Cold Steel machetes

[Sharp Knives 86]

Question for those who have one or may know the answer, what kind of tang do they have and how do they compare to the Ontario GI issue machete in terms of toughness and edge holding? My local surplus store has some CS machetes on sale for $13 but I'm used to the Ontario GI machete which is $22 at the same store so I'm wondering if I should get a CS and save a few bucks or just get a new Ontario machete.

 

[Alanp]

Get two cold steels if one breaks you still have the other.


I've got a cs kukri and it's done it's job well for what i payed for it.

 

[moonwilson]

The Cold Steel machetes are fine. They'll do the job a machete is supposed to do. The blades a bit thin, the edges aren't too great, the blade coating stinks. The Ontario machetes are nicer, and tougher. They're a bit heavy, and the edges need work out of the box, but you can't bust 'em.

However, if you want a REALLY good machete, get a Condor. Condors crush everything else on the market.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

The Cold Steel machetes are fine. They'll do the job a machete is supposed to do. The blades a bit thin, the edges aren't too great, the blade coating stinks. The Ontario machetes are nicer, and tougher. They're a bit heavy, and the edges need work out of the box, but you can't bust 'em.

However, if you want a REALLY good machete, get a Condor. Condors crush everything else on the market.

What he said. Condor knocks the stuffing out of pretty much anything else on the market at present. However, if you're going to go cheap with a machete, I'd just go with a Tramontina. $5-6 and a little elbow grease and they'll work as well as a CS or better.

 

[CWL]

I'd choose Ontario over CS any day.

If you have access to Tramontina, I'd choose that over CS as well.

Never tried a Condor so can't comment.

 

[john w]

I bought a two-handed model and removed the coating and refigured the edge to a hair shaving condition just for the fun of it. The blade is now polished and glass smooth and the 1050 or 1055 steel really responds to a simple drag sharpner (after file work). This has been a fun purchase for me, kind-of a road warrior thing .. HA!