• The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
    Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
    Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.

  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

Carbon machetes from Condor are up!

Hey, Mr. Zilla, any word on when the bolos will be available? Just got my Social Security check in, and I'm ready to rock.
 
I use to be hard advocate against stainless machetes...but not after I gave Condor the benefit of the doubt. We got some in at the shop a few years ago to try out, and the designs wowed me enough to take one home, and I'm very critical when it comes to machetes. I soon owned three. And I plan on getting more. :D

The absolute best machetes you will find without going semi- or full-custom.
 
So, my question again, before it gets lost: anyone else sell the high carbon machete?

Any condor favorites?

and:

dawsonbob said:
Hey, Mr. Zilla, any word on when the bolos will be available? Just got my Social Security check in, and I'm ready to rock.
Click to expand...
 
kalama said:
not to be off the subject but howz there ss machetes
Click to expand...

They are outstanding. Convex edges, leather sheaths. I have several.
RedBay011.jpg
 
Md 25v said:
I have a six condor machetes and I've bought over ten but I always end up giving them to friends who are so impressed with them compared to their ontario's. I ordered the outback because none of the condor's I have, like pig stickers and el-salvadors, are heavy enough for good chopping. I love thin machetes for thier penetration in green wood and the outback is nice and thin but has a bit more mass than the ones I have.
Joe, what do you think about the jungle sabre? is it as fast in the hand as it looks? I can't really tell because there is no taper to the blade and its the same width all the way down. My concern is that it will feel unbalanced.
Click to expand...


I think that you will find it is pretty well balanced. I haven't used one of them out in the vines, however they (condor) know machetes pretty well. Also, if you are going for fast in the hand, check out the smaller inca knife. Flash!






RK, didn't know they were out. That is a drag, but it is good that people like Smoky know that we want them. Send them an email and tell them to order more gosh darn it! That was an awesome price for those buggers.
 
Joe, I asked that the day I made my order and received the machetes two days later. I find the balance of the Jungle Sabre to be a little farther forward than I expected but since its such a slim and light machete it is still lightning fast in the hand. There's no fatigue using the Jungle Sabre for hours. I actually had it out today from around 8am till noon clearing a bunch of Rosa multiflora. It's a nasty invasive here and the Jungle Sabre made clearing it a lot of fun.
 
I just love that they offer the Jungle Saber...with a knuckle bow! Makes it look even more appropriate for the name. ;)
 
Joezilla said:
Also, if you are going for fast in the hand, check out the smaller inca knife. Flash!






RK, didn't know they were out. That is a drag, but it is good that people like Smoky know that we want them. Send them an email and tell them to order more gosh darn it! That was an awesome price for those buggers.
Click to expand...

Mmm...Inca knife. I was thinking of grabbing one for a camp chopper. But does it have enough mass? Or would I be better off waiting for one of their future offerings? Problem is, I like a shorter machete (12" or so), and their newer ones in carbon steel are all a bit longer. What to do, what to do...
 
The Inca Knife is super cool. If you're worried about mass, go with the Aztec Cleaver. It's like a monster Nessmuk, though it's traditional name is a machete de suelo ("soil machete"). :)
 
Last edited:
Hot damn! Just got the 18" El Salvador, and I've never held a nicer machete!:D No pics for now, sorry; GF took her digital camera with her on vacation for the next few weeks. I'll try to get some with my computer camera later.

Very decent convex edge on it, the 1/4" bevel is polished and even for the most part. Sharpness not too bad out of the box, duller towards belly and sweet spot. Push cuts paper well enough. I should be able to sharpen her up fine, though I've never sharpened a convex this long.... The machete did arrive with some light surface rust towards the tip, not a big deal and easily fixed. The ricasso is about 2.5", nice spot to choke up on for short periods of time. Coating seems decent out of the box, we'll see how it quickly it wears.

It's definitely got some heft to it with the 18" at 3mm. I think it's about 1.4lbs or something if I remember correctly; I haven't weighed it yet. I think it will chop well. Balance is at 6" from handle. 18" is a bit long and I still want to pick up a 14" Tramontina Bolo, but this Condor sounded like a good deal and I didn't want to pass it up. Glad I didn't, it will get some good use back home in HI. I just have to make sure friends and family don't try to "borrow" it :rolleyes::D.

The synthetic handle is sized well and will fit larger hands easily (I think I have average sized hands). No gaps, it's solid, and the lanyard hole is good. Feels a little smooth, but it's been a long while since I've handled a machete so it could be my imagination. Gloves should help out. Eyballing it gives me a 1 1/8" thickness.

Now, the sheath, in my opinion, really completes this package. I don't mind the cost ($31) with this great sheath included. Very nice, simple black leather. Single stitched, pouch style with no strap. The belt loop actually swivels, definitely a nice touch and much appreciated. Feels durable enough for general use. I hated having machetes laying around without sheaths back home. Having a decent quality sheath provided with this machete saves me the time, effort, and additional cost of shopping around for a sheath that would fit (I've had enough of DIY cardboard and duct tape sheaths :D). I think a good functional sheath is important to any blade I buy. Tthe sheath really puts this condor machete on a higher level. :thumbup: The sheath even LOOKS nice too, functional and not butt ugly :thumbup:.

So, all in all, initial impressions are positively glowing. A great machete package at a good price, well done Condor!! :thumbup: And thanks Joezilla for the heads up. Now...I am itching to get out for some trail clearing work....:D
 
Last edited:
is this company even legit? I mean its all blue handled stuff made out of 420... I'd think a 10 dollar Ontario camp machete would be stronger.
 
PayetteRucker said:
is this company even legit? I mean its all blue handled stuff made out of 420... I'd think a 10 dollar Ontario camp machete would be stronger.
Click to expand...

Spoken like someone who's never tangoed with Condor. ;)

The 420 they use is 420HC...if you consider that that's what the venerable Buck knives use as their base steel it's nothing to scoff at, and it actually has properties that make it well suited for machete usage. The blue handles are done to make them high-viz without burning your eyes out. The designs themselves are almost all traditional South American patterns, with rare exceptions and even those exceptions are well thought-out.

Condor's parent company is Imacasa, which is one of South America's premier agricultural tool makers. Condor is merely their North-American arm, though it does represent their most polished work. Don't knock 'em till ya' try 'em. Once you go Condor you don't go back. :cool:
 
When I chopped wood with the Aztec cleaver, the edge indented in a few spots. I was a little disappointed by that but I think the "zero" edge is to blame. I decided that design wasn't for me and sold it but I still have a couple other Condors which I haven't had a chance to use yet.
I've read some complaints of notyourmamasknives.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top