About nine years ago I bought a Tramotina machete from Brazil. People on the old site were raving about them. I paid $18 for mine, which was more than usual but shipping was pretty rough.

It's been a great machete. I've used it to clear tons of brush and chop off the heads of over a hundred ducks and chickens.

A while back I bought a bulk-pack of assorted machetes from Major Surplus. I ended up with five different models. I still like my Tramontina way more than any of them. I thought it might be because that's what I'm used to, but while giving other people their choice of machetes for projects they also tend to gravitate towards the Tramontina.

It might be because it's the smallest of the machetes (it has a ~17.5" blade). It also seems to me that it has significantly better blade quality. The edge needed far less work to get sharp than the ones from Major Surplus and the handle was also much better.

(This isn't to say the Major Surplus machete bundle was a bad deal, it is a whole lot of machete for the money.)

I still don't have a sheath for mine. I've been meaning to get into leather working for a super long time, and that might be a good first project.

Your Tramotina is almost identical in blade shape and size to a cheap Coleman machete I bought decades ago while clearing brush at a friend's house.  The only real difference is mine has a red/black rubberized plastic handle.

I also have a full-sized mil-spec machete from OKC for heavier tasks, like batoning Sequoia logs and scraping old aircraft.

I sharpen mine on a belt sander held in a bench vise.  A 220-grit belt gives an acceptable edge for most tasks but you can go finer if you need to.

Quote from: NT2C on July 29, 2023, 03:57:36 AMYour Tramotina is almost identical in blade shape and size to a cheap Coleman machete I bought decades ago while clearing brush at a friend's house.  The only real difference is mine has a red/black rubberized plastic handle.

I also have a full-sized mil-spec machete from OKC for heavier tasks, like batoning Sequoia logs and scraping old aircraft.

I sharpen mine on a belt sander held in a bench vise.  A 220-grit belt gives an acceptable edge for most tasks but you can go finer if you need to.

It would make sense if a lot of companies were importing them.

I did just pick up a belt sander at a garage sale (haven't tested it, but I know the lady selling it and I doubt it's busted).

I've had good success with a lansky puck, but I've also cut myself sharpening the machete with it and not paying attention. Usually I end up using my regular sharpening stone set because it's big and hard to lose where my puck seems to find its way into stupid, out of the way places.