MachetesThink of any jungle scenario and the machete will be at the forefront, slashing dense cane and rough brush to make a path for the safari. While that’s not the way most people in the tropics travel today, there’s still plenty of country you can’t cross without one. Sometimes called the agricultural cutlass, the machete bears a strong resemblance to the short, heavy fighting sword that was a favorite among pirates and common seamen. Long thick forward-weighted blades made this style of working knife instantly appropriate for battle.

Today the machete is built more for bushcraft than fighting, although many are still special issue military gear. The Brazilian Army provides soldiers a machete with a ten inch clip point blade, along with a whetstone and a fixed blade Bowie knife, as part of the standard jungle kit. For civilians similar shorter versions of the machete efficiently clear campsites and trails and make quick work of camp chores, performing like a camp axe but without the weight. Often ground with a short thick bevel, the blades hold up to heavy work without turning an edge. That same thick steel doesn’t serve well for tasks that require razor sharp thin blades. Use the machete for heavy chopping, but keep a hunting or skinning knife on hand for the fine work.

Some of Our Favorites

The Bark River Golog Machete has the simple machete design but with the refinements of a good hunting knife.

Ontario Knife Company’s SP8 Spec Machete shows what happens when a corporation cares about getting it right.

Our choice for the best machete is Cold Steel’s Kukri Machete. It takes the Gurkha knife to new levels.

Read All of Our Machete Reviews Below


Machete

Ninja Twin Blades Sword Set w/ Harness Sheath by Trademark | Dual Machete, Full Tang w/ Back Strap

Built like slim machetes, these Twin Ninja Swords from Trademark Global should be treated with respect. Although they aren’t combat quality...
Sharon
58 sec read

Predator Dutch Shaefer Machete w/ Sheath | High Carbon Stainless Steel Fantasy Short Sword

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the movie Predator, a detailed replica of the machete used by Dutch Shaefer (played by...
JT Hats
57 sec read

Ka-Bar Tac Tool Becker BK3 w/ Machete, Chisel | Fixed Emergency SWAT Team Knife, High Carbon Steel

The Becker BK3 Tac Tool, now made by Ka-Bar, resulted from a collaboration between Ethan Becker of Becker Knife and Tool...
JT Hats
1 min read

United Cutlery Ninja Sword & Shoulder Sheath | Full Tang Tanto Machete, Black Ronin

United Cutlery made the Black Ronin Ninja Sword good enough to actually use, though it’s an odd blend of jungle machete...
JT Hats
57 sec read

Serenity Reaver Sword | Firefly River Tam Collectible Weapon, Fantasy Movie Replica

Fans of the Fox TV series Firefly or the subsequent movie Serenity will recognize this weapon as a Reaver sword, based...
JT Hats
59 sec read

Ka Bar Bowie Knife, Black High Carbon Steel | Heavy Kraton Machete 1277

If you need a knife heavy enough for chopping wood, the Ka-Bar 14-1/4-inch Bowie could be a match. The tactical black...
JT Hats
1 min read

Ka-Bar Machete Cutlass w/ Leather Sheath | Black High Carbon Steel Blade

Ka-Bar’s Black Cutlass Machete reaches back to the roots of both designs, coming up with a new approach that works well...
JT Hats
54 sec read

Medieval Falchion Replica Sword | Valiant Armoury | Persian Machete w/ Scabbard

The Falchion took centuries to evolve from what was probably a butcher knife or kitchen cleaver pressed into emergency service into...
JT Hats
1 min read

Bark River Golog Survival Machete | Fixed Hunting Blade

The Bark River Golog brings the traditional machete of Indonesia to the North Woods of America. One pound in weight, the...
Ken
50 sec read

Meyerco Machete Ax Review | Stainless Steel Fixed Blade

Machetes look like great fun in jungle movies, with everybody up front chopping away at six foot grass and sapling thickets...
Ken
45 sec read

Cold Steel Machete | Cordura Sheath | Carbon Steel Utility Hunting Knife

Sometimes it’s great just to see a utility knife with sheer simplicity. Nothing fancy, no special little gimmicks. Just a straightforward...
Ken
44 sec read

High Carbon Steel Army Machete | Ontario Knife Company 8335 SP8 Spec Plus

If I were to take a machete into the North American wilderness, I think I’d like one that was shorter and...
Ken
1 min read

Ka Bar Black Kukri Machete Review | Wilderness Knife | Carbon Steel Blade

If I hear the name Ka-Bar I think of the tried and true fighting knife that’s standard equipment for U.S. Marines....
Ken
1 min read

Ontario Knife Company Military Machete | Full Tang High Carbon Steel

Machetes were originally designed to be farm and trail tools–that’s an application few of us will need these days unless we...
Ken
1 min read

Boker Magnum Ghurka Kukri Machete | Stainless Steel Army Bushcraft Knife

If I think of German engineering, I think of efficiency, utility, and horrifically creative design. I see some of that in...
Ken
46 sec read

Kershaw Outcast Knife | D2 Steel Fixed Blade | Bolo Machete

Kershaw’s plain-edge Outcast is a decent choice for an outdoor knife. It’s reasonably strong, fairly priced, and has the reputation of...
Ken
41 sec read

Cold Steel Kukri Machete | Gurkha Knife Review | Cordura Sheath, Kraton Handle

These Kukri knives are heavy, curved knives originally used as both weapon and machete. Today they are mostly used as bushcraft...
Ken
26 sec read

Woodman’s Pal Premium Plus Machete | Includes Sheath, Honing Stone

This machete from Woodman’s Pal is intended to be a multipurpose tool, replacing several tools you might be inclined to carry....
Ken
31 sec read

Condor Outback Machete | Wilderness Knife | 23 in., Blasted Satin

Condor makes another machete that’s similar to this one. There are only two differences: the blade’s finish, size and tip. In...
Ken
32 sec read