I'm with EMF; I always figured a machete was more for clearing succulents and vines, saplings, that stuff. So thin and broad for effective slashing, not thick and stiff for whacking through hard wood. Could just be user-opinion. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
My thin machetes chop hard wood quite well. There is a technique to it, though. In my mind, the lowly machete is the ultimate survival tool in all areas with thick vegetation, not just tropical rainforests. I have spent much of my life in such areas and tried many different knives. Next best is a long bladed knife, that is not too heavy to swing. It could be a bowie, a kukri, or a golok.
My favorite knife for this is the DFLE. Give me a machete or long knife and a Swiss Army knife and I can do most any cutting, chopping, or slicing chore that comes up.
