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.

Stahlqualität ist sehr gut. Sind leicht und liegen gut in der Hand. Gehört auch zur den richtigen Werkzeug.

This thing has taken a few months of beating in the woods of Atlantic Canada. Not chopping through the bush of Brazil, but it holds up well here in our mixed forests. This thing is tough enough to go through small branches and is light. Often we'll grab these rather than an axe.

Nur um ein Loch durch den Griff zu bekommen hat es 8 Metallbohrer und viel Zeit gebraucht. In Aktion ist es einfach herrlich damit sich den Weg zu Bahnen. Leider ist es nicht gut unter 175cm zu sein. Da die klinge für mich zu lang ist und kopflastig ist, was nicht schlecht ist. Doch ich bleibe lieber bei meiner alten fiskersmachjete. Das ist ein wirklich überzeugendes Werkzeug. Wer es kauft sollte wirklich erfahren und vernünftig damit hantieren. Seid vorsichtig.

Perfect !

had an old one from the 60s.. got stolen out the back of my truck. this one here is pretty good tho. nice weight, decent gauge. holds an edje very well and its cheap. no frills, just works as it should... thats how i like it. only thing i can say was a bit off was the sharpaning. the guy who does those needs to take his time more cause it was done a little crooket and totally missed a spot.. it was flat. but yea thats a minor issue i guess if u have 15 minutes to spare and know how to propperly use a sharpening stone. tho my old bolo still had the factory shapnening on it and worked great.. i was always impressed by that so that fact about the new one stood out.