Parang Machete, Hand Forged with Stacked Leather Handle

Green stems, wet vine, and the springy growth that bends away from a straight edge. That is the work this shape was cut for. The blade is 16 inches of 1095 high carbon that leans forward, so the edge arrives on the slant. The handle is stacked leather washers, an old answer that still works when your hands are damp.

Specification

The blade

The steel is 1095 high carbon. The flat is left dark from the forge and the bevel is brought up bright, following the curve the whole way. The profile is a parang, curving forward with the width sitting about two thirds along. That puts a little mass out past your hand. A machete cuts by speed rather than heft, and this one lands the fast part of the swing at an angle instead of square on. Carbon steel darkens to a grey patina with use, and it spots if left wet.

The handle

The handle is stacked leather washers, pressed on a hidden tang between a brass guard and a brass butt cap. Leather takes the heat of a hand quickly and does not go slick the way polished wood can when wet. Over a season it takes the shape of the hand holding it. There is no lanyard hole here, so a cord goes round the wrist. At 5.5 inches there is room to slide back to the cap for more reach on a low sweep.

The leather sheath

The sheath is vegetable tanned leather, hand stitched, with a welt between the layers so the thread sits in a channel where the edge cannot reach it. The face is stamped. It is cut to this blade's own outline, so the parang seats the way it should. A belt loop holds it on the hip and a snap strap goes over the guard, which counts on a blade this long.

Who it suits

For anyone who has swung a straight blade at green growth and watched it skip.

• Anyone clearing wet vine, cane and springy green stems
• People who want a slicing cut, not a square chop
• Buyers who prefer leather in the hand to wood or horn
• Anyone working in damp heat who wants grip

What comes in the box

• The parang machete
• The stamped leather belt sheath
• A care card
• Engraving details

Every piece is different

No two are the same. Each blade is forged, ground, heat treated and sharpened by hand, and the runs are small. The dark forge finish falls where it falls. Stacked leather sands to its own set of lines. The sheath takes the stamp differently each time. Yours will not match the photograph.

Looking after it

Dry the blade when you stop and never put it away wet in the sheath. Oil it lightly before it goes away for the season. Wipe the leather handle down and let it dry slowly, away from heat. The grey patina is fine. Out in the field a file is the right tool for the edge. Sharpening is free for life here. More on our knife care and sharpening page.

Put a name on it

Laser engraving is 20 dollars per blade, added at checkout. Around 30 characters fits, a name and a date or one short line. We send a proof image to approve before the laser runs, which puts another 3 to 5 business days on the order. Ten blades or more in one order and it is free. Details sit on the engraving page.

Questions buyers ask

What does the forward curve actually do? It meets a stem at an angle. A square edge bounces off springy green growth, while an angled one slides as it bites.

Where does the weight sit? The blade is widest about two thirds along, so a little mass rides ahead of your hand. Enough to carry the edge through a stem without tiring you.

Why stacked leather instead of wood? It grips back when your hands are wet. It also settles into a hand over time rather than staying as it was cut.

Will it rust? It can. This is plain carbon steel. Dry it after use, keep a light coat of oil on it, and let the patina come up.

How do I sharpen a blade this long? With a file, the way it has always been done. The edge is thick and slightly convex on purpose, because a fine one chips on a hidden stone.

How long does shipping take? Most US orders arrive in 5 to 7 business days.

For mass further forward there is the kukri machete in walnut, and for a heavy belly the bolo with a buffalo horn handle. The long blades sit in machetes, the plain carbon work under 1095 high carbon steel, and the woods blades in bushcraft knives.