Bolo Machete

Tramontina machetes are one of the classics for a reason, they are extremely popular all over the world! This 14" Bolo style Tramontina machete with 1070 carbon steel and a hardwood handle, lives up to the hype. Listen guys, it's going to be a little on the rough and unfinished side when you get it, but don't despair! That's actually quite a fine thing, because these tools are meant to be finished to the owners' specifications and needs. The Bolo style machete gives you a little extra weight at the end of the blade, which really helps when chopping the woody type of brush I have here in the northeast of the US. I also have a 12" and a 14" Latin style machete from them, all are great, but this 14" Bolo is my favorite for chopping through thick woody vines and small saplings and getting really close to the ground, she takes a beating and keeps her composure!!! If you're debating between the Bolo and Latin style just get both and try them out because I think they both have pros and cons! I received this machete really fast and I am very pleased with the quality! When it came to me, it had a thin clear poly coating on it from the factory, and a sticker on the blade. I removed the sticker with some blade oil, and spent some intimate time with a bastard file and a Lansky puck to put a hair-shaving edge on her. I plan to remove the poly on the blade at some point with some steel wool and acetone, and then do a force patina on it, but I am in no rush yet! Just some ideas on how you can personalize her! :) The tip will come to you unground, so if you want to put a pointy tip on her you're going to need to do that yourself - but I didn't go that far. I sharpened the entire blade up until the last inch on the tip which I left a little thicker so it can withstand chopping and whacking near/into the dirt when cutting up vines and brush. This blade is 1070 carbon steel as mentioned elsewhere on the internet and it's a good, serviceable material for the purpose of the tool. It isn't difficult to sharpen, but it retains an edge respectably well! It's not quite as hard as Imacasa machete steel, if you are comparing the two brands (they use 1075 I believe) The wooden handle on this machete comes pretty rough and blocky, which is on purpose so you can carve or sand it to your preferred grip. I am a lady with medium sized hands and I shaved off and sanded the handle right away, which didn't take longer than 10 minutes, and now I find it effortlessly comfortable! It only took me the first day I had this tool to fine tune it to my needs and it's been great since! I have been using this machete to chop out invasive plants in my garden and other such yardwork, and I find it a joy to swing and chop through the brush with this baby! I could do it all day, one of the benefits of this shorter 14" length is that the tool is light enough not to fatigue you, also the geometry of the blade allows the heavy front end to chop without any extra effort. She goes through thick brush like it's butter! I paired this machete with the Marbles 14" bolo style sheath, which is serviceable for now. It only takes me a couple minutes to touch up the edge with the Lansky puck now and she is dangerously sharp, so a sheath of some kind is essential.

I’ve only had this machete for a short period of time, but after using it a couple times in the garden, I am extremely happy that I bought it. I’ve used and really enjoy my Tramontina 20” machete and each certainly has its own niche. That being said if I was going to have only one machete for use in my urban yard, it would definitely be this bolo. I really enjoy balance between reach and compactness and the forward heavy, “choppy” blade. The blade is easy to sharpen yet holds an edge decently. I did put an obtuse grind on the distal 1-2” of the tip (totally unground/unsharpened from the factory) and sharpened it up a moderate amount. The majority of the blade comes with a very serviceable edge which I cleaned up (and removed lacquer) with a file then refined a bit more with a stone. I also used shaped the wood handle a bit, using a rasp and some files, so that it is a bit more comfortable for me, then finished it with linseed oil. It was 100% usable when I received it, but now it is even more enjoyable for me to use and I got a fun, small project out of it. This bolo makes quick, easy work out of vegetation up to branches around 1-1.5” and although sub-optimal, will work on things as soft as grasses. I’d buy another with very little thought if I had need for another bolo. Thank you Tramontina!

This a terrific garden tool and should not be mistaken for a weapon. It is light with a good basic grip. The tip is not sharp because it is not intended as a cutting surface. The 1095 steel sharpens well and quickly - expect to spend two minutes sharpening after each use. Drag type carbide sharpening cutters set up at about 30 degrees work very well. The sheath is sold separately (different vendor). Would buy again.

This is indeed a quality tool. And it arrived sporting an edge that, while not super sharp, was sharp enough to actually start using it immediately. Now in my machete experience, that is rather rare (except for Cold Steel products, which usually have a good edge when new). Good handle, nice feel when swung (I think "swung" is a word) I have a few machetes of various makes and lengths, and based on my limited knowledge, this particular Tramontina appears to belong in the "superior" category. That extra bulk in the nose seems to give it a good balance. Note: a sheath does not come with this model. I ordered a Cold Steel bolo sheath and the two match up quite well, IMO. Not perfect, and you can tell that they weren't made for each other, but the combo suits me just fine.

I'll be honest, I bought this because I had 15 bucks burning a hole in my pocket and it came pretty highly reviewed. I've had it in the woods twice now, and my first impressions have been pretty favorable. I tested it on some hardwood trees, both living and dead up to about 6" thick and it performed quite well. I didn't think it would bite so deep, as it is a pretty thin blade, but the shape seems to help it out some. When I strike big trees the handle stings the heck out of my hand though. Had to use gloves. Where it really excels is 1-2 inch living branches. It just soars right though them, which makes it great for trailblazing. I slashed through about 100 yards of bushes and stickers with it fairy dull, and I was satisfied with it's performance. I beat the hell out of it, and the blade is still immaculate. The handle is still tight. Great for such a cheap tool.

Love this machete. Yes, you have to sharpen it, but once done, this thing can take down a bunch of brush and weeds in no time flat. This is a workhorse, not a show piece. It does what it has to, keeps an edge, and you can't ask for a better price. I'm a woman, so I did re-profile the handle to fit me. but again, at the price, I'm not complaining about any work I put into this tool. I like that the weight is forward; it can really deliver a whack. It's thin blade slices through soft stems like they weren't there and a few well aimed chops takes down woodier saplings easily. As long as you know how to properly use a machete, you won't be chopping off any cellulite limbs instead of cellulose ones. And this tool could do it, if you're not careful. Very happy with this purchase.

Arrrived 3 days early. Can't wait to take it out into the woods. Came nice and sharp but has to be honed. Very sturdy tool at a great price. Fits perfectly in the marbles MR393S 14" sheath I got for it. I've been taking a billhook with me on occasion, much heavier tool, for a while now and have blazed a bunch of trails in the upland forests of VT. Gonna be nice to have this lighter tool in a sheath with me at all times. Really nice to have for cutting sticks for the dog, also. I often end up tossing them up in trees and need a fresh one.

I would have given 5 stars but as other reviwers pointed out it comes pretty rough. For the $20.00 you are supoosed to be getting a very hard, high carbon blade and a real wooden handle. Knowing this info before hand I went ahead and ordered. I do not sharpen my own knives. I have a blade smith friend with a studio. I took it down to him. I was afraid he was going to make fun of my purchase since he is super snobby about blades and his steel. First he did "the file test" and exclaimed "wow, thats really hard steel". It was then time to finish the edge with his belt grinder, polisher. Here he did the "spark test" and said the types of sparks and how many indicated a very high carbon content. So 10/10 The wood handle is big and blocky also meant to be finished but it is nice wood and well made. So the answer to the question. Was it worth $20. According to a real bladesmith...YES well worth it.