How to Use the Machete?

This wonderful tool has evolved quite magnificently and the world has seen some unique types of machete blades so far. You can find different types of machetes around the world; all the types are based on their uses as well as their origin.

Each of them has its own features and uniqueness by possessing distinguishable sizes and shapes. Different types and their uses have a close connection with each other. Each machete is designed to provide benefits to users in different situations.

In this article, we are going to explore the world of high-quality Machetes and find out the ultimate fields of use as well. There are some most popular types of machete that contain different features.

Table of Contents

Tips For, How to Use a Machete?

Whether you are a beginner or a professional machete user, you just need to follow some safety measures to keep yourself safe while using, sharpening, and carrying your machete. If you will not take about safety you may face some serious injury while using this tool. In the following given section, we are going to discuss some fundamental steps that you have to follow for machete safety. We will also give you some expert suggestions that will help you to make your machete in a better and safe way.

Check The Area

Before using the tool you have to ensure that the area where you are going to work is within range of your swing is clear and that nothing or no one is standing behind you. You also need to check continuously as you are working. If it is possible for you, try no kid or pet could appear while you have this tool in your hand.

How to Hold Your Machete Right Way

This is another important thing that you must need to focus on for safety purposes. Finding the right grip is really important for the perfect and efficient use of the machete. If your grip will be wrong then the use and its swing will also be wrong. Moreover, if you will hold your tool in the wrong way then you may end up getting blisters. You must need to certainly wear out faster and from a protection standpoint, due to the wrong grip, you may end up losing a toe. To hold the machete in the best way you have to notice the following things:

When you have this tool in your hand, you start by wrapping the thumb and your forefinger will around the opposite sides of this tool’s handle and you will pinch them together tightly.
You need your other 3 fingers to wrap loosely around the base of the machete’s handle.
Actually, the handle must have a little play in your palm; it must be able to slightly wiggle around. There is a common mistake that most beginners do; they grip its handle really tight even if they leave their palm print. There is no need to do so.

How To Swing Your Machete

This section will help you to know how can you swing this tool to perform different actions such as hacking or chopping, you must use a heavy, broad, sweet spot machete tool. It will help you to generate momentum, with a direct force that is applied against an object that you want to chop. That’s why the machete is considered really effective. The user doesn’t need to insert the full strength of their wrist and shoulders as well, it only needs the momentum of the user’s core. There are some tips to achieve this:

First of all, when you will swing the tool, you should begin higher and direct your full arm in the direction downward which will help to increase the momentum. The user will also have the machete’s weight and gravity on their side.
When you will swing you can bring your shoulders down which will help you to know that your core’s momentum is actually supplying the main power, generating a thrust that is flowing via your arm and into the machete.
It is really essential to allow your elbow to lead the swing’s direction.
Try to slightly flick your wrist, while you are contacting with the material you are cutting. The woody vegetation needs a flick downward, whereas the leafy grass needs to flick upwards.

Angle Of Contact

With a grip as well as a swing, there is another important thing to keep in mind which is the angle of the machete’s blade that you are using to hit the material being cut. It will impact your work efficiency and you may feel tired very quickly. It means that you get the angle wrong and each time when you will try to cut anything your machete may stick.

How to Carry Your Machete?

As you know that it is one of the most dangerous and sharp tools, so you shouldn’t keep it open until you will use it. So, when the tool is not in use, keep and carry it in its sheath. It will help you to carry the tool with easy and is also good for safety purposes.

Safety Tips

To use this tool in an efficient way you have to know about some common safety tips that will help you to protect yourself from any kind of injury or damage as well. These tips are:

Wear gloves
Use your pinch grip to hold
Hold the tool with a smooth and flexible grip
Keep the lanyard with your machete
Don’t use it with wet hands
Don’t swing the machete or cut across your body
Never use the tool when you are tired
Don’t panic while chopping or making your path

What Do You Need To Do To Avoid?

You have to avoid the following things while using the machete:

Don’t use the machete at a perpendicular approach. Make a contact at a 45-degree angle.
You should use swift strokes with your wrist’s flick upward while you are slashing through soft vegetation. For the thicker wood or foliage, you have to use the flick downward.
While cutting the small trees or thick branches, you have to cut the V-shaped notch in the offending material and then alternate between the upward as well as the downward strokes. It will help to chop each side’s slivers of wood unless you will make your way via the complete trunk.

Important Thing to Remember

You may need to choose this tool for several purposes such as chopping, cleaning the backyard, camping or maybe as a survival weapon. Whatever the purpose is, there are some important things that you need to keep in mind while using this tool.

Make sure that you are not feeling tired, try to use this tool when you relax otherwise it can be dangerous for you.
Don’t swing it or cut across your body because if it will slip for your hand it can hit your body such as your hand or knee. So you just need to cut the outside of your body, which means the right or left side of your body.
Must check that there is no one who is standing in near you; ensure that the person is far from the radius where the slipped tool can be reached. Take special care of your pets and kids.
If you are on an outing or if you are following a person who is already using the tool, try to make a way through, you should need to make a safe and clear distance while tracking the first person and clean up some branches that are sharp, tress or the spikes through a way which is made by the previous person, So if any person will fall, seriously nobody is hurt.
Never ever chop while walking, first chop and then walk to check your surrounding area.

Common Problems Regarding Machete Safety

Let’s have a look at some important points that you should need to remember for using this tool. It is not important how professional you are at using the machete. Here we are going to tell you about some common problems regarding the safety of machetes.

Hard Grip

Some people think that the harder they hold this tool can get more effective the results but it is not true at all. This is one of the big mistakes that people do. By using this method you will do nothing just hurt your wrist and shoulders as well. You have to hold the machete with a flexible and smooth grip.

Blisters

Well, this is one of the most common problems that people face while holding any kind of hand tool. This problem can be avoided; a perfect way of holding a machete is to use a pinch grip. Just take your thumb and forefinger to grip this tool loosely and then with the rest of your finger you have to support a flexible grip. This is one of the best techniques that will help you to hold it safely without having any blisters on your hands.

Hitting Hand or Knee While Striking

Well, it can one of the bad things that can happen to you while using the machete. A user can permanently lose his or her legs. So to avoid this kind of damage you have to avoid the machete swinging and cutting across your body. To protect yourself from this type of situation it is better t cut outside your body.

Machete Slippage

This is another worst thing that can lead to fatal losses. Most people think that this is negligible, but it is actually not right. If you are going to use this tool as a beginner must keep this in your mind, and use cloth or gloves if your palms are getting sweaty. This will help you to hold the tool perfectly. Don’t use this tool when your hands are wet because it can become a cause of serious injury.

Swing Angle

There is another common mistake that people do while using a machete which is striking straight. Doing this will help you with nothing instead of wasting your energy level and striking momentum as well. After a short time, you will start to feel tired. It is best to swing that at an angle of 45 degrees which will help you to avoid any kind of harm. Create a notch of a V-shape when you are going to cut a thick object. Safety is the first priority when it comes to handling, gripping, or using any sharp object such as a machete.

Conclusion

If you are a beginner who is going to use a machete for the first time then this article is really helpful for you, these tips are also helpful for the professional users because sometimes the professionals can also do some mistakes, especially when they have no proper knowledge of using a machete. So no matter that you are a beginner or a professional it is important to know and follow all the safety rules for secure use. We want your security while becoming an expert user of the machete. Hopefully, this guide will be useful for all the people who love to use this tool for different purposes.