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