GERBER Gator Machete - Black w/ Nylon Sheath [31-000758]

I ordered this machette with the goal of using it primarily to prume off the sucker branches/shoots that are so numerous on flowering crab appple trees in my shelter belt. It will also be used for pruning other trees and overgrowth as needed.I received it earlier this fall when it arrived in a huge, 12"x24" box! Seems like a little overkill on the packaging as a 2"x2"x24" box would've been all that was needed.As far as the blade itself, it arrived with a good edge on it already. It wasn't razor sharp, but you wouldn't want a real thin, fragile edge on something that is going to be chopping at branches an inch thick as that fine edge would get bent and folded over too easily.I used it for about two hours straight while cleaning up 30+ flower crab apples trees and a few other wayward branches in the shelter belt. The blade sliced through them easily and when I ran into some thicker branches or branches at odd angles that I couldn't chop easily the saw came in very handy! I just reversed the blade and a few saw strokes later the branch was cut through, nice and cleanly.Some of the other reviews mention that the handle is weak, separated easily, etc. Granted I haven't used mine a ton yet, but so far the handle is still perfectly attached, is not loose or wobbly and I have no worries that the blade will go flying out of the handle and hit anything other than what I'm aiming at. If in the future I notice mine loosening up I will post an update.When all was said and done, after the two + hours of pruning crab apple trees, the machette still had a nice sharp edge on it. I did have one spot where I got in between the trunk and a thicker branch that did bend the blade in one spot just slightly. I considered returning it, but figured it was more my fault/technigque on that branch that caused the problem, than a weakness of the blade. It still works just fine and is barely noticeable unless you are running a gloved hand down the blade feeling for such imperfections.All in all, I am satisfied with this machette. It certainly made the job easier (and more fun) than working away at all those shoots with a bypass pruners or loppers!

A ton of machete reviews on Amazon are written with complete ignorance to the fact that there are different types of machetes and blades for different kinds of work. So when people 1-star something like this Gerber Gator Machete because they couldn't fell a redwood with it, that's their mistake, not the machete's.This machete has a thinner, more flexible blade suited to clear brush and things like that. And it excels at doing so. I myself put it to task on a 9 foot Christmas tree that was originally quite full and thick. I'd say the branches on it averaged between 1"-2", with some give and take there throughout the tree.That tree was mulched in no time at all. The Gator tore through it more than I though it would, each swing cleanly cutting through branch after branch and usually only stopping if I landed upon the trunk. And even then, it would cut deeply into it and catch there, but never bent or broke. And the saw-back serration on the spine worked like a charm for getting that trunk down into tiny pieces.If you need a machete for chopping through branches 3", 4", 5" or more in size, than you need a different style than this one. You want one with a thick blade that doesn't bend, like these are meant to. But if you need something for clearing a trail or decimating holiday pine trees, this one is a total score at the $15 price point it's currently at.

I want to start by saying that I happen to own quite a few machetes such as Tramontina, Imacasa, Condor, Ontario, Ka-bar, and Cold Steel. So I have quite a bit of experience when it comes to machetes in general.Upon receiving this machete, I immediately took note of a few things. First, I was rather impressed with the quality of the sheath that comes with this machete. It's a sturdy quality nylon sheath that is a rigid construction. Usually, most machetes either come with no sheath at all, or a rather lousy one at best, so this was a pleasant surprise, especially considering this machete sells for under $20!The next thing I noticed about this machete in comparison to my other, more traditional, machetes is that this machete is rather heavy and slightly awkwardly weighted due to the rather modern styled handle design. However the handle is very comfortable and the "Gator Grip" is textured very nicely and provides lots of traction.One downside to this machete though, is that it's not full tang which presents some concerns due to the fact that it's used primarily as a chopping tool. Unfortunately, only time will tell as to how sturdy this machete will prove to be. I will be sure to include an update in the event of any type of failure.The machete comes with a decent grind out of the box that will save you from having to worry about spending time doing any type of heavy grinding, however, it does not come quite sharp enough right out of the box to take into the woods. I spent some time putting about as sharp of an edge as I could on this machete, which was kind of hard due to the fact that Gerber tends to impart a very soft temper on their steel. I was however able to get a sharp enough edge to where it cuts very well in the woods.The saw on the machete works surprisingly better than I thought it would. I was impressed and happy that this saw will actually serve me well when it comes to notching wood for different common bushcraft tasks.Lastly, I wanted to touch upon something rather important when it comes to machete use. I noticed a number of people complaining about braking their machetes and putting rather obscene chips in the blade and so forth. Anyone looking to buy a machete needs to keep in mind that machetes are not designed to take down redwoods! They are made from thin spring temper steel and are designed to primarily cut green (living) vegetation and underbrush. If your looking to fell hug-sized trees, then buy an axe. If your looking to have a tool to help clear camp sites, or help carve your path through the woods, than a machete is probably a good option. I would not push a machete to do anything more than a hatchet could comfortably handle.Also, I notice that the vast majority of North Americans generally don't know which area of the machete to strike with either. I've found that most people that are unfamiliar with machete use, tend to strike with the middle section of the blade. This is bad. When striking with the middle portion of the blade, this puts the machete at high risk of bending or breaking in the event that the machete glances off of the medium being struck, and can cause extreme lateral pressure and flex. Striking with the middle portion of the blade does not offer the most speed and power for your swing either.The ideal portion of the blade to strike with is roughly the final 1/3 of the blade (generally the flat portion of the blade directly before the rounded belly of the blade). The closer to the tip of the machete that you strike with, the more head speed and power will be generated. Likewise, in the event that the blade glances off of the intended target, the blade will not experience large amounts of flex that could permanently bend, chip, or break the blade. For those who would like to learn more about machetes and their use, check out Joe Flowers or Colhane on youtube.In conclusion, I think this machete is proving to be a good tool thus far. If I experience any changes in performance, I will amend this review and post an update below.