I thought I'd show y'all what I've been doing with my ESEE Lite Machete the past few weeks. The one room cabin was built by my late father in the mid-nineties, but after his death the land was neglected. Recently I bought the machete and figured I'd try it out. One thing led to another and now I've got a new project.

The clearing has taken course over three 3 to 4 hour periods. The trail that leads to the cabin is about 100 yards long, so the first work period was spent carving it out. The cabin is on what used to be a stocked pond and it has electricity run out to it, although the meter is not in place. I'm going to spend a few more sessions clearing around the cabin, and then when it warms up try out the fishing with my daughter. Although she's in one of the pictures, she wasn't there when I was swinging the machete around like an old lady trying to kill a bee with a broom stick.

As far as the machete goes, I really like it. I was concerned that it would be too short, but after getting used to it, I really like the length. The edge holds us really well, I spend about 20 minutes sharpening it with a Lansky Puck after each use. The handle is really nice too. I wasn't wearing gloves the first two times, yet my pencil pushing hands escaped relatively unharmed. I wore a pair of thin gloves for the third trip and the handles were still properly sized.

Now the pictures:

This is my machete, there are many like it but this one is mine:


The entrance of what would become my trail:


More trail in the making:


Got the trail cut to the cabin:


Unibomber shack exposed:


More clearing:


I'll post more pictures as I continue to clear around the cabin and the trail.

Next a fire pit, then clean and season that cast iron skillet.

How do you like the esee lite machete?

A fire pit sounds like a good idea, but I'm too lazy to mess with cast iron, give me some teflon coated cookware.




It's really nice, but it takes "buy once, cry once" to an extreme. I paid about $65 for it, but you can get the same blade straight from Imacasa with a cheaper handle on it for about $20. Basically, ESEE takes the Imacasa blade and profiles it slightly, sharpens it, coats it, and fits a nice micarta handle to it.

Cast iron is easy! Season it and then just wipe it out when done! Plus unlike a teflon coating, it won't wear off. You might have to reseason every once in a while but it doesn't wear off.

Machetes are cool. I like your cabin, too. You're going to have fun.

Can't wash it with soap. I miiiiiiiiight give it a try.

Gracias!

It's gonna be 47 degrees here Saturday, good machete swinging temperature.

Project needs moar Gravely bush hog! You will get tired of swinging that machete! This will cut 2" to 3" brush no problem with the heavy blade.

you don't need to really wash it most of the time. I burned some cheese on mine when doing eggs with cheese a while back and I just waited for it to cool and hit it with with one of those Lodge plastic scrapers
I occasionally get some really black grease build up on my cast iron grill pan and use just a little bit of soap and lightly use a soft brush or plastic scruby. cleans it without removing the seasoning

How are you going to get rid of all those short "stumps"? Or are you? I'd hate to trip and fall on those things they're like punji sticks.

Huh. I've never seen one of those before. Looks like it should rent pretty cheap from the local United Rentals. I'll probably put an eye out with it.

That's part of my security system.

I'm thinking they will come up a little easier after the roots die back. I've used a shovel on a few of them and it's not too bad. Maybe I'll rent one of those walk behind bushhogs pictured above.

Great work clearing a path and around the small cabin! By hand!!!
How bad is the cabin? Is it savable?
Looks like it had a wood burner of some kind! Is it still there?
Does the green roof porch fold down to cover the front?
What did your Dad use it for? Fishing only?
So many questions! Just make it down to me being noisy!!!
And me thinking how lucky you are!!!
Have fun!!!


PITA45

Thanks for the comments and questions!

My daughter and I got out there and roasted some marshmallows this past Sunday.

Thanks!!!
Keep US post if there is any updates!!!



PITA45

Looks like a fun project.

Well, seeing that I'm in Alabama, that is one of the most amazing pieces of equipment I've ever seen. A baby bushog. A beatiful thing.

Enjoy your new hideaway, OP.  Looks like there's potential.

Will do!



Good exercise too for a 42 year old fat man.



Thanks, it has good memories too.



Yes, it does look beautiful. I need to see if United Rentals carries them. However, slinging the machete is not bad either. The trick is to keep it sharp, if that's even considered a trick.



Danka

A little brush burning the other week. My daughter and I roasted some marshmallows. The vegetation was still very green and difficult to get burning (without gas.) I'm going to try it again this weekend, and hopefully have a good fire going while cutting fresh vegetation down. Oh yeah, there was a mocassin under the canoe. He looked like he had froze to death, but I gave him a good measure adjustment with the machete just in case.


The view of the pond from the cabin. The overflow drain is a little clogged. I'll wait for summer/dryer season to clean it out. The dock is an inch or so under water and is supposed to be a few inches above it.

A little more work done:

If you don't go with the bush hog, that heavy of undergrowth will be a lot easier to clear with a ditch blade.  Ask me how I know.  

I've got an old one that I sharpened up. My ditch axe technique must suck, because I found the Latin style machete much easier.

So did ya work a chain gang or sumthin?

Cabin?  Cabin?

I hate to tell you, but that is a shack!

Seriously, looks like a lot of fun.

I actually refer to it as my Unibomber shack, thank you.

Every time I go to it I expect to see Jessie Pinkman and Walter White.

Stihl

Man, that thing cost over 1k! Too rich for my blood. Actually I probably will rent one of those walk behind bushhogs. In the mean time, here's me clearing some hedge by hand:

The stihl is pricey but solid.  Nothing is faster to cut those plants flush with the ground and eliminating those sharp stobs. I can make that area smooth as a pancake.

I guess they probably rent those too, huh? It took me two whole days to recover from all that machete chopping, so I probably need to upgrade my tool selection.

Glade to see your have not given up! I guessing you do not have a fall down there,
like we do up north! At lease you have a longer growing season then us!
So it may take a season or so to cut,clear and maintain that 20 plus years growth!
Have you seen any life in the pond? Snakes, frogs, turtle or fish!
Do you know what feeds that pond?
Well keep it up! You may not see the end soon! But when you get there!
You look back and say: "What the hell was I thinking!"
Then get a chair, a cold one of your chose! An watch the sun set out front of
your Cabin/ Uni-bomber shack!  YOURS!!!!

Keep us posted! With pictures!


PITA45