Cold Steel Royal Kukri Machete - 97KMIGS

I deeply thank Mr Amazon for apparently grafting unto me an original Cold Steel / pre GSM era blade which is proven to be phenomenal.... if you're reading this , you're probably getting the very last original or the new 65MN steel GSM tool ... you can research the difference by searching on YouTube (Joe X Royal Kukri ) (there's 2 different videos) .... I have spent probably thousands of dollars on Tops and K Bar and I will be feeling more safe around potential coyotes or mountain lions with this Royal Kukri instead ..... it can also chop for firewood of course.... it's a win/win and much more affordable..... the sheath even seems better than the K Bar Kukri that I bought at a military surplus store for over 100... I literally thanked God when I got this and didn't expect the integrity of the advertisement would really be the 1055 steel ... that is pretty critical and reliable business folks ... Joe X bought his new one recently from a different carrier or vendor and they lied about it being 1055 and it was really 65mn from China

Fast delivery and great product

This is my second South African Cold Steel machete. My first impressions are that it is as expected at this price. Let's break it down.The blade comes sharp. I have had some in the past with a full burr on it. It cost $20, so a little sharpening never bothered me. This one had a nice burrless edge. Grind was a little uneven, but not unsightly. I took off one star for the unfinished edges on the knife. Describing it is difficult, but if laid with the label side up, the edges get wider towards the non labeled side. It kind of looks like as if it settled while left on its side. I'm sure this was a product of the stamping machine, but needs to be fixed.The shape reminds me of a cross between Cold Steel's Kukri machete and the Kopis machete. It nicely angled on the spine, but has the elegant belly of the Kukris. The steel seems to be decently hard but exhibits the normal amount of flex I like on a machete. The balance point is about 4 inches in front of the handle, or halfway between the handle and the crook of the spine. It gives a nice weight forward feel, but can still be recovered like a normal Latin style machete. A great nod to the advantages of the kukri design.The handle is a rubber molded type with a bit of spring to it. It is ribbed and checkered over its entire surface. The shape and size are comfortable for my medium hands. If you have large hands, your pinky will most likely rest on the palm swell just before the lanyard hole.Sheath isn't fancy, but holds the blade securely. It has three straps that snap in place. One on the handle, one above the crook, and below the crook. The area along the spine is left open, so with the straps loose, the knife is pulled out the back instead of the top. I will make my own sheath, so the ease of use isn't a problem for me. It is better suited for storage than for carry.Overall a great product. You may be disappointed if you are expecting 50 dollar quality from this. This is a great deal for $20, but it is rough around the edges. I enjoy putting the finishing touches on my knives, so this is perfect. Would recommend.Update: bought a second one in Jan 2019. Sheath quality is better, the edge was ground evenly with the slightest wire edge, and the stamping machine doesn’t look like it has been changed. The edges are more chowdered. The stamping dies really need to be replaced; tool steel only lasts so long. Other than that, still a good machete to match the one my dog may have chewed the handle of.

Good heft, definitely quality, a unique take on a classic blade and Cold Steel never disappoints.

Can do must of the chopping work of a small-medium ax and all the duties of a machete. Very well made very well put together. Size is about perfect in it will pack well but still big enough to handle any chopping task shy of cutting down a larger diameter tree. Will chop kindling and firewood well especially if you use a small log as a mallet to assist in spitting wood. I feel a must have camping and survival tool. Sheath is also well made and not all cheaply done. Well worth the price you really get your moneys worth from this chopping tool.Like to add when I bought this Cold Steel Royal Kukri machete I also bought a Accusharp carbide blade knife sharpener. The Cold steel Kukri came only OK sharp. Yes it would cut you, but I felt it to dull for my liking. So I did 50 passes with the Accusharp, tested the blade for improvement and repeated, 50 test, 50 test etc. After 250 passes the Cold Steel Kukri was very sharp and no doubt I could get it even sharper as it's sharpness improved noticeably with every 50 passes of the sharpener, but I got it sharp enough to cut anything I will need to with minimal effort.All in all I can highly recommend both the Cold Steel Kukri Machete and the Accusharp knife sharpener.

Well made

The blade isn't quite as durable as I remember from the machete I had back in 2015 or so, but I was able to hack down the dead palms around my house with relative ease. The cutting edge was pretty beat after the second tree and I needed to sharpen it again after I cleaned it up, but the balance and weight were as good as I remembered. It's just a very ergonomic and intuitive design, and looks cool too. I do wish there was an option for a better sheath than the flimsy, Made-in-China one it comes with.