I'd been eyeballing this one at the local Gander Mountain for a while, so when my buddy started drooling over it, I decided it was time to get a pair, and give one to him for his birthday.

http://www.meyercousa.com/item.lasso?dsc2=MCMACHETE

The blade shape is a modified bolo point. Right off the bat it looks like it is much better for poking and prying than the typical cheap cutlass shape on most common machetes. That aside, this is one substantial blade. It looks to be about 50% thicker than a standard machete, and is definitely more spiny, meaning rigid. Out of the box the edge was about what you'd expect to find on a machete, which isn't all that good. The blade is made of 420 stainless, which isn't terribly hard and will take an edge well enough, but won't hold an edge like a good knife. Figure the edge to be about a rockwell 55-57c. This is plenty acceptable for a machete blade I reckon.

I can't do a good job of sharpening blades more than 12" long on my wheels, so I just used one of those carbide draw through sharpeners, figuring that a service edge would be about all I'd need anyways. Once I got it sharp enough to take hair off my arm, I figured that was good enough. You don't need a machete to be scary sharp. This model is the 24" version, and I see they have a 28" version as well, but this blade is heavy enough I don't think the 28" will do most folks any better. In any case, after putting a decent edge on it, I went out in the back and proceeded to do some whacking. The grip on this blade is tactile rubber with a good texture, but in my opinion oversized. It fills my hand up well, but as I am a big boy, that may be too much for the average hand. It does have a solid feel, though, and full swings for 5 minutes produced no hotspots. The weight and heft of this blade really carry it through on tree limbs and saplings, but I think it is actually unwieldy on lighter stuff, like grass and free hanging vines. You have to swing the blade quick to get it to shear the softer stuff or else it has a tendency to fold around the edge too much or otherwise deflect, and moving that heavy a blade fast will be fatiguing. It actually feels easier if there is some resistance to the cut. I guess there's always a trade-off. This blade would have no problem hulling a coconut. The hand guard is likewise robust and more or less ergonomic, in that it is spaced far enough that it won't make contact with the fingers through the swing, even on a deflecting blow. The guard is hard plastic, wide enough to make a difference, and took a pretty good direct blow to a tree trunk without showing any inclination to fail. I felt comfortable and secure that my fingers would be well protected at least where the guard covered them.

The best impression was from the sawback spine. The teeth are agressive and deep and oriented to cut on the draw. It went through a two inch limb on 4 draws! That is pretty aggressive, and even though it cut well, it took some effort to move the blade through the wood without it hopping. Again, my size and stature serve me well for such work, so in the hands of a person used to this sort of work, it is a pretty good compromise.

The sheath is a cordura nylon with a plastic insert, keeping it just rigid enough that the blade slides in and out easily, yet seats fairly secure. The belt loop is big enough to accomodate a military utility belt, and the lanyard is big enough to be servicable as a swing counterpoise, allowing for a more relaxed grip.

By the way, the machete comes with w lifetime warranty, and I got it for $10 off the mfr. I also see that Smoky Mountain Knife Works has the same blade for more than $5 less than what I got mine for, but if you figure in shipping fees, that works out about the same.

I'd considered getting a Cold Steel machete instead, but since this was right there in front of my face, well, there's sometimes no replacement for instant gratification.

If you feel you need a machete, this one is definitely worth your consideration. You can find them for a lot less, but you get what you pay for I reckon.

Thanks for the review. I'm suprised the sawback worked as well as it did. Usually that feature is just a gimmick.

-Blast

+1, thanks for the review.

I've been looking at these for a while. But around here they're always shrink-wrapped, and not cheap either; that sets my spidey-sense a-tinging.

For a tool like this, I think 420xx is a reasonable choice. It will take a decent edge, but it won't chip as easily (or deeply) as some steels under the stresses that a machete faces.

BTW: good job in dodging the Cold Steel cheap-o machetes -- see rant in recent post. Okay for vegetation, but completely inadequate for anything made of wood. (This does not apply to the C/S shovel; I want five more of those.)

I was a bit surprised at the sawback functionality as well. The grip isn't at all ergonomic for sawing, but it still performed above expectations.

My friend, who goes to central America on occasion, was also impressed with this machete, and replaced is carrying this one with him from now on instead of the carbon steel one he picked up in Honduras a few years back. He especially likes what quick work this new machete does on palms compared to his old one. He works for the County Environmental Services dept and has his fare share of regular trips into the brush, so with his endorsement, I feel I've chosen well.

I sold many of them when they were marketed with the Blackie Collins name. Most of them that were ever used for chopping, broke and were returned.

The 420 steel is very notch sensitive. Most broke starting from one of the first teeth close to the handle.

The warranty was of little value due the shipping and return policy and expenses.

Dang, yet another future disappointment waiting to happen.

Well, thanks for the warning, now I will be more sensitive to using this thing to chop wood, and stick to smaller stuff.

I bet that means it won't be much of a pry tool then, either?

Back to looking at Bolos and Khukris I suppose now. Oh well, at least it looked like it had potential.

I'll let y'all know when mine let's go and how.

Wow, thanks for the warning. I guess I'll stick to my Tramontia (Brazilian) machete. I use it all the time to cut firewood while camping. It works well enough and was dirt cheap.

-Blast

Hm! Thanks for the warning.

I thought that steel would hold up better -- shows how much I know. :-)

Best machetes I have ever owned are WWII surplus -- stamped USMC 1943. These were available in surplus shops for years. Heavy, sharp and tough. These are the standard by which I judge all others. I have two, wish I had a couple more tucked away.

Not worth a dang for vines and such, but an old (and now pretty expensive) WWII era USMC (for Medical Corp, not Marine) bolo is a pretty good wood chopper/splitter. I don't have one of those, but I do have a 1917 bolo that works pretty well also...

Yea, the good old tramontina's.. had one since the 80's but lost it a few years back..that thing was ugly, and cheap, but it worked.
Thanks for the warning ponder.