ka-bar machetes

I am not an expert on machetes but i wonder what Cold Steel machete do you have?
The quality seems to vary, I have two CS machetes.
The 12 inch Bowie i like very much and is well worth the money.
Sharpens easily, holds an edge and has a good ergonomic handle.
The other is a CS Magnum Kukri machete,i don't care for it at all.
IMO the handle ergonomics and the balance/feel of it is all wrong.
The much shorter CS Bowie out-cuts it easily.
Actually my $15 18 inch Tramontina machete is infinitely better than the Magnum kukhri.
And you BF members in the states can get Trams for $10 which makes the tram an even better deal!

I have a Martindale Golok which i like a lot, its much thicker than the Trams and CS's.
The Martindale is even thicker than my 12 inch Ontario machete.
The blade on the Martindale is about 13 inches.
The Martindale, the CS Bowie and the Tram are my favorites.

My Ontario really needs to be reprofiled before i can judge it properly.

The Ka-bar cutlass does look good too.
But personally i don't like choppers with lots of belly.
Lately I've been considering buying one of those Ka-bar Heavy Bowies though.
 
I second those that say Condor. I have a convexed CS Khukri that chops like a demon but is heavy and has an appalling handle.

The Condor is made from 2.2 mm stock and is convexed out of the box. If you think that it can't stand up to heavy duty work you have obviously not tried it!

The biggest users of machetes living in the plains and jungles of the 3rd world all use thin machetes even when they have thicker (and more expensive) knives available and often that is their edc and one and only blade for everything from shelter building, firewood preparing to food and game preparation.

Condor = my choice every time! :thumbup:

Oh and I have several traditional Khukuris too 8 to 12" blades and although I love them the Machete is still top in most environments.
 
Matt beat me too it but I was going to say throw that list away and get a woodsmans pal. They were designed for just about what you are describing during WWII and they are still in production in the original model. That should tell you something about them. They are in your price range from looking at your list of maybes and I think you would be much happier with it. They do offer a couple of versions now but I think I read that the original was still the most popular, I would also suggest paying extra for the leather sheath it's worth it.

That being said, I have the Ka Bar Camp knife, to me it's kind of a medium b/n a woods knife and a machete and has worked well for everything I've tried it on.

David
 
+1 on the ka-bar machetes, I have a kukri and a cutlass, both work very well, the heavy bowie is supposed to be great as well.
 
There is nothing wrong with Cold Steel machetes. They are modeled after real world tools that are used extensively in S. America and Africa. My Cold Steel bolo machete will chop through trees and grass with ease. It's my number one backyard tool.

I think northwoodsgirl is looking for a sharpened prybar. Try using something before you call it a pos.
 
What exactly was wrong with the CS. Spec-ing out a machete is not a difficult thing. Most of them conform to one design style or another, and the steel variation is very limited. If I wanted something of a larger knife on a budget, I would look at the Ontario Spec Plus line, or the Kershaw Outcast, RTAK II, Ranger RD9 etc. I love my ontario 18in, works fine on hardwoods. I gave my 14 in bolo Tram to a friend to deal with clearing brush. Probably pick myself up a Cold Steel Machete and another Tram here sometime soon.
 
Tramontina is my favorite, followed by Ontario.

I prefer thinner blades as they are easier to use for longer periods of time. Sharpen them up properly on a slack belt grinder and you're good to go.
 
Smash05 said:
What exactly was wrong with the CS. Spec-ing out a machete is not a difficult thing. Most of them conform to one design style or another, and the steel variation is very limited. If I wanted something of a larger knife on a budget, I would look at the Ontario Spec Plus line, or the Kershaw Outcast, RTAK II, Ranger RD9 etc. I love my ontario 18in, works fine on hardwoods. I gave my 14 in bolo Tram to a friend to deal with clearing brush. Probably pick myself up a Cold Steel Machete and another Tram here sometime soon.
Click to expand...

As a note, the newer Chinese-made pieces (while largely superior in every way to the South African ones which are still in the CS lineup) have a slight tendency to roll in the hand if your strike isn't dead center. Kind of obnoxious.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
As a note, the newer Chinese-made pieces (while largely superior in every way to the South African ones which are still in the CS lineup) have a slight tendency to roll in the hand if your strike isn't dead center. Kind of obnoxious.
Click to expand...

The defect of the Cold Steel is obnoxious? I would suppose, though I have not witnessed this myself.
 
My example is a barong machete. Possibly due to the absence of much weight at the tip the rotation is likely magnified. However, that doesn't change the fact that it is either not wide enough or not flat enough in the handle to prevent this rotation. It's the heftiest blade of the Chinese lineup, but it seems it would be best used on lighter brush only. I like my Condors much better.;)
 
I have a Ka Bar Heavy Bowie (the long one), and it's OK for chopping. Just OK. It's a little on the light side for chopping, but I'm sure their machetes (I've been ogling the cutlass, too) are a little heavier. And FWIW, I have a Tram bolo (14"), that I continue to beat the snot out of, and it still keeps coming back for more. You name it: chopping hardwood, hacking desert shrubs (tough little buggers for the most part), digging in the dirt, leveling/clearing large areas in my yard. Makes a great trail-clearing tool, also. It does all I need, yet I find myself yearning for the 12" Ontario, as a tweener. Brian Andrews from over in W&SS mods some 12 and 18" Ontarios that are supposed to be the bees knees. You might want to check it out:
http://offthemapoutfitters.com/main.sc
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
My example is a barong machete. Possibly due to the absence of much weight at the tip the rotation is likely magnified. However, that doesn't change the fact that it is either not wide enough or not flat enough in the handle to prevent this rotation. It's the heftiest blade of the Chinese lineup, but it seems it would be best used on lighter brush only. I like my Condors much better.;)
Click to expand...

I have compared a Tram, an Ontario, a Taiwan Machete, and a China made hardware store machete. The Ontario and Tram were hands down the best, the Taiwan was next, dulling quickly but otherwise fine. The Chinese one chipped out and would continue to chip out when I attempted to sharpen it with first a stone, and then a file. I wonder though if the OP would be better served with a large 10 inch knife?
 
Another 'old thread' comment......about the time of your post (Nov 2008) Kabar Becker BK9 was just becoming available. 1095 CroVan, .188 thick, fat bellied for striking heft, and strong tip for prying / digging. Not a machete but sounds like match for your specs. Tomars has it for $65 and I'm getting one in a few days. Wanted one just when Camillus went south in 07. My Kabar short bowie, which I use as a gross chef's knife (ground off the choil lug so blade strikes flat) is 1085 and you'll sharpen that a lot more than the 1095..........
 
Northwoodsgirl, i own a Ka Bar kukri, the 1085 steel seems to hold a good edge. Hacked some oak, hemlock and other woods with no visible damage to the edge. I also found that when wearing it on the belt in the sheath that it wasn't in the way at all. Totally happy with it.

I have a Martindale golok as well that is slightly longer, planning on convexing the edge. they come with a pretty crappy edge as is, but you can change that easy enough.
 
komondor said:
There is nothing wrong with Cold Steel machetes. They are modeled after real world tools that are used extensively in S. America and Africa. My Cold Steel bolo machete will chop through trees and grass with ease. It's my number one backyard tool.

I think northwoodsgirl is looking for a sharpened prybar. Try using something before you call it a pos.
Click to expand...

:jerkit:

after using the machete in the jungle for a month or so i can still say its a waste of money piece of shit. it rusts INSTANTLY i mean within 2 minutes after its wet it doesnt hold an edge it came out of the box bent its thin as hell and very cheaply made. it was not worth buying im on a low budget right now but still going for the kabar probably... we will see how it does, ill be heading into the interior wilds soon with my new 'shetee
 
im just dreading the thought of using a 12 incher on such thick fucking grass. trailblazing here is no joke. its going to have to do though
 
Last edited by a moderator:
1085 will rust a bit faster than the 1055, my experience is the more carbon, the faster the rust comes. With this kind of steel common for the type of tool, you are going to run into those issues. I am going to suggest a Tramontina, and then polish the blade with some metal polish to help limit rust.
 
northwoodsgirl said:
:jerkit:

after using the machete in the jungle for a month or so i can still say its a waste of money piece of shit. it rusts INSTANTLY i mean within 2 minutes after its wet it doesnt hold an edge it came out of the box bent its thin as hell and very cheaply made. it was not worth buying im on a low budget right now but still going for the kabar probably... we will see how it does, ill be heading into the interior wilds soon with my new 'shetee
Click to expand...

Congratulations, you are the most childish person I've encountered on this forum.
Enjoy swinging a 1/4 inch thick knife in the jungle, i.e. your mothers garden decoration Bamboo.
Maybe when she splits the remanants of said bamboo on your head will you finally learn to listen to other people's genuine advice.

Have a few jerkit smileys. I don't give these out often.
:jerkit::jerkit::jerkit::jerkit::jerkit:
 
Ontario has made a nice machete forever.They are heavy but mine has served me well for 16 years ,many of those as a teen age loon who would try to cut down a healthy tree for the hell of it.No chips no bending no breakage of any kind just a quality tool used and abused and still ready for more. Ontario needs to learn how to treat people but the blades they make are still good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top