Black bear machete/knife, on order. Why did you buy one, what do you think of it?

[Houlahound]

I have used a lot of machete for bush walks and garden duties. I never owned a Bowie style machete in fact I grind off the tips of all my machete. I am more buying this as an actual knife I can use around a camp for light brush clearing, light dirt excavation and general knife chores.

I think the length, the thin stock and clip point should make for a very general purpose knife more than a straight up machete.

Why did you buy one and do you like it?

 

[Man with no name]

I purchased one about a year ago. Primarily because it was a bowie and I wanted to check it out. But I actually prefer the other bowie machete that resembles the Natchez. The older model feels better in the hand to me and I like it's look much more. Nothing wrong with the Black Bear just like the older Bowie Machete better.
BOWIE MACHETE | Cold Steel Knives

 

[Man with no name]

Photos - Cold Steel Black Bear Machete handle mod | BladeForums.com

 

[Houlahound]

Photos - Cold Steel Black Bear Machete handle mod | BladeForums.com

Thanks for ideas on handle mod.

I was thinking it looked a bit too smooth and was planning to cut some cross hatch design in with a hack saw blade. The rasp might be easier tho.

Hopefully arrives soon.

 

[TheArab]

Had it in my hands the other day, did not accept it because it wasn't brand new. TBH I was underwhelmed, but I still would like to own it, a brand new one. It's a cool knife/machete.

 

[Houlahound]

Had it in my hands the other day, did not accept it because it wasn't brand new. TBH I was underwhelmed, but I still would like to own it, a brand new one. It's a cool knife/machete.

It's a useful tool, I keep one under my car seat and use it multiple ways.

 

[Houlahound]

Just to clarify, the weight/stiffness/length/thickness of the blade somehow turns out to make an extremely effective tool to carry and swing in extremely overgrown brush, I am talking vegetation you would otherwise have to crawl thru like a lizard.

The only valid comparison would be a bolo, the bolo has a rounded tip compared to a clip point, this is the main point of difference and that is good or bad depending on use case.

The clip point is extremely sharp/stabby and as such presents a major hazard while in the bush especially if you trip over or lose your grip on the handle while swinging the thing. Many hardcore machete users I know grind the blade to have a square profile at the tip, surprisingly you can't buy one like that very easy as unless you find and get into more esoteric South East Asian traditionals.

Having said that the clip does offer advantages for more knife like tasks and less machete like tasks.

All in all this knife is surprisingly suitable for my use case, I have a small file attached to the sheath which maintains a more than capable edge and I keep a oil film on it. It gets stored under my seat of the truck on the floor and tales a hell of a beating. Plenty of guys try and do the same thing I do with massively built Bowie knives that cost hundreds of dollars and they treat their knives like small children and get no real use from carrying all that weight and expense around other than to get a "field use" photo to put on Instagram.

 

[coloradowildman]

I honestly bought one because it's the closest thing to a bowie knife that's still a machete that I've seen. Complete with the doubled edged tip and guard. Another very unique design that only Lynn Thompson could come up with.

Now, as for the handle...... it's large and very slick feeling. I immediately wrapped mine in grip tape which helped considerably. It's the only I don't like about the Bowie. The handle just feels like an overly large chunk of rounded plastic. If it were molded like in that previous mod thread, it would be night and day. Still, with grip tape, it works, and especially if you get one on a blowout sale, it is a very cool piece of kit and probably collectable.