Need a good machete for home use.

Those who really have and need a machete for "home use" do not spend a lot of money on them. While teaching overseas, I purchased a 14 inch Tramontna with black plastic handle and leather sheath for less than $15 - it was packaged with the label "Cuchillo de Casa". If my translation is correct, it means "household knife" and the Third World villagers I have lived and worked with perform every household and garden chore imaginable with them.
You need not look further or spend more. The special sharpening and selection that some dealers offer are probably well worth the money - some of the machetes that are mass produced are rather rough at first. :cool:
 
I think an Ontario would fit your needs well. I have the 12" thin and thick models and have been pretty rough on them. They've held up very well with none of the problems others have reported, other than the handles not flush all around. A little sandpaper took care of that. They have not come loose, in fact when I wanted to add a custom handle to one I could barely get the old one off. My econo model has been batonned through gnarly maple and turned into literally an "S" shape half way through and came out true and ready for more. My experience with them, YMMV.

That said, I like the looks of that Speed Machete, the handle design looks very user friendly and it has the extra length you may need.
 
I ended up getting the $15 tramontina. I'll probably upgrade later. Anyone try the southern grind one?
I did end up buying a brand new Spyderco southard with the machete.:)
I may end up getting a condor also
 
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Even though late to the party, I vote Condor.
I have the khukri machete, works great.
Bought a small fixed blade a while after.
Both work really well.
 
Jody744 said:
Even though late to the party, I vote Condor.
I have the khukri machete, works great.
Bought a small fixed blade a while after.
Both work really well.
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I kind of wish I went with the condor. I'm going to try the el cheapo and see what happens. If I don't like it, I only wasted 15 bucks
 
I do not think you will have "wasted" $15 on a Tramontina or similar machete made where the machete (bush knife) is an everyday tool. More than likely you will have a solid blade that will still be effective after the original handle has come off from overuse. I have rehandled many machete blades with homemade wooden grips and have seen many being used with strips of inner tubing wrapped around the original blade.

You may well upgrade to a newer or different model but I suspect your original blade will keep on ticking after a great deal of licking. You have purchased the knife, of course, and will form your own opinion.:wink:
 
Recently picked up a Tramontina 18" Bush Machete with wood handle for cutting/slicing and a Imacasa Bolo 16" Machete with wood handle for more chopping work. Using them for clearing vines, sweetgums, removing unwanted tree branch sprouts and the like. Had to file a decent edge on both. Each was under $15, and well worth the price. It was harder to file the edge on the Imacasa, so I assume it is harder. But both take and decently hold the edge during use. The handle on the Tramontina was slightly more comfortable. I will file and sand the handles when I get a chance. The blade is also thicker on the Tramontina. I'd certainly recommend both. If I was only to have 1 , it would be the Tramontina.
 
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