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.