CondorTool & Knife Parang Machete Knife with Leather Sheath - Heavy Duty Machete with Sheath - 1075 High Carbon Steel - Walnut Handle - 6mm Thick with Convex Edge - 33.9oz

I have purchased less expensive machetes but many are not heat treated or have lower grade steel. This has 1075 carbon steel. There are others that make 1085 and 1095 Steel but they cost even more. This is a well made one, and I consider this the bare minimum for a usable machete. I use my machetes to trim brush, saplings, and tall weeds. I also use it like an ax to chop off branches. We live on just under 8 acres so we have a lot of foliage, trees, etc.This design is based out of Malaysia where their brush is much thicker. The blade has three main segments: forend for skinning animals, the mid segment for chopping and the rear for carving. The grip is a hardwood with a flared out square bottom that tapers towards the top of the grip. Because of the balance, I hold this past the flared bottom for more control.This has a black coating which protects against blinding glare when working in the sun. The edge is exposed. Balance is excellent and I have great control. It is always best to swing in an arc or direction that moves away from the other hand, your face, and body. This is not designed for a novice, as it can likely and severely injure you. A bounce back or a chop that comes towards you can have deleterious and disastrous effects.For a machete, this is as heavy as they come. It is very durable with respect to the blade and edge. I have used it to chop and cut with ease. An unintentional glancing blow at a boulder, and it dented the edge, slightly. Lesser blades would have been rendered useless, broken, or badly bent.This has a leather sheath with two brass snaps. Because of the flared fore end, it would be difficult to make a design that would fit with just one snap. The sheath has a nice belt loop which swivels on a button. It is comfortable and keeps the machete out of the way when walking around the property.Because this has no sharp point, it is more of a chopper, slasher and cutter, as opposed to a stabbing type of blade. If you need to stab, then it is best to go with a baring, Bowie, Tanto or Latin style machete.Overall, I'm very pleased with the design. It's tough and it is a great chopper/hacker.

First, let me state my history with machetes. I live in 9 acres of jungle in Hawaii. I own multiple different types, styles, and weights of machetes and have logged many hundreds of hours using them to perform duties like making trails, clearing brush, and removing trees. This machete is my favorite. It has enough heft and thickness to the blade to easily take down 4-5 inch hardwood limbs or trunks. Straight from the factory it was sharp enough to clear smaller problems like uluhe ferns. I have a great machete sharpener which restores this blade to kitchen-knife sharpness in three pulls. If you would miss your target and carelessly strike your shin or companion with this machete, somebody will be going to the emergency room for stitches. This is a serious machete for professionals. I have read some reviews that complained about the thickness or weight of this unit, and I think they don't appreciate the type of user this machete was made for. I waited several months to write this review to see how the steel holds up. There are no nicks or pitting on the blade edge from use or sharpening. If you are a serious connoisseur of a working blade, the quality and value of this cannot be beat. It has the versatility for larger brush and enough sharpness for the thinner problems, making it great for mixed uses. If you have no thick brush in your machete needs, or are not an experienced user, you might want to look for something with a thinner blade or less heft, but for me, its perfect. If you need a machete that has the blade edge for light work but also enough thickness and heft to do the job of a hatchet or small axe, and have the experience to use it safely, THIS is the machete for you.Update: I've had this machete for a few years now and the blade is still in awesome condition. It has a pit or two where I got careless and hit a rock or something but so far this tool has far exceeded my expectations. A few months ago my wife borrowed this machete and lost it and I was seriously bummed. I came here to order a replacement and they were out (they have since come back in stock). I felt almost like I had lost an old friend. A few weeks later I found it out in the yard in a stump. I could tell it had been in the weather but it cleaned right up.