Gladius Machete disaster

i have had a CS gladius machete , and i am very happy with it .

but i wish they make a 4MM thick version , which could make it swing like a real sword.
 
Did you try to remove it with lighter fluid? It works, as does WD-40. The Gladius is a economy piece, what can you complain about with that price? You want all those "problems" fixed? The Gladius would cost at least $100, at that. They are considered machetes, and as such the edges are left up to you, to sharpen.Sorry, Cold Steel is right, it doesn't matter, if the machete is more a "looker" than a user to you, you're missing the point! It is a cheap,(but well made) using piece. The paint isn't that expensive, it is just there to keep rust at bay until you wear it off, and it tarnishes to a rust resisting gray patina. The rough edges can be fixed by a file and or sand paper. All minor things.
 
Mark Nelson said:
Rubbing Alcohol will pull the black coating right off. I use the 92% to remove the coating from them when I first get it. The 70%ish will remove it but takes more then the 92%. Not a fan of the black paint or whatever it is exactly. Edited to add your blade looks about like the one I got but is was about what I expected for the price point and was happy with it. Give them a call.
Click to expand...

I remember being surprised at the coating coming off my Magnum Kukri when I tried removing the label with rubbing alc. The machete also needed a little TLC on the blade, then it was fine. They cost next to nothing and take some real rough bush use. I don't care what it looks like as long as it performs, and it does. I remember chopping a dead pine tree down in the middle of winter with that thing.
 
My gladius and kukri machetes are fantastic. The coating is staying on pretty well. The label does leave some markings which annoyed me on my kukri, but its for hard use so i got over it haha.
 
Ive had 3 CS Heavy Machetes. It appears that the machete sticker is the only label CS has put on any tool now that is damn nigh irremovable w/ regular expected usage!

The markings on the CSNB and CSGK will disappear if a moth has a gastric disturbance in the general area, and those knives are $350 and less!

That being said, I HAD to sharpen all of them, after all, its a machete. Grind lines?? Well, the Gladius isnt a CS Magnum Tanto 9. Paint? It wears off, falls off...I paint the thing before I store it, grease the edge w/ Vaseline...next?? Durability??

Well, now that is a different matter entirely. I cut up TREES, couches, end tables, yard waste, cut the heads off turtles for soup and the list goes on. Did they warp a little...Yeah sure! I laid them out flat on my deck at home and hammered them straight w/ a ball peen or 3lb. steel mallet (sledge)...go again. Gave 1 to my brother. His complaint?? "The thing's too damn sharp!!" One was laid down too close to a campfire I built. The handle never melted.

Well...can't please everybody.

Im not saying you should forget it and simply buy another, but youve already spent more than the cost of a new one sweating it. So, maybe I would try again...I just wouldn't BUY it from the same place. Or anything else for that matter!

Good Luck.
 
If you have a new machete from cold steel (may still work with yours) I have heard that using a hair dryer on the non label side directly behind the label will heat up the glue a bit and allow you to remove the label completely.
 
Stickers and coatings on a machete? Who cares, both are going to wear off in short order if you are actually using the tool in the field. All machetes take a beating, it is part of the job description.
 
In the UK the Cold Steel Gladius retails for £40.80 which works out around $67.67 plus around £5 delivery. That's an expensive machete. But then most sharp shiney things seem to cost a lot more here. But on the other side when I've dealt with Bear Arms (cold steel UK) customer service they have been pretty polite and helpful.
 
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I used rubbing alc. to take it off my Katana, any kind of mild solvent will yank it right off. It is just some kind of cheap paint. I wish they would consider a grey type of patina. It would be simple to do. It would be much more durable. It would improve the look x100.

Get you some cow or pig blood. Finish stripping the blade with alcohol. Don't touch the blade after it his been cleaned with the alcohol.
Get some old rags. Soak them with the blood and wrap the blade. Leave it about 8 hrs.

Here is a pic of a BRKT I did, but it was completely submerged. Most forced or any other type of patinas are very blotchy, for lack of a better word. This is the only method I found that gave this type of uniformity.
HPIM0724_zps81aeceac.jpg
 
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