.... That Condor Machete sounds like a good deal.
How fast does the El Salvador get through wood? Anywhere near the Dog Father?
I doubt it would be very close or much of a contest between the Condor El Salvador and the Dog Father...... It really isn't a "Fair" comparison.
....I am quite confident the Condor El Salvador
will "blow the dogfather away in terms of chopping ability".
... And that is "assuming" you even take the time to give the Dog Father as good an edge as comes from the factory on the El Salvador - to try to make it a bit "more" fair for the Dog Father. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Longer blades provide more torgue and speed = more power.
And the El Salvador weighs more than either DFCG or DFLE - with more weight forward = more power at cutting/contact point.
Dog Father CG = 20.1 ounces
Dog Father LE = 17.0 ounces
Condor El Salvador = 22 ounces
Again, in all fairness, it isn't "fair" to compare the Dog Father to the Condor El Salvador. It is not a "fair" match.
The Condor El Salvador is a bit thicker than even most of the other Condor machetes. And quite thick for a machete. But, it is still a machete with a longer blade and about 0.13" thick, so it has some flex.
Condor's web-site says the El Salvador is 3mm thick (= 0.118” thick), but I measure mine with quality calipers at 0.13” thick.
The shorter DF with 0.25" blade is going to feel stiff by comparison. But, compared to most machete's around 0.08" - 0.09" thick.....
I often see machete specs listed as 2.0mm or 2.2mm:
2 millimeter = 0.0787 inch
or
2.2 millimeter = 0.0866 inch
....., the El Salvador is "Quite" thick and rigid for a machete. And is plenty thick/rigid and heavy enough for serious chopping.
And yeah, while the Condor El Salvador is fairly expensive at $50 for a machete, where many cheaper machetes can be purchased for $10 - $20, considering the quality of the El Salvador, with it's factory edge so AWESOME for a knife let alone a machete.... "AND" it coming with a leather sheath. I think the El Salvador is a VERY nice "Deal" / value.
I honestly "Wish" my Busse and kin blades came with a factory convex edge even in the league of the Condor's factory edge. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> - The Condor's edge is HIGHLY "Optimized" for cutting efficiency from the factory.... similar to Bark River. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
Unfortunately I doubt cutting branches above my head would work very well with a hatchet (Unless I found one with a nice long edge, that might work ok).
Most people don't consider cutting limbs above their heads as a significant portion of their "chopping". Personally, I call removing limbs and branches "Limbing", but that is just semantics I suppose.
But, really how much removing and cutting of limbs above your head do you do vs. chopping below your head?
If you do a lot of "Limbing", get a good machete or appropriate saw.
IMO - a "machete" is better than a hatchet for cutting "certain" smaller limbs above your head. Unless the limbs are a couple of inches thick, then yeah, I would say a (well sharpened) hatchet or small axe is a bit better... (both better than a knife).
If you can cut the limb in a whack or two with a machete, then the machete is faster and if you can't take the limbs off with a whack or so from the machete, a good crosscut "curved" pruning saw is WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY Better than ANYTHING (including hatchet or axe) for over-head limbs! ..... short of a chainsaw.....
A good bow-saw is also a VERY worthy option and either saw will SPANK "ANY" sub-12" bladed "knife" in cutting through wood - whether above OR below your head.
Plus, a good folding saw or bow saw typically only costs about $18 - $25 or so at a decent hardware store, amazon or similar. Buy one that offers replacement blades. If available, replacement blades tend to be cheap. If you cut into dirt with them, they will dull much quicker. As with ALL cutting tools, sharper tools cut WAY better.
Plus, the plastic handled ones being sold now are VERY light-weight. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
They might not seem as "cool" or "Survival" tech, but good saws are VERY effective and efficient. So, I guess you have to decide if you want to look "cool" whacking for a long time with a short knife..... or just get the job done Quickly and Efficiently with WAY less effort.
The folding saws with the "Curved" blades are specifically designed for cutting limbs above your head. The curve helps keep the blade on the limb and in the cut and those blades are typically designed to cut on the pull stroke which is typically better for above the head and with curved blades.
Some folding saws have a straight blade and often cut on the push and pull strokes. These blade will cut above the head, but typically the curved blades are better for above the head and the straight blades "in theory" might "seem" a bit more "versatile". But, in reality, I personally think the curved pull-stroke folding saws are better than the straight bladed ones.
A bow saw is typically larger with a larger blade. So, a compromise if looking to carry. But, VERY fast and efficient if not packing on trails. Bow saws are great for around camp, home, property and similar. The longer blades allow longer cutting strokes. A bow saw "can" work very well in a tree, but the "bow" portion of a bow saw often gets in the way if cutting in the fork of a limb. The curved smaller blades "jab" better in tighter places.
The little wire saws..... meh. Not so good at cutting really. I have only owned one and it was very small, light-weight and packable, but honestly did NOT cut worht it's weight and did NOT compare to any other decent saw designed for cutting wood.
(Side note: Wire saws for cutting PVC are a different matter. Granted a different type of wire saw - so not getting the two confused. But, a wire saw designed for PVC actually cuts PVC faster than a toothed saw. (slower to get started, but way faster to finish. (they can "burn" through PVC so fast the melted PVC can actually melt back together. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" /> Only cutters are faster, but cutters typically have about a 1.5" max PVC diameter cutting ability ... sorry for the side note) Trick: sometimes good to start a notch with a hacksaw blade to get the Wire PVC saw started...
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