I did some "machete" work with all three knives, too amc. I find it hard to get decent pictures of slashing through palmettos. The best all-around of the three in that test was the DFLE, but the the Browning was better at a slicing through the palmettos and light vegetation. The Ranger RD9 and DFLE are about dead even in both chopping hard wood and machete work. The comfort of the DFLE handle gives it an advantage for long days of use, but the Ranger is pretty darned good as an all-around chopper. I see you are up at Ft Bragg. Spent some time there in the 70s at ROTC "Summer Camp". 82nd Airborne Division is hard core. If you are a paratrooper, I'd go with one of the non-shiny ones. The DF CG is more a pure chopper, like the FBM. It is too heavy to swing all day hacking through jungle or brush, but it is a great camp knife and chops like a small axe.