Soviet/ Russian forces have a meager selection of blades. There is a miserable slip folder in the kits and true machete of squared form. The universal blade is the AK bayonet, which is infamous for not holding an edge. There is a spetsnatz combat knife and thats about it. Into this sad selection the machete was designed. It holds the same philosophy as the Hood ATAX, Tom Brown TRACKER and Janowskie RANGER on a largerscale. The handle is a squared plastic hollow affair held on with a large screw. Sometimes this works loose , but the plastic and screw are robust I haven't heard of any failures. Metallurgy is plain vanila carbon. The various saw, blade and chopper edges work well within the limitations of the tool size. It makes a good prybar and small shovel ( but be aware of that handle attachment.) ironically, as a machete as named it's horrid. Machetes should be lightwieght, springy affairs with reach. Stiff machetes, ie our own US issue and The german Linder that closely follows Martindale paratrooper lines are poor performers. Multiple this 10 fold with this brute. It's very good at batoning. The danger of this tool is the size. Some of the operations, ie chopping are akin to using Kukris and short hatchets. Be VERY CAREFULL you don't chop into yourself. As a 'do it all' tool I've found it interesting and functional.It's popularity seems to lie with horsepackers, ORV and of course MIG pilots- all people who don't lug it around on a hip daily. The first importers no longer carry it. A search of SG failed to show it. How much did you pay?