. Cuts through them easily

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363894062152?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=grnr83ubrxo&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=eMMoTPPlT7y&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Cheers, looks like just the job. Couple of options under folding scythe search on eBay.

Just don’t go riding through town afterwards and have the police stop you and look in your bag… ?

Yeah I’m always getting stopped on my bike by the police to have a look in my bag… and by always I mean never.

the scrotes on the suron’s on the other hand… yeah also never.

But I agree the thread title gave me pause for thought ;-)

I use a Fiskars XA3 brush hook for clearing trails. It doesn’t fold but does fit inside a 30l rucksack.

Yeah I’d seen the fiskars xa3 and liked the look of it (but also think it looks a bit more “weaponlike”, but i also think the blade angle would be better for walking forward and being able to cut forward left or right, just that I thought the handle might stick out so if it folded it would be out of sight out of mind.

I would be slightly cautious about carrying some of those as part of the legislation around zombie knives included machetes.
Considering my partner got recently searched by the police at work as they had “reports of a female cutting grass with a knife”
I am slightly concerned that traditional tools like Bill hooks will be caught up in the knife paranoia.

Secateurs and Folding Saw.

I have teh same folding scythe, could never really get the hang of the swing though, I stopped using it much (there was a load of wild-growing bamboo near me that it was awesome for but I just never got much use out of it for grass, nettles etc. I have a cheap, larger folding saw that works almost as well just wildly slashing with it.)

I’ve got a Fiskars xa3 Brushhook instead, it doesn’t fold but it does come with a blade cover thing and it’s still small enough to carry in a riding pack (not something you’d carry all the time like you can a folding saw, but it’s no bother to ride with). Chonky enough to cut up to small trees and super effective at light stuff, they’re not very sharp from the factory but they’re good steel, they hold a good edge if you put one on

Actually I wonder if the best riding option might be just to get a big folding saw, cheap 30cm number with the big handle, and detooth it then grind on a cutting edge?

I use something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/FLORA-GUARD-Folding-Non-Slip-Lightweight/dp/B071W8H8GN

The only forum I’m on where this question doesn’t seem threatening….

Whatever it is, it wants to be something you wouldn’t mind landing on should you have an unplanned otb and land on your backpack.

We use a “Matchet”

I would be slightly cautious about carrying some of those as part of the legislation around zombie knives included machetes.

I asked my wife, who’s a copper, for her opinion before I bought it. Her opinion was that as a middle aged man using it to chop undergrowth I’d be fine and even if I was reported by a member of the public it’s unlikely any police would attend. It seems fairly obvious to not cart it through a town centre without a very good excuse.

From my reading of the law that changes this month, a machete created as a tool, stored securely (for example a locked shed not in a house) and used in an appropriate manner, is not affected by the new laws

It is the “zombie-style machete” that have no practical use or purpose other than to intimidate and maim, that are the focus of the current amnesty

These have defining features of the blade such as holes, spikes, serrated edges and multiple points that will be illegal to own from 24th September 2024

I asked my wife, who’s a copper, for her opinion before I bought it. Her opinion was that as a middle aged man using it to chop undergrowth I’d be fine and even if I was reported by a member of the public it’s unlikely any police would attend.

I see her point – but if the landowner or ranger doesn’t think you should be there / doing it then the cops might have a different opinion!  Likewise if the red socks people think secateurs are the right tool and find you intimidating in your approach it does nothing for the relationship – and you can never rule out the possibility that the complainer is more connected than your average member of the public (a cop, parent of a cop, wife/husband of cop, PCC, counsellor and close friends all all of the above) in a rural area may have enough sway to get an actual response.  Now whether that’s dealt with by strong words or handcuffs probably depends in part on how you respond.

I think there’s definitely a time and place to use them so you’re minimising the chance of conflict.

Thought about this thread while hiking some overgrown paths today – a big blade seems a good idea for the job but the risk of injury if you are out on your own – crashing or while using, the risk of appearing intimidating without meaning to, and the risk of getting aggro from a busybody and/or the Police makes me think secateurs and a folding saw are a better all round solution and would probably do a better job.

My current plan is to buy a folding scythe off eBay and try to modify it so that the blade goes round another 90 degrees so it is in line with the handle. Folded it should be ok in rucksack and could put it in a sock etc to keep it closed.

The xa3 is great. I’d be a lot more wary of carrying the fiskars machete-axe. (Though it comes with a much better sheath than the xa3

That machete axe def looks like something Danny Trejo would run around with.

Looks like a good tool but more than a little questionable

not sure i’d want to be swinging something that *could* pivot closed against my hand

Mildly amused that with people tucking tools down headsets, in bars and frame cavities to not carry anything. There are others taking sets of gardening tools to fight through the undergrowth?

I’m not sure Fiskars officially sell the machete/axe or their machete/saw in the UK, you can find them for sale but they definitely sail close to the terribly thought out “zombie knife” definition. If it had, say, the product’s name on the handle it’d definitely be prosecutable.

They have another tool just called “small solid billhook” which is really a bit small but has a useful blade, can saw a bit (it’s of the “heavy blade that saws badly but is very durable” variety and comes with a really good scabbard, I had a wee play with one of those and tbh if the handle or blade was 6 inches longer it’d be great but as it is, you can swing with it but you pretty much have to have long sleeves and just put your arm into the bushes.

towzer
Full Member

My current plan is to buy a folding scythe off eBay and try to modify it so that the blade goes round another 90 degrees so it is in line with the handle.

TBH this is what I really want, I didn’t get on with the 90 degree blade- be interested to see how you get on

Seeing as the police don’t even do anything about the actual machete carrying scrotes I wouldn’t worry in the slightest about carrying trail tools, I carry a folding saw regularly when riding local trails, you’ll get in far worse bother saying something inflammatory on social media.

Of course if you’re going to do this seriously, you need a matching Helfare hoody with built in face mask so the po-po can’t even see your face!

I tried the folding scyth that Tracey linked to and felt it was made of cheese, the “latch” that holds the blade in place deformed and was in danger of failed within a couple of hours use, so I sent it back… I bought a spear and jackson bill hook instead, and was desperately jealous when I saw the Fiskar version ? TBH I don’t do much trail clearance on ride, just only trees/branches with my saw, but tend to return on foot to clear trails, with a bigger bag to hide the bill hook

The easiest way I have found to clear is a battery hedge cutter.  But following a recommendation on here I bought a weed slasher, which has been great but needed some sharpening at the start and the handle needs a better shape.

https://www.diy.com/departments/heavy-duty-800mm-weed-slasher-slash-clearing-long-grass-weeds-whip-scythe-sickle/5060719486699_BQ.prd?&&&&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrp-3BhDgARIsAEWJ6SyY3rA49now7MVUZqF8XUnGJbBBTSTmgmnhkfZU5x1CmKGibD1sZ-AaAqFEEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

This will cut through most brambles and take out a good arc swing of bracken once the sides have been sharpened. Light so not too tiring to use or carry and not too long, it sticks out of a backpack about 20cm.

~~~~~
£7 delivered weed slasher
~~~~~
Requires sharpening but effective

Take a hi viz to put on when attacking the undergrowth and anyone will think you’re official.

Nothing like what the op wants, but I’ve got this, being a Makita fanboi.

Pretty small and backpackable and breaks down easily enough.

Great for hedges if not too thick and good for nettles and stuff. Two blade types supplied. Thinking of trying the shorter blades on the dog.

• 

Oooooooo, XA3, i needs one for the garden…

Thinking of trying the shorter blades on the dog.

Trying to work out if you mean shearing the dog, or tying the tool on him so he runs through the undergrowth cutting his own path.

Either way, please post the video!

I bought an XA3 years ago for this exact purpose – I am so lazy though I only actually used it once to clear a trail!! It worked great though and it does still see a lot of use in the garden.

It’s very light & has a plastic cover which makes it safe so I can’t imagine there being a problem even if you fell on it whilst in your back. The fact it’s not for stabbing & doesn’t look like a machete, combined with the orange handle, makes it look like a tool not a weapon IMO – I don’t think anyone would look twice especially if you popped on a hi-vis vest! That said I didn’t have to cycle through a town on my way to the woods with it – the handle sticks out the top of my backpack so it’s obvious you’ve got “something” in there.

^^^ that mini Makita thing looks great though! I have the full-size version (which isn’t packable) but that looks just the thing for ridding the trail of nettles/brambles.

mattyfez
Full Member

I don’t know how true it is, but it’s all over Reddit that this latest ‘incident’ , the ‘would be shooter’ voted for Trump in 2016.

But don’t wear a green softshell + hiviz or people will constantly come up to you and complain about the standard of the paths/drains.

I take a backpack and clear trails regularly.

Silky bog boy folding saw

fiskars xA3

ill carry a DeWalt hedge trimmer for severe brambles and nettles (clearly can’t ride with this, but it’s very effective and lasts a long time on 1 battery)

https://media.screwfix.com/is/image/ae235/113HV_P

Seeing as the police don’t even do anything about the actual machete carrying scrotes I wouldn’t worry in the slightest about carrying trail tools, I carry a folding saw regularly when riding local trails, you’ll get in far worse bother saying something inflammatory on social media.

the reason people believe stuff like this is true is because people like you post it!  Try walking down your local high st wearing a hoodie and brandishing a machete – see what happens.  You probably believe that custody is a holiday camp too – you can let us know if your view changes after you experience it yourself.

I’d be a lot more wary of carrying the fiskars machete-axe.

Without getting a tape measure out – I suspect that falls within the definition of “zombie knife” and from next week will be illegal to own – even in your own home.