Where to buy Goloks, Machete and Parangs [Archive] - British Blades

View Full Version : Where to buy Goloks, Machete and Parangs

Hellz

28-09-04, 09:24 AM

Could any of the kind bushy folk out there offer some links where I can peruse some reasonably priced goloks, machetes or parangs?

Any recommendations would be welcome too. Use would be clearing overgrown woodland pathways of foliage/branches.

Thanks,

Hellz

Goloks... what a brilliant word :rotfl:

Raz

28-09-04, 10:49 AM

http://www.valiantco.com/

Hellz

28-09-04, 11:04 AM

http://www.valiantco.com/
Thanks, that's the comapany that make the Survival Golok I was looking at, but can't seem to see it on their site?

More links, must have more links :D

Hellz

dtalbot

28-09-04, 12:09 PM

Lurch

28-09-04, 01:03 PM

I've noticed a few people recommend Valiantco for parangs etc. Looking at their site though most seem designed for looking at rather than using - bit too decorative for my tastes.
What do other folks think?

Raz

28-09-04, 02:12 PM

Goloks are on the "Java" Section.
May be pretty but they are tools. (www.outdoors-magazine.com)

People like Martindale, Ontario, and Tramontina, make plain cheap machetes.

BRKT have a Golok in the works, I'm waiting for that!

Martyn

28-09-04, 02:21 PM

Thanks, that's the comapany that make the Survival Golok I was looking at, but can't seem to see it on their site?

More links, must have more links :D

Hellz

It used to be listed on page 1 of thier java selection. Ther link seems to load an empty page now though. :confused:

Hellz

28-09-04, 04:23 PM

It used to be listed on page 1 of thier java selection. Ther link seems to load an empty page now though. :confused:
That'll be why I can't find it...

At least it's not just me, so that's ok :D

BRKT have a Golok in the works, I'm waiting for that!
ooooooh

Hellz

Lurch

28-09-04, 04:55 PM

BRKT have a Golok in the works, I'm waiting for that!

Oooo!
Where d'y' hear that?
Any links to prototypes or similar?

Raz

28-09-04, 06:56 PM

http://forums.outdoors-magazine.com/viewtopic.php?t=970

ODS

28-09-04, 07:53 PM

Cold Steel offer some cheap machetes and gerber offers the "brush thinner" ...Bex has the Gerber if you want to inquire with him about his thoughts of it.

Golok...BRK&T... you guys can't think I'm going to tell you about every little thing brewing in the BRK&T shop can you?...otherwise there would be no surprises :)

Bex

29-09-04, 06:53 PM

The brush thinner has been tested in South American rainforest and is highly thought of by the locals. At around £25 it is, I think, very good value and a well thought out tool.

http://www.gerberblades.com/products/view.php?model=2773

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=268415

Cold Steel ones are made in South Africa I think. Some good reviews have been posted, some not so good.

A couple of years ago I tried to buy some Valiant stuff. After waiting months, getting no responses to emails, (in the end they were bouncing as the mailbox was full) and finally having to fax through to Australia), I demanded a refund. I lost about £10 but let it go as life is too short.

Some people have had good results with the Valiant products, but I personally was unhappy with the way they do business. Caveat Emptor.

Danzo

29-09-04, 07:07 PM

If you want it for a specific task Hellz you can wrest my big 'ol engine block kukri from Mrs Danzos gardening gloves and do as thou wilt.

It is totally indestuctable and used for most things at Danzo Towers. At last count Mrs D was using it to thud through next doors out of control trees.

:yikes:

Danzo

Hellz

29-09-04, 08:48 PM

The brush thinner has been tested in South American rainforest and is highly thought of by the locals. At around £25 it is, I think, very good value and a well thought out tool.

http://www.gerberblades.com/products/view.php?model=2773

Thanks for that Bex, I think I have actually seen the Fiskars version in HomeBase, but they were asking a hefty whack for it (about £45 I think) so I didn't pay it much attention. I'll have a proper look at it next time... then order one from somewhere else :D

If you want it for a specific task Hellz you can wrest my big 'ol engine block kukri from Mrs Danzos gardening gloves and do as thou wilt.Thanks Danzo, but I imagine it will be an ongoing task. Ruth has started riding and there are various routes that the local riders use through the private estate all round us. A couple of these that are very 'scenic' are also very overgrown, so I'll be trying to clear a route so Ruth doesn't bump her head ;)

It is totally indestuctable and used for most things at Danzo Towers. At last count Mrs D was using it to thud through next doors out of control trees.

:yikes: Blimey...

familne

29-09-04, 09:50 PM

Bex

What do you use as a sheath for the brush thinner? The plastic case it comes with is pretty useless!

Bex

30-09-04, 10:22 PM

Bex

What do you use as a sheath for the brush thinner? The plastic case it comes with is pretty useless!

I havent had the chance to use mine yet, (moved from the countryside to Manchester for the work :rolleyes: ), so its still sitting in the plastic case.

Something improvised out of cardboard and masking tape would do a practical enough job I'm sure. I dont know why Fiskars dont do a decent plastic cover as I doubt it would add much to the price.

£45 at homebase :yikes: Mine cost £25.50 from Joe

I'm not sure about many kukri's being suitable for the sort of work that a machete does. Due to the weight your arm is likely to get tired a lot quicker.

Bex

30-09-04, 10:30 PM

There are some interesting Italian ones on this site:

http://www.knifeshop.com/cgi-bin/vshop?HTML=door.htm&language=us

Click on Camping Knives on the menu.

MotorbikeMan

30-09-04, 11:01 PM

Lurch

01-10-04, 09:30 AM

A couple of cheap ones, have no idea what they're like, stumbled across them by accident.

http://www.edirectory.co.uk/penrith_survival/pages/moreinfoa.asp?recordid=52843&cid=55

http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/military/index.htm

Got my machete from SOF Military. Rather blunt as delivered, needed to take a lot of metal out of it to get it reasonably sharp. Still not happy with it really.
Functional as you'd expect from a military item.
Use mine for building shooting hides, forgot to clean it once - oops, lotsa rust!

MotorbikeMan

01-10-04, 10:10 AM

Got my machete from SOF Military. Rather blunt as delivered, needed to take a lot of metal out of it to get it reasonably sharp. Still not happy with it really.
Functional as you'd expect from a military item.
Use mine for building shooting hides, forgot to clean it once - oops, lotsa rust!

That's interesting as I was thinking of getting one from there, is the one you have the one with or with out the pouch on the sheath for a sharpening stone?

Lurch

01-10-04, 10:49 AM

No mine doesn't have the pouch for a stone.

robs

01-10-04, 11:22 AM

Hi Hellz

Thanks for that Bex, I think I have actually seen the Fiskars version in HomeBase, but they were asking a hefty whack for it (about £45 I think) so I didn't pay it much attention. I'll have a proper look at it next time... then order one from somewhere else

I got mine for Homebase it was a Wilkinson Swords labelled (made by frisker) it cost £25; I got it to clear up some brush around some pheasant pens.

I must say it made light work of it.

Robs

Hellz

01-10-04, 11:40 AM

I got mine for Homebase it was a Wilkinson Swords labelled (made by frisker) it cost £25; I got it to clear up some brush around some pheasant pens.
:hmmm:

I'm certainly going to check again, cheers :biggthump

Jason_01

04-10-04, 08:22 PM

Or try a good billhook from www.woodlandorganics.co.uk, it the tool that OUR ancestors came up with for just the tasks you describe (and many others as well) so is well suited to British conditions.
Cheers
David

Anyone who has a use for a machete should try a Billhook at least once, very capable tool once you get the hang of them and they dont look as threatening to the knife scared public as a machete.

If you dont mind a bit of work cleaning them up and making new handles the old ones can be had very cheaply, these are often hand forged blades of good steel, take a wicked edge and make short work of limbing, loads of cutting power. At one time there were dozens of different patterns of hook available from English foundries and smiths.

Jason

ANDYLASER

05-10-04, 12:20 AM

I think I'm gonna wait on Mike Stewarts offering.

Jerseyman

05-10-04, 09:41 AM

Wayne D

24-10-04, 11:09 PM

I've owned and used the brit issue Golok and a couple of other golok/machete patterns. including a malay Parang that was stolen when I lived in bedsits!

So I replaced it with a simple cheap solution - my 'Parang' is a cut down Tramontina Machete.

I ground the blade back enlarging the tang so it has a 7" handle and a 13" blade .

the handle was a hammer handle , cut length ways and ground to an oval shape on a belt sander and then wrapped with fabric grip tape!

with the blade length and shape of the handle it has a comfortable balance, is easy to sharpen with a scythe stone and hold it's edge well.

Cost?
Tramontina Machete £6.95
hammer handle 59p
fabric tape 95p

and this was the model I used , and the final result -it's looking a bit worse for wear nowadays!