Tramontina Machetes

C

cmc

Joined
Oct 24, 2001
Messages
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I've read good things about the inexpensive Tramontina machetes, which most people seem to buy from Smoky Mountain Knife Works. Could anyone tell me if these machetes (in particular the "bolo" version) come with a sheath?. If not, any ideas on where to pick up a bolo sheath?
 
Mate, just call the folk's at SMKW and ask if a sheath is included.
If not then make one your self. A simple fold over sheath is real simple
to make. I've made several using scrap leather from purses and such and
hardware store rivets to close it. works good and is fun to do.
 
The Tramontina doesn't come with a sheath, but you can buy sheaths *(most are designed for the Ontario machetes) at various web knife stores including SMKW I believe. I use a canvas 12" sheath for a 12" Tramontina. I could also buy one for the 18" 'plain' variety, but I never carry it, I just keep it in a cardboard 'sheath' behind the pickup seat.

I made a sheath for my 14" (plain) Tramontina, you'll probably have to make one for the Bolo model as well-I couldn't find a canvas 14" sheath ready made. I used 1/4" thick poplar boards and 'square' dowel that I found in the 'hobby wood' section of a Lowe's home center (oak is also available). Some glue, a few brads and some leather wrapped in a crisscross. It's real simple but the crisscross over the wood gives a 'viking' look to it that I like. I usually just lash my machete onto my backpack, so I didn't include any kind of belt attachment, but it wouldn't be hard. Glue n' screw on a stouter section of wood in the back and drill a few holes, lace some paracord.
 
I have used a couple of Tramontina light machetes in the past and was pleased with their performance, the handles and edge tend to need some work NIB. I am also working with a Tramontina bolo right now and it is turning out to be a very solid small brush knife. However with all low end production the quality control isn't overly high and thus the variance in performance is likely to be huge so people can have very different experiences with the same blades. For example :

Chad :

I am suprised by your comments in regards to the Tramotina Bolo. I had one, and was very unimpressed.
The steel was very soft and thus very prone to impact damage. As an example, I was clearing some shrubs and
vines out of the fencing in my backyard (standard cyclone fence), I was basicly just swiping the bolo along the
fence surface, taking out any branches and vines. I'd have to stop every three to four minutes and hit the edge
with a file. The spots where the edge contacted the fence (which is darn soft metal) were heavily impacted, but I
was not being very careful and there was a lot of lateral pressure applied to the edge....... I hit a nail sticking out
of a wooden fence post and it caused a large dent in the edge, basicly large enough that repairing the damage
would take more time than the bolo was worth. Last time I saw it was in my ex-wife's garage......
After blowing out the Tram, I switched to an Ontario machete (USGI 18") and the results were much better.
The Ontario kept its edge for the 45 minutes it took me to finish, and was easily sharpened using a DMT course
diafold and then a ceramic rod. There was no damage (though I was also being more careful with my swings),
and its not like the Ontario USGI machete is a high performance benchmark......
Click to expand...

from :

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=196116

-Cliff
 
I stopped by the Surplus store on my way to wrok today, they have a large selection of Tramotinas in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The quality control is really poor. The wood handles were often mismatched, the grinds very uneven.....
I was looking at the hardness of the steel, trying to find one that would be servicible. I did not have any hardness testing files with me, so I used the file on my LM Supertool 200. The file bit very deeply into the tram steel at the spine and the edge. I would estimate the hardness of most of them to be 48-50 RC. There were a couple that were almost as hard as Ontario's 1095 (about 55RC), but they were too poor in other aspects for me to purchase them (and at $6.99 it wouldn't have been a large cash outlay).
A big question is whether the softness of the steel comes from being underhardened (which I suspect is the case) or overtempered (less likely)... what is the real life difference? If you take two pieces of identical steel, and harden one to 50 RC and fully harden the other and then temper to 50 RC you will see a drastic difference in performace (due to incomplete conversion from austenite to martensite), the underhardened steel will be much more prone to gross failure than the overtempered one, a result of the matrix structure of the steel....... This is despite the fact that they will both measure 50 on the Rockwell C scale, whcih simply measures a materials resistance to being indented.
There is also the factor of stresses within the steel that arise from poorly heat treating.

One other point: about fifteen years ago I had a Tramotina cane knife that was incredibly tough, it was used to cut barbed wire off many, many fenceposts, while barbed wire is very ductile and shouldn't pose a problem for a properly heat treated blade, I imagine it would cause edge failure quite rapidly in the Trams I saw today....
I loaned that particular knife to my brother, who lost it...... I'd like to find another...

I called Darren Cutforth to place an order for a Martindale Golok, he has some coming in next week... I am hoping to see better results from these....

Stay Safe,
Chad
 
Chad, I know what you're talking about concerning QC at Tramontina. I have a 12 inch cutlass model that absolutely "sings" when tapped with a thumbnail, but the handle was a total wash. I've got a temporary handle of foam rubber and duct tape on it right now, but one day I'm going to put a GOOD handle on it. I'd guess the RC is around 55-57, or thereabouts. It takes a much sharper edge than my Ontario 12 inch cutlass, and holds it pretty well also.

I just dropped Daren an e-mail about when he's getting in the next shipment of Goloks. I've got the money burning in my pocket, and he told me he's already made a left handed Kydex sheath for me, so waiting another week is going to be rough. Oh well, I guess the wait won't kill me... unless I'm attacked by tall grasses in the meantime. :~}
 
Concerning the hardness, I would wonder if it is not due to the low quality of the steel. It might be that is the maximal RC hardness. It would be interesting to see if another hardening would improve it at all.

As for the handles and edges, yes they are usually sloppy, mismatched and very rough. With a file and a rasp, and some wood filler / epoxy you can make them servicable. However the soft steel is a problem unless you are just cutting grasses and such.

-Cliff
 
Has anyone tried the plastic handled Trams? Are they any better than the wood handles? I was thinking of ordering one to play with and was wondering about the handles, and also the blade length, which has the better balance?
 
who posted and made me aware of this awesome deal.

I just recieved my tramontina bolo machete total $5.49 and a student ordered one so we split the $6 shipping, which made the total for this knife $9.oo.

is there a better deal somewhere?

right out of the box it is dull as $hit but it is solid and I am sure a file will bring a razor edge no problem.

I will say that the handle is on with some really cheap pins but I am gonna test it hard and see what happens.

I'll let you know!

thanks

chris
 
I'll tell you, chris, if they used the same pins on the bolo that they used on the 12 inch cutlass I got, those are some stout pins. I took the handle off of my cutlass as they were assymetrical. The handles may not have looked like much, but they were on to stay. I had to bust the handle scales off and then saw the pins in half to get them off.

But since the steel seems like it's pretty good, one of these days I'm going to put a really nice handle on that Tram. Right now I've got a working type handle made of dense foam rubber and duct tape. It works okay, and is really comfortable, but it looks REALLY nasty.
 
I did some cutting yesterday it faired really well.

I cut a piece of pine fire wood in half. about 3" x 5" x 14" a rough split log. the handle vibrated abit but it got the job done fairly quickly.

I cut some bamboo and some vines.

the balance and overall design is awesome.


I have been exploring machete styles so one day when I am rich I can have a custom maker make me the perfect machete.

the bolo style is my favorite thus far.


lots of R&D ahead.



testing survival knives what could be better than that?
 
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