Cold Steel Machete is crap!

R

R.H.Clark

Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
771
I ordered two machetes a couple days ago and just got them in.A CS Latin and a Tramontina.The Tram is fine and a good value.The CS is so soft I can cut slivers from the edge with another knife.It took a big dent on a thumb size piece of green pine.

I've owned two other CS machetes that were much better but this one was a waste of $9.
 
R.H.Clark said:
I ordered two machetes a couple days ago and just got them in.A CS Latin and a Tramontina.The Tram is fine and a good value.The CS is so soft I can cut slivers from the edge with another knife.It took a big dent on a thumb size piece of green pine.

I've owned two other CS machetes that were much better but this one was a waste of $9.
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Send them back, demand for prepaid return postage. DFA
 
Didja sharpen the CS before you chopped on the pine?
The two that I bought were butterknife dull when they arrived.
Once sharpened they cut pretty good...not top shelf gear but they didn't roll like you described.
 
I thought this one might have missed the heat treat.I didn't sharpen it first even though it had an uneven grind and thick edge.Honestly it is the softest edge I've ever seen, nearly like Aluminum. Like I said I've owned two other CS machetes that were fine.I guess that is the quality control or lack of it that is the problem.

Just wanted to let let everyone know it would be much better to handle one first.A tap of another piece of steel on the blade usually tells me a lot.The CS makes a dull thud.The Tram makes a long lasting high pitched ring.

I don't think I'll bother to send it back for $9.Also I've dented it and shaved the edge just showing my wife how bad it was.I might try to heat treat it.It would be fun to see if I could improve it.I know I couldn't make it worse.
 
Sounds like that's the problem, mine ping when I cut stuff.

:D ping ping ping :D

Can't expect too much for $9 :dunno:
 
R.H.Clark said:
Just wanted to let let everyone know it would be much better to handle one first.A tap of another piece of steel on the blade usually tells me a lot.The CS makes a dull thud.The Tram makes a long lasting high pitched ring.
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what can the sound tell? care to elaborate?
 
Gustav, in my completely unscientific experience, the machetes I've owned that would sound a high pitch ring have always been better.It may not always be correct but I don't know of many other ways to test a blade without putting it to use.
 
I can guess at an explanation for the the pitch thing.

In the wonderful world of physics every impact has a duration. For example, if you whack someone with a plastic bottle the force will be applied to them over a far greater timespan than if you hit them with your knuckles. Softer knives have a longer impact duration than harder knives because they deform more easily. Perhaps the length of the duration of a machete impact effects the frequency of the sound.

That could be completely wrong, but I don't know any better. :)
 
The (eigen-)frequency of a spring is f=sqareroot(k/m) where k is the force constant of the spring. Meaning the hearder the spring the faster it will vibrate assuming that the mass is the same. Should be a decent test of the hardness of the blade (only for blades that are not differentially hardened)....if if where not for the handle. The handle acts essentially like your finger on the string of a guitar. Only if the handles are similar in weight and attached similar, you can make a comparison. I have seen once a knifemaker tune the tone of the blade by tightening the handle (in fact he used it to judge how tight the handle should be).
 
Just a quick thought on the cutting with another knife- did you try it on your other CS machetes? Machetes are tempered softer so they dent rather than crack- as it should be. It does not surprise me that an Rc60 knife could cut a Rc50 blade. Just thought it would be interesting to do a "cut" test on all 3 and see if there is an appreciable difference. The deadened sound could also be explained as the black coating seems to absorb the sound of impact in my experience.

Good thing it was only $9
 
Meaning the hearder the spring the faster it will vibrate
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Not quite, the elastic modulus of steel is practically a constant, meaning that below yield strength the stiffness is practically constant regardless of hardness.

What is different though is the internal damping of the material, there the harder the less damping.

TLM
 
I've been less than impressed with the Latins. I've had two of the 24" versions and both took sets during cutting quite soon after I got them. I also have the Panga, Double Edge, Kukri, Magnum Kukri, Two Handed, Heavy, 12" Barong, and 18" Barong, and these perform perfectly fine. I don't know why the Latins would be any different (other than the obviously longer blades), but they are the only ones I've had trouble with. :confused:
 
I've got a CS Bolo Machete, and it works O.K. for a POS. It is kind of soft though. But, for 9 bucks what can you expect, right?
 
I've given away my other CS machetes.I didn't try to cut the edges of the old ones but they worked fine on small pine limbs.The new one took a 1/4 inch dent on a small green pine limb.

It's not such a big deal for $9 but the $7 Tram was much better and has cut everything I've tried so far with no problems.

I'll try a Martindale soon.I seem to be into machetes right now.
 
Machetes are my main interest. You want find a better machet than the Tramontina or Ontario 12",18".

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Ontario 12" micarta handle

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Ontario 18"

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TLM is right about stiffness and damping. There are multiple factors regarding the pitch of a vibrating blade, length, thickness, shape, where it's held, etc. So much so that it's probably a pretty meaningless thing to assess for any reason other than the "gee whiz" factor.
 
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