Cold Steel CS-97TKMS: Tactical Katana Machete / 36.25" Overall / 24" Blade / 2.8Mm Thick

Martial artist and landscaper here, familiar with swords, tools, machetes, axes, etc. I also have an older, straight-bladed TKM model from Cold Steel, with which I have cut 2” green bamboo and 1.5” mulberry and black locust. The curved blade of this model is superior, though further testing will be done at which time this review will be updated. (Update: After several more tests it’s clear this model is superior to the straight-blade. Looking forward to putting it to heavier testing and reporting here.) Multiple reviews mention the bad handle design. This is only a problem if your hands are more used to keyboards and tissue paper than tools and handles. The handle by itself is fine from a practical standpoint: it’s very anti-slip and has no sharp corners. Wrap it with some sports wrap or wear gloves when using it if it hurts your hands. When I’m actually using a machete to clear land or blaze a trail I would typically be wearing gloves anyway to protect from briars and poison ivy. Several other reviews mentioned a dull blade and crappy sheath. This one came perfectly sharp for its intended use and the sheath appears to be high quality and protects things around the machete from getting damaged. This isn’t intended for iaijutsu practice after all. Draw it, drop the sheath and go to work. Now for the elephant in the room: the price. This isn’t a beautifully made heirloom, but it is one heck of a deal for under $100. It’s well-made using quality materials by a company that knows what they’re doing. And it’s badass. Great balance and weight for powering through heavy growth combined with a generous handle length for maximum leverage will make you question ever using a 1-handed machete again.

comes very sharp out of the box, looks awesome, good value and seems sturdy. however the grip is not very good as it can be quite uncomfortable while swinging

Way better than a regular machete.

Well made and sharp!

In some reviews I read about this machete the handle was a problem, it's not a problem it's just plain nasty. The handle is molded plastic and configured to imitate traditional Japanese wrap. The problem is that the area that is supposed to look like the top layer of the wrap is at least a quarter of an inch higher than the rest of the handle with square edges. After some thought I corrected the problem by using a craft saw to remove the excess material then smoothing the handle with a rasp and sand paper. The modification turned this into a very useful tool. It is NOT a sword it is a machete. It resembles the shape of a katana shape, but if you want a katana, this is not your best choice, if you need a machete then this is a good choice.

Fun for the price. Didn't realize the handle was going to be plastic but I just put on some gloves which makes it comfortable to swing. This was definitely a grown man-child purchase. I usually just use it to cut up brush to get kindling for bonfires.

This is not a toy. Novelty, maybe. Testament that there’s a distinct possibility people should not consume alcoholic beverages and look around on Amazon, yes! But, there’s a little bit of an out for the next morning when you’re trying to have your coffee in peace and your spouse is like, “did you buy a sword. On Amazon?” “Mmmmmm, I bought a machete.” Good idea Coldsteel. See, sadly in modern society there’s not much of a need for swords. And think about how much of a ripoff that is from your childhood. Ninjas had swords. Knights had swords. Never heard any ninjas or nights complaining about taxes or the price of a gallon of gas (but I digress). By calling this a machete, Coldsteel has given a reasonable and articulable argument for every man to be able to own one. Overgrown bushes in the yard? Trim that with a machete. Gonna go down to the river to do a little fishing? Don’t forget the machete to cut the brush out the way at the shore. Yes, Coldsteel may very well have cleverly given an opening to a new era of people carrying around swords and we’d all be a little better for it. Quick delivery. Would buy from this seller again.

Blade is flimsy and handles extremely uncomfortable. Would be better if sheath was Molle compatable.

Awesome blade for the price....exactly as described, i bit thinner then i expected but best bang for your buck if you want to actually use it,this is not a display piece, its a tool designed to be used. Cold steel never dissapoints.....

It's a good sword for cutting and chopping with but you might cut your arm off practicing thrusts on armour. I've never been more afraid than when I trusted at my armor for practice and it folded at 90 degrees and almost cut my arm off. All i can say good for it is it bent back right away and cuts amazingly.