Dan
Lima,NY

Sep 19, 2009

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

Cons: Handle Material, Sheath/Scabbard

This is it

I've owned less expensive machetes and I got what I paid for. This is the nicest I've owned and would recommend it to anyone clearing trails, shooting lanes or putting up a tree stand.

Jeff
Myrtle Beach SC

Sep 21, 2010

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

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard

18" Military Sawback

Great Tool I havnt used a better one.

Robert W
Palm Beach

Nov 21, 2011

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

Cons: None

One tough hombre

You can not go wrong with this tough thick machete. Ontario makes a solid product maybe better than Cold Steel. I would buy again.

Hiller
saint clair pa

Sep 10, 2010

Pros: Weight, Overall Quality, Blade Material

Cons: Blade Sharpness

awesome tool/weapon

If you need something to hack ,slash and chop your way through thick brush ,this is what you want.Put a decent edge on it ,round off the bottom handle edges with a sanding disc on a dremmel and your good to go.

Bad Karma
Austin TX

Nov 15, 2010

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

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard, Blade Sharpness

I see why we used them in the army astep above the rest

Hard as a Marine works like the Amy swings like it had wings in the Air force and as smooth as Navy blue. I spent the week making a custom handel for it and took it camping with my son and daughter. We cut through thicket in Rock Dale Texas. We cleaved sapplings and branches some 6' the thickness and weight of the blade makes the difference alot of OAK for a shelter 8X10 then tarped. We then used it for hunting making our blinds. My sone even used it for for cutting some the fire wood . The saw back works and the blade held a edge after inital sharpening and dressing the edge it needed slight honeing after alot of usage.

Mark Hatfield
Enid, Ok

May 15, 2011

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

Cons: None

It has a great handle, solid as a rock and comfortable.

A great survival tool.

Mike P.
Goose Creek, SC

Sep 15, 2011

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

Cons: None

Old faithful

I use these for yard work and my emergency kit. I train with these as fighters. You can't go wrong with GI issue

John Doe
tx

Apr 14, 2011

Pros: Overall Quality

Cons: None

i like it

great product

Bruce L.
Puerto Rico

Mar 05, 2012

Pros: Weight, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard

Cons: Handle Material, Blade Sharpness

the blade is much sturdier than most machetes, though they arrived very dull they took a good edge

Beowulf
Florida

Apr 11, 2012

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

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard, Blade Sharpness

Very Satisfied

The product and service were excellent.

Jp
FL & GA

Feb 23, 2010

Pros: Overall Quality, Materials

Cons: Handle Material, Blade Sharpness

Worth the Money

Part of my B.O.B. kit. Modified (with sheath) as Dave Canterbury described in his uTube video. Has held up to a week's abuse in the woods. Could hold an edge better but for me that's all sharps.

Tractor Man
Griffin,Ga

Nov 12, 2009

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

Cons: Materials, Sheath/Scabbard, Blade Sharpness

Durable Companion

I carry it on backwoods hunts and fence lines. It handles anything from brush to kindling for fires.Great/durable companion.

Amo
Calvert MD

Jul 09, 2012

Pros: Weight, Overall Quality, Blade Material

Cons: None

Loved it... You will too.

I bought one of these machetes about 10 years ago. I cannot say how many situations it was useful for. Its weight is heavy toward the tip, meaning you can to some good chopping with it. Eventually I got to the point where I left the camp axe at home. You can baton through anything. With a machete proper technique is critical - no death grip. If you see reviews of these breaking this is why, Improper operation. Remember this tool is made of a higher carbon steel than most. You really can count on this tool to last a long time if you learn to use it and maintain it. This leads me to why I'm getting a new one. On my last campout I let a friend use it, (I actually chop my firewood with this) he tried to do the same and somehow it broke. I would recommend this tool to anyone, and get a good sheath, i like the leather ones with a pocket for a stone.

J
Utah

May 05, 2026

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

Cons: Weight

This Machete will get the job done! Heavy duty, Good Quality.

This is being set up as an emergency survival tool. I love the saw back spine which gives you two tools in one. The cutting edge can be used for chopping and slicing.

Goatboy66
Seattle

Jul 13, 2010

Pros: Weight, Overall Quality, Blade Material

Cons: Handle Material

Am building, with the accompanying purchase of a hard sheath, a survival tool. Haven't sharpened yet but, have heard from others it holds a good edge. Handle handle/hilt isn't great but, am going to wrap w/ hockey tape and paracord.

Chase H
Northwest Ar

May 09, 2011

Pros: Weight, Overall Quality, Finish

Cons: Handle Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Blade Sharpness

Great Product!

This is a great machete for the money. With a little sharpening it makes a very useful tool in the woods.

Will
Macon, GA

Dec 09, 2009

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

Cons: Handle Material

glad I got it.

I bought this for trail building because I've had an original Ontario 18 before. I haven't had a chance to use the sawback but the product seems built to the same quality standards that I expected. This machete is very sturdy. It does not come with a sheath.

Joe
Parkville, MD.

Aug 02, 2010

Pros: Blade Material

Cons: Handle Material

Ontario Sawback machete

Love the machete, holds a good edge. I will be making one adjustment to the handle though. The flat portion of the handle that is adjacent to the blade is not very ergonomically designed, at least to my grip - not very comfortable. I can fix this easily with a rounded shim without much effort. All considered, I would buy this machete again. Great addition to my pack.

Hamby
TN

Aug 31, 2011

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

Cons: Blade Sharpness

Got it a few weeks back and immediatly had to take it to a stone due to how dull the tip was. However after I got it sharp it held the edge very well even after a few hours of chopping. It has a nice heft to it the saw back works pretty good as well. I would suggest buying the sheath for it, it is a very nice addition.

Powerrotorhead
Homestead Florida

Sep 18, 2009

Pros: Overall Quality, Blade Material

Cons: Handle Material, Blade Sharpness

Nice well balanced machete. I wish the sawback was cut like most modern cut toothed saw blades (just straight teeth) still need to buy a saw to cut wood. This is a well made tool with a thick heavy blade. I was incorrectly shipped a regular Ontario machete without the sawback by mistake. Customer service was awesome and sent me the correct one the same day they were made aware of the mistake. I will do business with Knife Center again!!

James
Port Orchard, Wa

Sep 01, 2011

Pros: Weight, Overall Quality, Blade Material

Cons: Handle Material, Blade Sharpness

exceeded my expectation

I use it for back country hikes. Despite poor expectation on the saw portion I was impressed with it. The blade is heavy enough for good assist in cutting branches. Used properly price vs quality I highly recommend this machete. No regrets in any part of this machete except for the handle design. It gives no protection to hand slipping on to blade when using sawback. The handle should be void of corners to reduce hand fatigue and hot spots. The manufacturer failed when designing the handle.

Heckler
Moorpark Ca.

Sep 27, 2010

Pros: Handle Material, Overall Quality, Blade Material

Cons: Weight

Nice tool

Solid tool. The real deal. Not very pretty, but built to last.

Jared
San Diego, ca

Mar 03, 2010

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

Cons: Blade Sharpness

Awesome machete

I just bought this machete and I'm very impressed with it. Very heavy duty, not one of those flimsy ones at all. My only complaint is it really didn't have much of an edge on it when i received it so I had it sharpened at a knife store for $7. All in all I'm very pleased with this purchase.

Kevin

Oct 15, 2016

Pros: None

Cons: Handle Material, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Materials, Blade Sharpness

Bad knife, but with exceptions

I have the U.S. military version, same style yet shorter. I ordered this one to see the difference, and there are some big differences between the civilian version and the military version. Ill go through the civilian version. 1. Not the greatest to hold an edge. 2. Bad to baton wood 3. sharpener broke first thing Military version is different in the fact there is no sharpener, in a nylon sheath, and holds an edge for a long while. My advice, try and get ahold of the military version.

Plan4everything
Wichita, KS

Mar 13, 2010

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

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard, Blade Sharpness

I like it

The metal of the blade goes all of the way to the base of the handle. It feels well made (for the price). The only thing I didn't note when reading the reviews is that ** IT DOES NOT COME WITH A SHEATH ** as someone else pointed out. This is the only reason I didn't give it a 5. For the price, it is worth it.

Emil P
vasteras sweden

Aug 28, 2016

Pros: None

Cons: Handle Material, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard

Simple machete for abusive use.

Ontario 18" sawback is made of soft metal wich becomes dull easly, need to be resharpened quite often. The design is good because it's straight, easy and simple to use. The hollow plastic handle fell apart the first day, I'd put super glue in the rivets and hammered back in place. The carbid sharpener on the plastic sheath was broken within the first week, fixed it, again, with help of super glue. The sheath itself was too tight cause of a very fat rivet, I'd expanded the entry with help of folded paper wich I forced down on top of the rivet alongside with the machete blade. The sawback destroys the sheath, but also do work to saw branches, but it's far from excellent. The way I like this thing is because it's simple and "tacky", I'm not afraid to sacrifice this blade at all, therefore I get some dirty work done with this tool.

Fw
Sacramento, CA

Feb 15, 2011

Pros: Blade Material

Cons: Blade Sharpness

Bad Handle

As others have said, the handle is not very good. It's square on the bottom rather than round so it's uncomfortable on the fingers. Others suggested modifying it but I'm considering returning it. Also, don't bother with the sawback. The teeth are straight rather than offset so I already know it's going to get stuck in the cut. Buy a folding pruning saw. Otherwise I like the steel and thickness of the blade. It comes VERY dull but it can be sharpened with a file.

Fw
Sacramento, CA

Feb 18, 2011

Pros: Blade Material

Cons: Handle Material, Blade Sharpness

bad handle, came dull

I don't like the handle. It is square-ish on the bottom rather than rounded. It's uncomfortable in the hand. It arrived VERY dull. That said, it took a good edge (with some elbow grease) and I'm going to try to modify the handle. I hope it's solid plastic and not hollow underneath.