Favorite Cold Steel machete and why?

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Woodcamo Nut

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Apr 15, 2014
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What's your favorite CS machete, and why is it your favorite?

My favorite is the bowie machete because it's the only CS machete that I currently have and I like how it chops, plus it has a great piercing clip point.

Hopefully they bring back the 18 inch bowie machete because I only have the 12 inch.

I'm looking forward to trying out the other CS machetes in the future.:thumbup:
 
Ooh ooh, I wanna play. My favorite by far is my barong machete, which I did some regrinding on. It now has a 4.5 degree primary bevel with a 17 degree edge and a 20 degree (sharpmaker) microbevel. I thinned it down a lot when doing the regrind. It was down to 0.015 inches at the top of the edge bevel. Even before the regrind, it would cut 1" rope free hanging and chop a 2x4 at least twice and still shave. I have a Panga and a Kukri machete too, but the Barong is still my favorite. I have one of the older ones from China.
 
I like the newer version of the barong machete. Good shape for my needs, and I like that they use the traditional handle style, which is nice in the hand. There's not a lot of barong machetes on the market here, and even the barong from Condor(whose machetes are usually better than Cold Steel's in ever way) doesn't have as nice a handle as the CS model.
 
For me it's a toss up between 18 inch Bowie machete and the old style kopis. Although for fun factor I like the gladius
 
The only CS machetes I own are the 12 and 18" bowie. I will admit that I picked them up for the cool factor alone... and they were so inexpensive I couldn't resist. I don't think that I have ever handled a more menacing edged tool than either of these, they are flat out gnarly. I keep the 12" within arms reach of my bed and the 18" in my truck, both as last resort options. As the OP pointed out, with their heft and fine tip they would be very useful as stand alone tools for field use.

EDIT: I wanted to add that the sheaths are very sturdy and well put together. Maybe the best non leather/kydex production sheaths ever.

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the Jungle Machete is most likely the next CS machete I will purchase, I've been wanting one since they first came out but had too many other tools I had to buy instead.

Sokumoto said:
My favorite Machete is the Jungle machete the simple design the weight forward and the grip feels good especially after I carved on the handle a bit withe a Dremel tool to make it it grippier. (still new to this Blade forums hope the link to the pics done right)

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3931/15267608858_fc8795aa15_k.jpg
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Woodcamo Nut said:
the Jungle Machete is most likely the next CS machete I will purchase, I've been wanting one since they first came out but had too many other tools I had to buy instead.
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The jungle machete is definitely a nice one. As far as Cold Steel machetes go, it's my second favorite, after the Barong.
 
me2 said:
Ooh ooh, I wanna play. My favorite by far is my barong machete, which I did some regrinding on. It now has a 4.5 degree primary bevel with a 17 degree edge and a 20 degree (sharpmaker) microbevel. I thinned it down a lot when doing the regrind. It was down to 0.015 inches at the top of the edge bevel. Even before the regrind, it would cut 1" rope free hanging and chop a 2x4 at least twice and still shave. I have a Panga and a Kukri machete too, but the Barong is still my favorite. I have one of the older ones from China.
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If you could bend it to 90, you could pass your ABS Master test! :D

I like the Gladius the best. Talk about making someone back up when you hold it! :D
 
Kukri machete is my favorite. Re ground the edge and absolutely love it. Razor sharp. Have the bolo machete too and that's a really decent chopper.
 
Panga followed by the Kukri Machete. Love the shape of the kukri more, but find the Panga shape easier to maintain.

These will both be replaced by the bill hook when Cold Steel decides to bring that to the machete line!!! :p
 
I have a Panga, Bolo and Small Kukri machete and for me the 13 inch Kukri is by far the handiest. I take it with me fishing and use it for cutting bait to clearing out an area to fish. The shorter overall length makes it very packable and it packs a big punch for being no larger than it is. Panga would be #2 with the bolo coming in last of the three.

CS machetes have got to be the best machete value there is bar none so I think you will be happy with any version cause you will eventually own more than one.
 
Camber said:
Panga followed by the Kukri Machete. Love the shape of the kukri more, but find the Panga shape easier to maintain.

These will both be replaced by the bill hook when Cold Steel decides to bring that to the machete line!!! :p
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If you like you some billhooks, check out Bladeforums member FortyTwoBlades's website(baryonyxknifecompany.com), he has a boatload of Italian billhooks for sale. Some of those might hold you over till CS puts one out, I got 3 of them myself.
 
Thanks for the advice DShiflet. I will check them out. I just have a real strong love for the Lasher products. After you get past the initial edge they work so well and are so reasonably priced through CS.
 
Camber said:
Thanks for the advice DShiflet. I will check them out. I just have a real strong love for the Lasher products. After you get past the initial edge they work so well and are so reasonably priced through CS.
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I don't love them as much as some other brands, tbh. Without getting into the really expensive scale, Condor makes a great product, as does Aranyik(though it can be hard to actually get these), as as for reasonably priced, you can get a Tram or Imacasa for even less than the CS machetes, though CS has some styles they don't have...and I always take notice when CS puts a new one out, too. I'm still waiting on Baryonyx to get that new Thai machete in stock...
 
I have a few Latin machetes but only one CS, I really like the Kukri Machete, it's a good chopper almost on par with my tomahawks, and here in the hardwood forests its chopping power is handy.

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Bring back the 18 inch Bowie machete !
What a thing to have.

My favorites for now are the Cold Steel Smatchet and the CS Bowie machete 12 inch.
They are both very mobile,maneuverable, fast.
I did have the Gladius machete, but found the large pommel in the way for good chopping motions.
The Handles of the Bowie machete and the Smatchet don't have this issue.
And both stab perfectly fine.
:D

For chopping purely , the Magnum Kukri machete is really nice.
Light but very effective.
 
I also have the 12" and 18" bowie machetes. I've had the 18" for many years. The grip appears to be Kraton, while the 12" looks like polyethylene. The edge and point on the 18" is vastly superior to the 12".

Oddly, over time, the sheath for the 18"er began to smell mildewy and fell apart!

They're both outstanding, versatile tools. Not sure why Cold Steel discontinued the 18"er. I'm glad i've got mine.
 
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