Jeffrey J C
Largo fl.

Sep 20, 2015

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Materials, Finish

Cons: None

Terrific job!

If you expect a lot from this blade you will not be disappointed. Leather sheath as good as it gets. Nice natural hard wood handle, nice finish on the blade ,easy sharpening ,fast shipping. It has a good weight that's really like a mini axe. No BS it's a job well done. I usually have a gripe about sheaths but not on this one. Thanks!

Danthemountainman23
Texas

Jun 16, 2018

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Great tool for bushcraft

This has replaced my previous hatchet for general bush-craft when I go hiking or camping around Sam Houston State Park, it does virtually everything my previous hatchet did and much more, the weight and balance makes it to where chopping with this puppy is effortless, its great to baton with and not to mention the edge by the handle is great for carving and shaving wood for kindling, this, along with my condor bush-lore and silky saw is a fantastic trio, I don't feel under-gunned whatsoever. The steel is 1075 which is an incredibly strong resilient high carbon steel but you can still sharpen into a wicked edge, although if you live in a high humidity zone such as myself, make sure to take the proper steps to prevent oxidation on the blade, high carbon steels are not immune. and to the previous gentlemen in the review thread, Mr.Geoff, THAT ROUND EDGE IS FOR YOUR BENEFIT, IT IS NO IMPERFECTION, I repeat DO NOT SHARPEN TO A FLAT EDGE OR YOUR BLADE WILL NOT PERFORM LIKE IT SHOULD, AND YOU MAY COME BACK TO UNFAIRLY REDUCE THE RATING. That convex edge is identical to that on many quality hatchets and axes, this is a wood processor after all... magnificent product, kudos Condor.

Atlatl
Glendale, AZ

Nov 21, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Materials, Finish

Cons: Weight, Sheath/Scabbard

Great, just as expected

Mostly have used around the home and garden. Bought for uses afield and for bug out/ camp box. Haven't been afield of late.

Mike J
U.S.A. Alabama

Sep 12, 2013

Pros: Weight, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Materials

Cons: Blade Sharpness

Great Tool

I have cleared several areas for camping with this knife. I use this to baton wood for fires. I have driven in sticks in ground for primitive animal traps. This is a great tool for the outdoorsmen. I have two just for extra measure. You will have to sharpen it when you get it but it holds a edge fairly well. Shipping is great if they have it in stock. Contact first to make sure it is in stock or you will have to wait a few days for it to ship. These are hard to find and people get them where they can. This is a machete you do not want to be without. If you spend money on a machete and do not get this machete you wasted your money....

Noel
New York

Apr 02, 2013

Pros: Overall Quality, Blade Material, Finish

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard

Great knife!

Awsome in place of ANY machete or large knife for clearing, cutting or wood prep. Excelent transaction too! Delivered in less than 48 hrs of placing order.

Jeff L.
Savannah, GA

Nov 08, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard

Chopasaurus Rex !

If you were dropped off in the back of beyond with only one tool to survive with, this would be my weapon of choice. Ergos are perfect and boy can it chop! Did I say it can chop? This thing fricking HATES wood. It has got to be the bastard child of a chainsaw and lightsaber. The only real complaint I have would be the sheath thoroughly sucks. Real pain in the butt to draw and I kinda wish Condor still had the "buy without sheath" option cause I woulda passed this one by.Gonna have to rectify that with a nice custom kydex rig. Been using it to clear downed limbs from Sandy and it has decimated everything I put in front of it. Outstanding job Condor ! Now get to work on making a better sheath !

Jake
Kiser

Oct 06, 2016

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Sheath/Scabbard

Cons: None

This machete makes light work of large material. Great balanced knife

Brad
SC

Dec 24, 2012

Pros: Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard

Cons: Finish, Blade Sharpness

love this thing

this thing is a beast. the finish on the blade was slightly off, and it wasn't all too sharp, but it took a nice edge with 10 minutes on a waterstone (60 then 1000 grit). i have heard complaints about the sheath, but mine is quite well made. i have 3 other condor products and they are all a bargain for what you get.

Kyle
USA

May 03, 2021

Pros: Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Amazing Tool

First impression out of the box I knew this would be great. The handle feels good in the hand and doesnt slip despite being wood. The ball on the end really helps your grip as well. Blade was very sharp out of the box. I really like the finish on this one. Rivets and wood on the handle are even and smooth. Not sure if I will use the lanyard hole but its a nice option. The sheath is a bit tight drawing the blade out. But the rivets have been covered to not scratch the blade. I tested this on a dry piece of Hawthorne, took out chunks with ease. Edge held up nicely despite my feeble attempts to use this.

Dale B
Grand Junction, Mi

Nov 24, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Fantastic!!

I wanted a large knife/machete to take camping. I was looking for something that could do double duty as a chopper and still do some bushcraft duties as well. This parang fills the bill perfectly. I put it on a stone a finished the edge to my liking and it now cuts great. It also is a wicked chopper making gethering sticks and wood easy. The handle is thick and smooth. I find it comfortable to choke up on it for detail work and yet the knob on the end makes it very secure to chop and swing. The sheath is nice and thick. The blade sticks inside of it a little but I think that will smooth out with more use. This is a heavy duty tool for sure. Thick and well built.

Mike
Ca.

May 22, 2013

Pros: None

Cons: None

Outstanding!!

Wrapped them in kydex. Very nice choppers! Condor produces some fine hardware.

John
St. Clairsville, OH

Apr 07, 2013

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Condor Village Parang Machete

This is a meat cleaver on steroids. Very impressive weight and appearance. Came sharp out of the box. Handle is very comfortable, and feels very secure in hand due to the way the end of the handle is shaped. Batons nicely thru wood. The sheath is thick leather with a very nice appearance. It is a bit difficult to take the parang out of the sheath at first but I've oiled my blade 2x in the 2 days I've had it and if I hold sheath parallel to the ground and pull straight back on the handle it comes right out. I use a light coat of knife sharpening oil (honing oil). The part of the blade closest to the handle needs to be sharper to do finer wood work. This is my 2nd Condor and I am very happy with it. Cool machete at a nice price.

Kevin
USA

Dec 21, 2012

Pros: Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard, Finish

Good quality

This is a well made parang that could take the place of a hatchet for most chores. The handle is well formed and comfortable with a heavy blade that arrives with an acceptable edge. I don't care for the finish on the blade but that's just cosmetic. I will probably do some re-shaping on this knife oly because I can't leave things well enough alone but it really comes ready to use.

Mike
Norfolk, VA

Dec 21, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Finish

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard, Blade Sharpness

Village Parang

This parang can easily replace a hatchet or small axe. I use it for wood processing. It is about the same weight as a small axe but more versitile. The parang is high quality. The edge needed a little work for my taste. The edge came too thick to bite into the wood. A few minutes on a stone and that was taken care of. I give it 5 out of 5. The sheath is good quality leather but the swivel belt loop doesn't work. They riveted everything together on mine. I got one for my son at the same time and his belt loop works fine. So it's a hit and miss thing.Quality control could be better. For the price this thing is awesome. I would have paid more for it and been happy. It has replaced my axe in my kit. I would highly recommend it.

Michael
Connecticut

Feb 20, 2013

Pros: Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Awesome

This is the all in one tool...If I were to be stuck with only one tool at my disposal...this would be the one...everything from fine carving to cutting down a tree...this is!

Knifegnome
Pennsylvania

Oct 20, 2015

Pros: Handle Material, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Materials

Cons: None

A diamond in the rough

I have used this to cut climbing vines (poison ivy, wild grape, bittersweet) and wild rose shrubs, to clear or widen paths, and do a little chopping. Fit and finish of the handle is excellent. The handle scales are approximately circular in cross section. I don't know what the wood is, but it is simply beautiful after three coats of boiled linseed oil, and needs no sanding. It's not stained, either; it's the same dark color through and through. If you want to rasp off a flat spot for your thumb, or make a plam swell, there's plenty of wood to work with and it won't require staining afterwards. The full tang means you never have to worry about the blade flying off the handle after a bad swing or glancing blow. That's important to me. The sheath is built better, and made of better leather, than some boots I've owned. The point of balance, if you rest the parang on its side on your finger, is two or two and a half inches in front of the handle. The edge is shipped somewhat sharp but you will need a bench stone or Lansky puck anyway, to get the profile you want and then to maintain it. There's plenty of knife here for you to hone and shape and get it exactly the way you want it. Some reviewers of Condor machetes complain about irregular grinding, etc. I own several Condors and I would remind them that there's a difference between an imperfection and a flaw. The Village Parang is not perfect--and the price tag reflects that. I don't want to pay for perfection! But it has no real flaws. It's built solidly, I like the way it looks, and it takes a seriously sharp edge. That and the low price makes it a gem in my opinion. I think of my Village Parang as sort of a work in progress. I've had fun putting my own mark on it, and it is serving me well. I expect to use it for a long time. If you can appreciate this knife for what it is, and put a little work into it, you will find it to be a fine tool and an outstanding value. If I had known about Condor machetes a year ago, I might not have bought that brush blade for my gas-powered string trimmer.

Rm
Germany

Sep 21, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard

Exactly what I needed

Thank Condor for producing such a great piece of kit! This Parang will accompany me thru the bush every time. First and foremost, do your research on the origin of the design it self - this concept is a hybrid of several different designs going back hundreds of years stretching from Java, Borneo, Malaysia, Philippines ,Thailand and so on. Your holding a weapon that these people used to protect the jungle villages, collect the heads of enemy's and produce raw jungle material for their life style. This is a powerful tool that commands respect from the user. RM

Colin
Amarillo, Texas

Jun 02, 2012

Pros: Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Materials, Finish

Cons: Weight

Crafter of the Bush

I have been waiting for years to pick up this parang ever since watching Ray Mears use one. True it is full tang, unlike the real versions, I think, but now I know why he must like them that much. The Convex edge is pretty, and very very sharp. There was a finish on it, probably just to prevent rust, but it did not hurt it when lopping through an old red oak in my back yard. I just got this thing and now I am in love. I just need to figure out a way to make a leather sheath MOLLE compatible for my Maxpedition. I have a Condor Bushlore that I like, but this thing I am absolutely in love with. A little heavy but I think it is supposed to be that way.

Gelone
Romania

Sep 28, 2012

Pros: None

Cons: None

EXCELENT!

EXCELENT!!!

Algodonrabo
Oklahoma

Nov 26, 2013

Pros: Overall Quality, Blade Material

Cons: Weight, Sheath/Scabbard

Village Parang ...

Excellent service from the Knife Center, the knife shipped quickly and received in good order. Out-of-the-box the fit and finish is very good for a knife in this price range. It is sharp enough to use straight away without hesitation. However, it comes with a bevel ground edge where, I believe, a convex edge would better serve a knife this size. But, that's my choice and was easy enough to correct. The blade sharpens easily and hold an excellent edge. Chops very well and takes big/deep bites into the wood. Weight forward balance allows lots of momentum for quick felling/limbing. The handle's circumference is massive and obviously intended for larger hands than mine (which aren't small) but, the scales and hardware are of good quality and appear solid affixed. The sheath is so-so to okay if you're not going to belt carry and the blade seems to fit a little too loosely in it. My suggestion is to either sew down the belt loop or fabricate a new sheath for yourself. Overall, I have no regrets with the purchase and would comfortably recommend the Village Parang as a good value to purchase.

Geoff
Cairns Qld Aust

Oct 09, 2017

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Village parang

First let me say what great service the Knife Centre provided with my order. I placed the order on October 04 and it arrived at my home in Cairns, Queensland Australia on October 09. That's damn impressive by anyone's measure. Now to the parang manufactured by Condor. On first inspection the quality is good. A leather sheath will be replaced with a more traditional wooden one modelled on the Malay design. That's not a negative with the original sheath just leather doesn't do well here in the tropics. The blade is sharp but not razor sharp. However it is the edge that lets this particular blade down. The edge is not straight, having a slight curve when looking down the edge. I'll straightening this imperfection and see what kind of edge can be achieved.

Michael W Sh
Riverside, Ca

Mar 22, 2013

Pros: Weight, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Materials, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Handle Material, Sheath/Scabbard

condor villlage parang

used them to clear out patch of bamboo and split some wood with them,made the job go very quickly. handle gets slick when sweating and i dont use gloves.I wrapped mine with a tennis wrap which adds cushion and tackiness to it , cheap fix,that works well.I love these except for the grind I found them hard to field sharpen so I stoned mine to a flat grind and it works much better.I have 3 of these and condor is coming out with a medium weighted one that im sure will be great for lighter brush or greener stuff.These are heavy and cut through very dense materials even chops better than my forest axe!! It comes sharp from condor I just dont like the grind,A best value tool if a heavy parang is needed.The smaller size and heavy cutting of these are near perfect.

Atlatl
Glendale, Az

Dec 14, 2012

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Blade Material, Materials

Cons: Overall Quality, Finish, Blade Sharpness

A recap of my original review

When I received this machete I had waited quite awhile as it was back ordered and I was quite busy when it arrived and didn't have time for a detailed review, however, I since have checked it out more carefully. I like this parang a lot & it's perfect for what it's designed for. This particular one, however, was overlooked by quality control, for the tang and rivets are both proud of the handle with sharp edges on both and will require either refinishing the handle, wrapping, or to be used only with gloves. Otherwise, as I said, this model is great and well worth having. Naturally, due to rave reviews, this model became very popular and was out of stock across the country, & so it seems maybe in a rush to fill back orders, perhaps quality of finish suffered, at least on the one I received. Had I been aware sooner, I may have sent it back for replacement.

Richard C
Upstate N.Y.

Apr 08, 2013

Pros: Weight, Handle Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Finish, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Overall Quality, Finish

Stout tool

First the pro's; thick blade, nice hammered texture on the blade, well made heavy duty sheath(some people have had gripes). I have two issues with it one of which I fixed. The grip is rather thick towards the end. I have a medium to small hand and it didn't feel secure in my hand swinging it like the small machete it is. So I used a round file and my Dremel tool( luv my Dremel) and shaped a ball grip at the end of the handle that locks my grip in. The second issue I can't fix.... My paring didn't come with a good tip at the end. It's ground back so it's not the real wharncliffe end you're supposed to have. There are supposed to be three working edges on a parang. At the base of the blade it should be hair poppin sharp for whittling (feather sticks and such). The middle area is the chopping area, not as fine an edge. And the tip is supposed to be squared and poppin sharp also for cutting channels and such. Mine lacks the end tip. I can live without it(happen to have an odd surplus of knives...) but it's supposed to be there.