Damascus Machete, Hand Forged with Walnut Handle and Tooled Leather Sheath

This is a machete in Damascus, bought as much for the steel as for the work it does. The blade is 13 inches, short for the type, so it moves quickly and stays easy to control in close growth. The pattern welded flat carries a twist figure, etched so the light and dark layers show. Walnut scales sit over a full tang, and the sheath is leather tooled by hand.

Specification

The blade

The steel is Damascus, pattern welded over a high carbon core and etched so the layers read as light and dark bands along the flat. This is a twist pattern, so the figure turns and stretches down the length rather than sitting in even rows, and no two come out the same. At 13 inches it is short for a machete, which trades reach for a blade you can swing accurately for a long stretch. The core under the pattern is carbon steel, so it darkens and rusts if left wet.

The handle

The scales are dark walnut with a close straight grain, used because walnut is stable, takes a shock without splitting, and warms in the hand faster than a synthetic scale. The tang is full, so the steel runs the whole length of the handle and shows as a line all round the outside where the scales meet it. Three brass pins go through, and a lanyard hole is drilled in the butt. Grain and color shift from one handle to the next.

What it clears

A machete is ground thin for clearing rather than for driving through hardwood, and this one is at its best on green growth. It takes down tall grass, bramble, cane and the soft brush that closes over a track. The shorter blade suits tight ground, where a longer one catches on everything. Green stems the width of a finger part in a pass. Dry seasoned timber belongs to an axe.

The leather

The sheath is vegetable tanned leather, cut and stitched for this blade so it goes in snug and does not rattle. A wide belt loop sits on the back and a strap with a snap closes over the handle. A welt is sewn into the edge so the stitching stays clear of the sharp side, and the cream thread is put through by hand. The face is hand tooled with a carved floral pattern inside a beaded border, cut and shaded into damp leather. Most sellers write genuine leather and stop.

Who it suits

Damascus on a machete is a modern piece rather than a traditional one, and most buyers want a blade that works and looks worth hanging up.

• Collectors who want pattern welded steel in a long blade
• Property owners clearing brush with something made by hand
• Buyers who own plain carbon blades and want one with figure
• Anyone shopping for a serious gift with a name on it

What comes in the box

• The Damascus machete
• The tooled leather sheath
• A care card
• An engraving quote on request

Every piece is different

The pattern comes out of the forge weld and the etch, so it never repeats. The twist figure, the walnut grain and the shading in the tooling differ from the photographs. Runs stay small because the work is by hand.

Looking after it

Wipe it dry after use and never put it away wet, since the core under the pattern is carbon steel. The gray patina that comes with use is normal and protects the steel. Sharpen with a stone or a file, following the bevel already there, and keep off pull through sharpeners. Oil it lightly before storage and dry the leather away from heat. More sits in our knife care and sharpening page.

Put a name on it

Laser engraving is 20 dollars per piece and you add it on this page. Around 30 characters fits along the blade or on a walnut scale, and a short line reads well on the pattern. Clean line art engraves better than photographs. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. See the engraving page.

Questions buyers ask

What is Damascus steel? It is steel forge welded from layers and etched, so light and dark bands show.

What is a machete used for? Clearing green growth such as grass, bramble and cane, rather than seasoned hardwood.

What does full tang mean? The steel runs the whole length of the handle and shows as a line round it.

Will Damascus rust? Yes, the core is carbon steel, so dry it after use and oil it.

Will my blade look exactly like the photo? No, the pattern and grain differ on every piece.

Can you engrave it? Yes, 20 dollars per piece for around 30 characters, with a proof first.

For a longer blade in carbon steel and the same walnut, see the bush machete in walnut, and for a hooked tip, the cane machete in rosewood. More sits in machetes, in Damascus steel, and in gifts for him.