My birthday is coming up, and I'm asking for a machete. The Tramontina sounds like the classic type that I see guys carrying around on some of the more modest Caribbean islands.

I really want an authentic knock-around machete, and the Tramontina with the wood handle seems to fit the bill, but it appears the longest blade length available with a wood handle is 18". Any idea what your typical Caribbean cane-cutting blade length is? Any particular models of Tramontina to recommend? Any places recommended to buy from?

The Tramontina site http://www.tramontina.com.br/product/product.aspx?language=1&cat_id=18&cat2=1&cat3=549 shows a whole bunch of machetes they make in all sorts of different blade styles. Pretty interesting. I figured a machete was a machete, but it looks like the choice is more complicated than I thought!

Thanks for any ideas!

Dave

I can't help you with any of the Tramontina products, and what you want to do with a machete makes a difference. Do you plan on chopping your way thru triple canopy jungle, or just what to whack the occasional vine? I have a 12" machete that I brought back from Panama in the 60's that comes in handy for a variety of things, in fact it was what used to be billed as the H. Morgan Smith Worldwide Survival Tool. Good for a variety of things, great at none. You will have to decide first what you want to use a machete for, then decide what style/length will work best for you...

The main reasons I need a machete are...I want to intimidate my neighbors and confound my enemies, of course.

Seriously, it might come in handy for whacking through occasional thick underbrush, or in some unforseen bugout scenario, but basically I just think they're cool, after seeing them in the West Indies slung over the shoulders of the locals.

On a recent trip, at the curbside at one of these little airports, there was some sort of plywood kiosk or check-in stand- I think it had something to do with the security personel- and leaning inside it, not particularly concealed from view, was this big old machete. It just seemed like kind of a handy tool to have handy for a variety of situations.

Dave

http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/eCommerce/prodlist.jsp?Mode=Brand&Brand=112&A=

The 18" is long enough for most brush beating but my fav is the 14" Bolo machete it makes a good chopper and all purpose camp tool. With any Tramontina your gonna have to sharpen it yourself cause they dont come sharp so buy a mil bastard file and be prepared to work on it. I must ask what enviroment your intend to use it in, theres diffrent machetes that can handle diffrent chores. Trams are fine for grasses and vines and light brush but not the best at chopping on wood so alittle more info could help with suggestions.

ahh looks like I was answering while you were. Lets see theres the Cold Steel line http://www.coldsteel.com/machetes.html they have some intresting machetes theres the heavy duty Ontarios http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/eCommerce/prodlist.jsp?Mode=Brand&Brand=84&A= that work better on wood and are thicker than Trams or Cold Steel and then theres my personal favorite of all the machete types the Gerber Brush Thinner http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/eComme...&SKU=G41061 it looks odd but the handle allows you to extend your reach and put some power into chopping it's light and comfortable to use even if it can't strike fear into the hearts of men although if you smacked someone with it I dont think they would be laughing.

I have a couple of old Tramontina 18" machetes. They work great, but are a little long for most outings. I don't usually plan on clearing a lot of bush when I am out so the 18"er is a little overkill. And it is a little thin.

I really like my Cold Steel LTC Kukri as the size is perfect on the side of a backpack. I was cutting wood today and I'll be darned that the LTC outchopped my Wetterlings 15" axe on dry hard Kiawe wood. Man, the wood is like steel when it is dried. I think the ax will probably split better, but then again, the LTC splits wood pretty darn well with a baton.

What I can't wait to get my hands on is the Bark River Golok that I have had on order for some time. I am hoping that they will be ready to be shipped within the month.

Tramontina's are $5-6. Pick one, try it, if you do not like it get a different size or another brand.

I prefer the Bolo, better on bushes and small branches, but it is not optimal for use on grasses.

Any of the Tramontinas I've used end up with loose handles in time. They're cheap, the blades are okay, but a loose handle to me is unacceptable at any price, especially in a hard use tool.

For less than $20 in a classic machete, I would opt for either an Ontario field machete with Orange handle (17 3/4" blade), or a Cold Steel Magnum Khukri Machete. Okay, the Khukri isn't exactly classic machete style, but it is one darned good bushwhacker. Both are combat grade, as are many, many others.

Also on the wood ones, drill a wrist loop hole through the bottom
of the handle and sling a short piece of parachute cord through
it for safety. When you get tired, it is easy to let go of the
handle, and you don't want it flying off at someone.

A file will be needed to sharpen it. The coarse serrations left
by it will help in the slicing motion of the tool. A grinding wheel
is useful for the first sharpening.

Use a pulling motion as you swing for efficiency.

Cyblade already posted a link to the Gerber brush thinner. I've had several machetes over the years and liked the Ontarios the best. Until I got the Gerber. Very, very nice. I've used it quite a bit and it will outwork everything else I've had 2 to 1. The odd hook to the blade does a good job of catching and cutting the smaller stuff that tends to glance off. It also, not exactly sure why, does not have the tendency to skip off harder or dried brush like most machetes. That makes it much safer.

You might also be interested in the Martindale line of machetes sold by: www.cutsforthknives.com/

They also carry Martindale Golocks, cane knives, and bolos.

I neglected to mention in my previous post that you can find a great review of a wide range of outdoor cutting tools at: www.cutleryscience.com/reviews/reviews.html

The reviews include the 14" Tramontina machete as well as kururis, tomahawks, axes, fixed and folding knives. In fact, just about anything that cuts!

Thanks, for all the input, guys.

Can't think of any reason why I can't own a few machetes, right?

I did order an 18" Tramontina today, though. I think a genuine Caribbean machete should be 1) Cheap and 2) Made in South America, with a Latin name.

I'll be in St. Kitts in a couple weeks, though, so maybe I'll poke around in the local hardware stores, see what's there.

Dave

Benjimmin, what the hell is "combat grade"?
Is this the latest buzz word to replace "tactical"?

I've never been a big fan of using the safety loop you describe. If I fall while walking through the brush I want to be able to toss the machete aside so I don't skewer myself. To improve the grip on my machete (cheap military surplus with a plastic handle) I applied several coats of tool dip - don't know what it's really called but it's the liquid rubber coating used for tool handles. Even when it's poring rain outside the grip won't slip and the rubber layers help cushion as well. A little bit of pine pitch added just helps the grip that much more.

Much agreed regarding the wrist cord. As for improving your grip on a wooden handle I just use the old lumberjack's trick and spit on my hands when I know I'll be working a long time.

Seen 'em fly out of peoples hands, and a wrist loop helps you work
longer, just like loops on cross country ski poles. Give the cord
a couple of twists so it is tight on your hand.

I wouldn't want to be hiking with one in my hands, wrist loop or no, and you should be balanced when you are using one, just like an axe
or chainsaw. The movies of people chopping while they walk is
not safe.

"...Is this the latest buzz word to replace "tactical"?..."

Let us hope not...

Well, I reckon combat grade would refer to a category of a given item more suited to use in combat, such as in a war, or other similar conflict. While there wasn't much call for machetes in Iraq or Afganistan, there are places where a big blade that can do double duty as both a weed whacker and as a head lopper would be more desirable. Now, that is not to say that any decent machete can't be so utilized, but imho, combat grade would be a superior construction than the run of the mill variety, while not being incredibly more costly. This would mean better metal, thicker blade, slightly more agressive design, superior grip. A Khukri or Bolo would generally fit this category, being both suitable for heavy brush work and for melee. There are a whole host of other blade designs that fit this gendre, and so the term combat grade combined with machete seems to me to be appropos. Besides, I like multi-taskers, and while a thin flexible blade that is relatively soft is quite satisfactory for weed whacking, I would like something with a little more backbone to use for splitting wood, lopping hands and heads, and fending off other bladed attacks with a little more surety of non-failure.

I would say combat grade is significantly more specific in description than the term tactical. Based on how the industry uses that word, I have yet to be able to establish an effective definition for that term that wouldn't be all-inclusive.

Of course, marketing gurus will likely latch on to combat grade in much the same way I suppose. For now, though, it seems to be distinctive enough. Time will tell.

Take a look at the "Woodman's Pal". This tool combines the functions of a light axe and a bush knife, as well as having a brush hook blade. The end of the blade is beveled to use a spade.
Like many comprimises, it may not be quite as good as a seperate axe, machette and e-tool, but.....

The Woodmans Pal has been around since the 30's and has extensive use in the military from WWII until the present day. (Question: Does this qualify as "combat grade?)

There are a couple of models and it is available in either 10" or 12" blade lengths. Refer to: www.woodmanspal.com

I've used a 12" blade model for a number of years, including military service, northern canoe trips and around my place. I did make one improvement by grinding off the "safe" end of the edge.

I've handled one, and I would consider it combat grade. Okay, it is still just garden tool steel, but it doesn't feel flimsy, and it ought to gut an elephant with that hook!