Condor Tool & Knife Survival Machete with Walnut Handle

I bought this Condor after becoming frustrated trying to put a decent edge on a Gerber machete. My brush-cutting tasks are not really rigorous, but the Gerber seemed better-suited for use as a club, especially after my wife almost destroyed the edge on a bench grinder, then finished it off by trying to saw her way through a stone, ruining both the stone and the blade. I never managed to bend the blade, but I had heard of others doing so. It is probably not fair to compare this machete directly with the Gerber, but that is where my experience lies. In any event, the Condor trumps the Gerber in almost every respect. First off, it is beautifully crafted. The hardwood handle is perfectly matched to the tang. The wood seemed a bit dry in places, but a little beeswax I had handy gave it a semi-matte satin finish. The blade is sharp right out of the box. Some reviewers have described the Condor products as "kit knives" that needed a bit of work to get a sharp edge, but my example needed nothing. The blade is thick, about 6mm at the handle, tapering to 2-3mm near the point. There is no way you will bend this blade short of putting it in a hydraulic press. The grind is convex, not unlike an axe. I found it to make short work of branches up to about 5/8" in diameter, usually in a couple of swings if I placed the second one right. Some of the thicker brush would probably go easier with pruning shears, but the sheath makes the machete easier to carry than a pruner, leaving my hands free for other chores as I work. I didn't try too much chopping, but the heft and grind of the blade suggest it should perform in this regard. In contrast to the cordura sheath that comes with the Gerber, the Condor sheath is nicely made of thick, heavy leather. It holds the blade securely by friction. It has an oiled black finish, and has the Condor crest embossed on the front. The belt loop pivots on a stud, so that the sheath can swing out of the way if you sit down. If you look around, you can find the machete alone for about half the price of the machete and sheath together, but the sheath is a good value, and worth paying extra for. Of course, the thick blade means a heavy knife, which helps it do its work, but at the same time makes it pretty heavy to lug around. The handle shape does not help in this regard. It is thick and almost round in cross-section, rather than oval as many other machetes. The combined effect is that the Golok feels like quite a load in the hand. On balance, though, this is a very nice tool, capable of doing a lot of work while being very nice to look at and to handle. Update: After using the Golok for a year or so. I am giving it a fifth star. It is simply a fierce brush-clearing implement. I love this thing. Update 7/17: the Golok has proven to be a great chopper. I used it to take down a 4" Chinese elm, not the best tool for the job, but if it is what you have with you, it's good to know it can get it done. Not the best tool for grasses, either, a lighter Salvadoran machete or Tramontina will let you work longer without tiring, but the Golok will do the job. It really comes into its own on medium-sized brush, up to a couple of inches in diameter. I have tried a lot of other machetes since I bought the Golok, but this one gets the call for a pretty wide range of conditions.

I finally got a chance to use my new Golok. Great tool. Cuts small brush/limbs, weeds and vines. Bulbous handle makes you feel secure swinging this and for most use blade speed is your best friend. A major plus for this is the cost of the machete. You can find cheaper machetes out there, but this is thick enough to be a serious tool. The blade steel is of a quality that likewise is befitting a serious tool. As a user, you want a tool that is constructed of a hard enough material that it stays sharp, but tough enough to not break. A similar tradeoff on costs. Buy a quality tool, but not one that costs so much you won't use it. This Condor hits that sweet spot for me. (I give that advice especially for myself!) I love my quality Spyderco knives but often reach for a cheapie when I'm going to do "real" work. My first day's use included some sprout trimming. For that, I want to cut close to the ground. I'm not going to use my Cold Steel Gurkha Kukri with Kraton Handle that way for doing everyday chores! Yep, I hit the dirt, even some rocks. All in a day's work for this. Just like I'd use a hoe or shovel. I'll nick the blade. It sharpens easily enough. There is some concern for how narrow this blade is down near the handle. Condor has done a nice job of tapering the blade thickness. I measured the width of the blade, estimating the center of the sharpened bevel back to the spine. Nearest the handle my Golok is 1 inch wide and 0.24 inches thick. Out near the tip, I got 1.75 wide and 0.115 thick. My point was to try and figure the weight distribution by calculating the cross sectional area of the blade at a couple of points. (Near midpoint of blade, the figures are 1.38" by 0.165") Calculated cross sectional areas were, starting nearest handle were 0.23 in^2, 0.23 in^2 and 0.20 in^2. Again you face compromise. Heavier near the tip gives greater cutting power. But a thinner blade cuts more easily. What I found is the blade is actually heavier back near the handle, but not by much. The greater thickness helps avoid bending blade, of course. Oh, yes, I spray my Golok with WD 40 or whatever is handy. It'll get rusty soon enough, but it's still new, so I want to delay my neglect for until next time. I like this tool!

Etwas teuer, ansonsten nichts zu beanstanden.

WOOOOOW !! FABULOSO. Y MUY BUEN DETALLE DE LA PATINA.

Fits very well in the hand cam incredibly Sharp as always Condor leather sheath is very well made the dangler Style is very comfortable bites into wood like butter

Ich habe auch 2 günstigere Macheten (jaja, wer billig kauft) und wenn man diese ordentlich schleift kann durchaus auch was anfangen damit. Aber kein Vergleich zu dieser hier - DAS ist ein richtig hochwertiges Werkzeug. Sehr gute Balance, aber nicht unbedingt leicht. Dadurch bekommt man viel Wucht auf die Schläge - 3-4cm Äste sind mit einem Schlag ab. Länge ist für meinen Geschmack optimal. Die Schneide kommt nicht rasiermesserscharf und das Holz am Griff habe ich nachgeölt. Die Lederscheide ist jedoch hervorragend und sehr praxisgerecht - die Jungs von Condor wissen was sie da bauen. Was ich jedoch nicht verstehen kann ist wie man sie zu Hause liegen lassen kann - das Teil schreit förmlich danach zur Tat zu schreiten! :-)

Haven't had a chance to use this yet but looks and feels like a solid knife. Aesthetically I suppose there are variations in the Condor lineup pertaining to the hammered finish. I was hoping for more of a "leopard print" hammered look as advertised but it got more of a crusty black burnt look. Still i am okay with this as those are just simply looks, the functionality of the pack golok does not change. Was delivered sharp, not paper slicing sharp, but I can still do the fine carving stuff with ease. Cant wait to get out and chop down some invasive vines and shrubs. The whole thing fits nicely in my standard sized backpack so thats a plus and won't scare the shit out of the neighbourhood. One more thing, this blade catches the light and shows rainbow colours on the surface. thought that was note worthy!