(
Pros: Blade Material, Blade Sharpness, Finish, Materials, Overall Quality, Sheath/Scabbard, Weight
Cons: Handle Material
Only the Handle Drops the Score on this Excellent Cutter
The hand ground convex edge slices grasses, weeds, and slender branches like it's a Yanagiba going through sashimi. It's got great spring, touching up the edge takes only a piece of old belt leather with a little buffing compound (I use green) on it to keep is like a razor. The only problem I have with it is the handle. I don't know if all New Zealanders have little girl hands, but there is no way Svord is making these orange handles for DCA or people with large, American knife-using hands. The easy solution was the one I learned from Chris at PM101, I just wrapped hockey tape around it. I like this Svord Kiwi Machete enough that I've set aside my LT Wright Survivorman machete for it. If you know LTWK at all, you must know how profoundly superb that recommendation is. This is worth every penny.
