SOG Sogfari 13" or 18" Stainless Steel Survival Machete Knives | Saw on The Back of The Blade, Textured Handle, Nylon Sheath

I wanted a machete suitable for clearing overgrown trails when hiking and for general use when camping. This one is just what I hoped it would be and has been excellent. The price was comparable to a similar one from Gerber but the SOG looks way cooler.It arrived in a study plastic blister pack. The knife and handle appear well constructed. The blade came very sharp. The sheath seems like an after thought. The sheath and knife fit nicely in my daypack.On the trail, the machete worked as expected. It cut through overgrown brush with ease. With a whack or two, it cut through tree branches 1 - 2 inches. The rubberized handle is very comfortable and easy to hang on to despite heavy forces. The saw is serviceable in a pinch but stay focused on keeping your hand on the handle. If (due to sweat or rain) your hand slips off the handle when pushing to saw, you could have a major injury.The generous 18" size and sharp tip will also help you feel like you have some good personal protection.SOG makes very cool knifes and this machete ([...]) is no exception.You join the "cool kids" at camp when you come with this one. Buy it!

I have read alot of bad reviews about this machete and can only assume either a bad series of them that came out or people who don't have the hand strength to hold it right.I took this machete into the woods along with my father, brother and a few friends who were all toting chainsaws. We were clearing lanes for deer hunting, and by the end of it, they were all prepped to order this machete.This thing is light and incredibly strong, and has a comfortable handle that provides for great grip even at the end of a long day. Though, I would have to agree that the sheath leaves something to be desired.I've cleared entire sections of our 120+ acre property with this machete alone, having only to yield to the chainsaws on really big stuff(4+ inches).I have used it through 2 separate 2 day sessions swinging this thing for 6+ hours a day, and I am not dissapointed. I cut down what amounts to hundreds of saplings and limbed hundreds of more old-growth trees.I have just purchased another one as well as the 13" version and will leave both with my sister, who lives full-time on the property, because she was in awe at the efficiency at which I could clear trails and lanes.On the first day of use, in an attempt to take down a large tree at the base, I did manage to put a slight bend\nick in the blade face, because I didn't swing hard enough to make it through in the first hit, and I came through at a strange angle. Two minutes with a hammer and concrete garage floor fixed that, and I haven't had another issue since.This will be a permanent addition to my woodland toolbox. Now I just lash it to my ATV any time I'm out in the woods.

The SOG 18" machete exceded all of my expectations. Its factory edge was very sharp, but not razor. (When i say very sharp, i mean REALLY sharp, just not the sharpest possible.) When i took it out of the package i had the immediate desire to test it out. It shred the card board bow to pieces. However i may also add that it is not of entire importance for a machete to be RAZOR sharp. other SOG products that i have purchased were sharper with the factory edge, perhaps with the price difference and the purpose of the item. I slightly ajusted the edge with one of those small yellow smiths brand sharpeners (can be found at walmart for about $3 dollars,) on the ceramic side, and its razor sharp now. I dont completely recomend using the same sharpener only becuase its quite cheap, and sog knives should all be professionaly sharpened, becuase of the price.. but me being the person that i am, i am too impatient to send it in and wait for it to come back, or even spend the extra bills when i could be saving those on a new edition to my collection. A razor edge is my prefrence for all my knives. all of the SOG products i have purchased are Magnificent in quality and never let me down. Honestly, before you leave to look at cheaper products so you can buy more for your money, WAIT. I just want to tell you that cheap generic or poorly made knives are NOT worth it. If you dont have enough money for a better product from companies like Benchmade, SOG, Spyderco, Ontario Knife Company, or Kershaw, then dont waste your money on something that will dull or be damaged very quickly. Better knives are worth the extra money and the difference is an inevitable experince. Trust me on this one. If youre really anxious, and just need to buy something because your money is burning a hole in your pocket, purchase a good gerber knife. Still a higher quality knife company, but it saves you a lot of money and it is a good start if you like to collect knives and such like i do.