Cold Steel 12in Bowie Machete Tang/Heat Treat

BlackKnight86

BlackKnight86

Say my name, cheesers!
Joined
Oct 14, 2003
Messages
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Hi, guys!

Has anyone taken the handle off any of the newer model Cold Steel Machetes? I'm curious as to what the tang looks like. I just got one from their 4th of July sale...$13 is nice for what it is. Inexpensive, decent carbon steel, and I noticed that it has pretty nice lines...it's almost asking to be a "project knife".

I'm thinking it would be nice to strip it, convex it, and rehandle it into a Bowie fighter, so I'm wondering...does it have a tang that would be worth rehandling; or should I just trim down the rubber into a "fitted" handle? If it does, what would be the best way to get that handle off? (Pics would be good, if anyone has any!)

Also, I understand that the heat treat for their machete steel is fairly mild...suitable for a machete; but would be better a bit harder as a fighter. Those of you on the forums who know heat treat - can you "improve" the heat treat of a blade like that...one that has already been heat-treated? Would it be fairly easy...a matter of heating up and cooling to a particular standard; or are we talking significant re-forging? I don't know how to heat treat; but I think a nice, cheap carbon steel knife would be a great way to learn by trial and error.

Thanks, guys!

BK86
 
I have rehandled CS Magnum Kukri machete.It is full tang with three holes on it.The holes are rather large-some 8-9mm, as far as I remember-it was some 2 years ago.Hope it will help
 
Those machetes are made in a 3rd world country made of whatever "quality" steel they have there. That is why you get them at the price you do.

As for the heat treatment, leave it alone. It is a machete.
If you harden it, without totally messing it up, you wont have that nice machete flexibility you want. It will chip out or crack and be trash. A machete is softer so that it will flex and bend but not chip or break. Hit a rock and you can gently hammer the ding out of the edge type of thing.

Besides in a fighter you are cutting something MUCH softer than wood.

As far as the handle removal goes I think any belt sander with a 60 or 80 grit belt would take that handle right off.

I too think you have a good project knife chosen.
 
I can't check right now, but I think Noss shows the Kukri tang in his vid on knifetests. Should be similar.
 
BlackKnight86 said:
Hi, guys!

Has anyone taken the handle off any of the newer model Cold Steel Machetes? I'm curious as to what the tang looks like. I just got one from their 4th of July sale...$13 is nice for what it is. Inexpensive, decent carbon steel, and I noticed that it has pretty nice lines...it's almost asking to be a "project knife".

I'm thinking it would be nice to strip it, convex it, and rehandle it into a Bowie fighter, so I'm wondering...does it have a tang that would be worth rehandling; or should I just trim down the rubber into a "fitted" handle? If it does, what would be the best way to get that handle off? (Pics would be good, if anyone has any!)

Also, I understand that the heat treat for their machete steel is fairly mild...suitable for a machete; but would be better a bit harder as a fighter. Those of you on the forums who know heat treat - can you "improve" the heat treat of a blade like that...one that has already been heat-treated? Would it be fairly easy...a matter of heating up and cooling to a particular standard; or are we talking significant re-forging? I don't know how to heat treat; but I think a nice, cheap carbon steel knife would be a great way to learn by trial and error.

Thanks, guys!

BK86
Click to expand...

The Cold Steel Bowie machete is great for the money. Its the same size and blade style as the CS Natchez Bowie. The CS Bowie, Barong, Sax and Spear Point are 3mm thick, the Kukri is 2.75mm for comparison. The steel is 1055 and the heat treat is a mystery but obviously good as seen on KnifeTests.

Unfortunately the CS Bowie, Barong, Sax and Spear Point machetes are discontinued as the factory where they were made is shut down per the Cold Steel forum : ( Cold Steel is closing out the left overs at $11.99 (12 inch) $14.99 (18 inch) with sheath ; )

The CS Kukri machete did extremely (tough) well on the Noss KnifeTests.
 
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