Caloosamusa

A Mamaluke sword slices better than a machete, and is very flexible, I've just never tried it on a banana pseudostem. :-) !!! I find a curved saw works very well, on bananas.

Bananimal, your picture presents the machete well as a useful garden tool. :-)!

Good "steel" is important but the tempering process when creating these are critical to blade resilience. Technology of blade manufacture is not just knowledge of composition, but knowledge of tempering processes as well.

bananimal

Never used a Marmaduke sword! It's a big sucka, right? Likes to hog the couch?

Caloosamusa

I've used it for ceremonies, not much else. It's not wide like a machete, it is longer and is curved like a Samari, but is from the middle east.

trebor

I usually pick up what ever is handy to cut with!

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If ya can't eat it, it ain't growing in my back yard !

Simply Bananas

for cutting down big p stems down low--ground level--I use a cordless saws-all.

For harvesting fruit...machete. Much more fun!


I ordered of the pink accu-sharps to take to CR. It was cheap on ebay, but not $4.

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Afterall...doesn't everyone want a bigger Banana?

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PR-Giants

Sorry if the price increased, I bought the blue 101 now the 001, and it was
$4.22 last year with shipping.

I have to say I cringed when you cut down that Saba.
I would never intentionally let the fruit touch the ground, let alone slam into it.
A tall P-Stem should be cut the same way a tall tree is cut.
Put a V-cut as low as possible on the P-Stem facing the direction you wish it to fall.
Next put a back-cut above the level of the V-cut and now using the center of the P-stem as a hinge pull the P-Stem and slowly walk your hands up as it slowly falls to your shoulder. Clear a few leaves, put one hand on the stalk and cut.
If there are many pups at the base, the two initial cut can be made by rocking the machete back and forth.

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Simply Bananas

I tried to make an X cut, but the machete was really dull. Smaller plants co-operate better. It came down much faster than I thought as it was so big. There was no way to rest any part of the plant on my shoulder. It was nearly 25' tall.

I was not really worried about the bananas, sure some got damaged. It was just my wife and I there to eat them and it was way too many for us--we hung what we did not eat up for the squirrel monkeys. They loved them.

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Darkman

I wish my squirrels would turn into monkeys.

At least I think that would be better.

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Darkman in Pensacola

AS ALWAYS IMHO AND YOUR MILEAGE MAY DIFFER!!!!!!!!

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!

Statistics - Data that analyst twist to support the insane opinions of those that pay them.

PR-Giants

The plant only appears to be heavy, by making the intial cut lower to the ground you lower the center of gravity. I take down plants of that size easily, and occasionally have to stand them back up, Down is easy while up is more difficult. As for smaller plants a baseball bat works well, a nice solid swing will crush the side of the P-stem reducing it's compression strength while maintaining the tensile strength of the back side.

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Nicolas Naranja

Those pseudostems and bunches are quite heavy, probably in excess of 250 lbs.

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PR-Giants

Even if it was 500 lbs it would it light, because one end is resting on the ground. You are only holding a small percentage of the weight.

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raygrogan

Good hit on the baseball bat method, sounds fun. A similar way is with a shovel - sometimes it comes down very easily: Picasa Web Albums - Ray Grogan - Banana Most successful harvest lately was with a dwarf, digging a little around the base to free it from pups, then pulled it down with bunch, with the goal being to take out all of the p-stem. Haven't tried it yet with tall bananas, nor with crowded dwarf. The one that worked well was the first harvest of a new mat.

bananimal

Hey Keith ----- ran into a 2 blade knife sharpener in a box of old tools and tried it on by banana knife. Called the Samurai Shark.

Well I'm sold. Trouble with it is the blade spread changes with different pressures. You were right ---- this type of tool is fast and you can almost shave with the edge it makes.

So I ordered the combo pack of accusharp and shear sharp. Also the garden sharp from Amazon. And the price wasn't too bad.

Yug

MIne was about $12. Seems to work.

bananimal

I now use the accusharp for my food prep knives and cleavers. They are high carbon steel made by Sabatier and are over 30 years old. Three or four passes and the blades are super sharp. Makes food prep a breeze --- just don't slip and cut yourself!

Works well on serrated knives too. Just don't press too hard. And never use on super hardened steel. Or buy a dedicated extra one for that purpose.

G.W.

I intentionally select hard steel machetes.
How do I tell ?

When struck edge to edge with another blade the harder piece becomes obvious.
Spine to spine will return a verdict as well but is actually more destructive.

When inspecting a pile looking for my next purchase I can be seen pressing edges together on many blades, ultimately finding one of superior hardness.
Quality control is mediocre at many factories producing masses of stamped blades so hardnesses can vary considerably within a single lot.

Why do I like harder?
We'll have to get into sword impacts and motions for that explanation. (yeah right)

Convex edges are tougher than concave so I use a concrete slab to sharpen, emphasis on rounding the bevel.
Cinder block, rock, ext.

Perhaps some discussion of edge shapes and associated durability is in order.
Does Ben Franklin have something to say in regards to edge shapes does he now hmmm ?

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winter winners, jackfruit, carambola, hua moa, d namwah, hak ip lychee with pink leaves 2 days before a cold snap eeeek!

Winter losers, kohala longan, misi luki, 80% jackfruit seedling loss

first bloomers, HUA MOA, DC, D NAMWAH, FHIA 17, KANADARIAN, RAJA PURI, M D NAMWAH

best bunch FHIA 17 , undisclosed

WORST BUNCH hua moa, 2 fingers

G.W.

! Husky XP for nanners ?
HOTSAW !!!!!!!.

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winter winners, jackfruit, carambola, hua moa, d namwah, hak ip lychee with pink leaves 2 days before a cold snap eeeek!

Winter losers, kohala longan, misi luki, 80% jackfruit seedling loss

first bloomers, HUA MOA, DC, D NAMWAH, FHIA 17, KANADARIAN, RAJA PURI, M D NAMWAH

best bunch FHIA 17 , undisclosed

WORST BUNCH hua moa, 2 fingers