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The Tramontina machete is a wonderfully versatile Brazilian made blade that is commonly used by rural workers. This Latin style machete is a no-frills tool that is very helpful for harvesting and clearing brush. Learn more about the tool in my Tramontina machete review, where I share my thoughts, opinions, and basic information to make the best purchasing decision.

Recently, the Tramontina machete has become more popular around the world, due to its ease of use and affordability. The blade is easy to sharpen, keeps its edge well, and is very maneuverable. It is an economical tool that can be used for multiple jobs, from bushwhacking to cutting a path, to chopping light branches.

Tramontina Machete Summary

Overall Rating:  4.1 / 5

Tramontina machete is quite unique on the market because it is a tough, spring-steel blade, designed for a specific audience. Despite that, it can double as a survival machete and an agricultural tool for backyard work. It complements a kukri quite nicely.

My Tramontina machete review will highlight the blade’s strengths and weaknesses. Overall, it is one of my all-time favorite tools because it can tackle just about any gardening or lightweight job, it is very comfortable to wield, and it is at a great price point. It does have a few drawbacks, but overall it is quite a useful machete for certain type of activities. I will tell you more about it in the following sections.

There are some drawbacks to this machete, which I have detailed later in this review. It does take a little extra work to get this blade into perfect working order, so if you don’t have the right tools on hand, those issues can become a more major consideration.

If this summary didn’t convince you about the tool, lets press on with a more thorough Tramontina machete review.

Feature Specification

Let’s get acquainted with our product. The best place to start would be a feature specification list. Materials, steel type, dimensions – these are just some of the things you might consider before you decide on buying a blade. So, here they are:

• General: Bush / Latin-style. Full-tang, fixed blade, sharp and battle-ready.
• Material Blade: SAE 1070 High-Carbon Steel
• Material Handle: Wood (riveted)
• Material Sheath: No sheath included (buy separately).
• Color: Metallic polish / Brown wooded texture.
• Blade Finishing: Blue tempered anti-corrosive, protective layer
• Length Overall: 23″ (58.4 cm) 
• Length Blade: 18″ (45.7 cm)
• Length Handle: 5″ (12.7 cm)
• Thickness Blade (Handle): 0.086″ (2.2 mm)
• Thickness Blade (Tip): 0.059″ (1.5 mm)
• Weight: 1 lbs, 2 oz (510 gr)

Tramontina Machete Review

Right of the bat, you can tell this product differs greatly compared to our usual machete blades. Here are a bunch of things that differentiate this tool among many:

1. Sheath not included! Don’t ask me why… Tramontina produces a different kind of cutlery, they are not focused on survival knives and outdoor gear. They are focused on the cookware market and industry. So, probably they didn’t assume people would want to use the blade outdoors anyway, although they can, and it works in agricultural tasks. Don’t worry, you can buy a sheath separately, and I will include the link (check out below).

2. The handle is fairly simple; they made it from actual wood, not synthetic, highly-resistant polymers (as we are used to). That could be a problem in the long run. I don’t know how a riveted wooden handle will fare after years of use. But we will look at user opinions and see other people’s take on the wooden handle situation.

3. Steel name SAE-1070 had me fooled for a moment! At first, I thought it was 1070 carbon-steel. It turns out it is spring-steel (according to SAE standard, not AISI). For more info check this link on SAE nomenclature. 

SAE-1070 is very tough and flexible, with high tensile strength. It can bend to very steep angles without breaking or suffering permanent deformation. Being such a thin blade, it is good that it can bend and twist. This spring-steel alloy has the following chemical composition:

1. Carbon: 0.65-0.75%
2. Manganese: 0.60-0.90%
3. Phosphorus: max .050%

4. The machete is very long, thin, and lightweight. This combination of characteristics imposes some restrictions on how we can use the blade, but it also makes our machete very versatile and handy.

You rarely find spring-steel machetes, so this one is a keeper. I love it! But even amazing blades have a couple of drawbacks. In the next section, I am going to tell you what I liked and dislike about this machete. Here are the pros and cons.

What Are the Basics?

The Tramontina machete is a great tool with many functional uses. Below I have listed what I like and dislike about this blade, based on how it stacks against other similar products. I find that the pros greatly outweigh the cons, which is why it has such a high star rating on re-seller stores.

The Pros

Flexible. This machete is very pleasant to work with; It is flexible, easy to wield and control. It can be used for just about any job, including chopping thick branches (2” / 5 cm thick). Not bad for a blade that is barely thicker than a kitchen knife!

Good balance. The long blade is well weighted, which is great for adding force behind your swing. This makes for a very functional machete that you can work with for hours on end.

Full-tang. The Tramontina machete also features a full-tang, which is great, otherwise, I wouldn’t even be reviewing it (except maybe as a decor piece). The steel blade is one solid piece that goes through the handle all the way down to the pommel. That’s the definition of full-tang.

Easy to maintain. The blade can be easily sharpened, and it stays sharp, which is crucial to keeping the machete in working order. Even if the blade gets chipped or dull, it is extremely easy to file it back – because it is so thin.

Great value at a low cost. Lastly, the economical price point of this Tramontina machete is unbeatable, especially considering its versatility and strength. I was shocked to find a spring-steel blade in this price range. It’s a wonderful value for how helpful this machete is around the yard and in the woods.

The Cons

We can’t have a Tramontina machete review without a “Cons” section!

The factory edge is modestly sharp (depending on your criteria). People found it to be fairly dull, compared to their expectations. I’m surprised that’s the case, given how thin the blade is. If you are looking for a really sharp machete, we a rank-ordered list here.

Not as sharp as you want it! So, if it doesn’t match your needs, you might want to sharpen it before putting it to good use. It is optional, but it can be a little annoying to have to hone the edge of a new machete. This can be a huge detractor if you don’t have the proper sharpening tools. But even if you do, take it to a professional knife smith – that’s what I have done because I don’t want to damage my blades. It barely costs a dime to go pro!

Poor ergonomics. While the wooden handle is great for the grip, the Tramontina factory handle has some hard edges that are not amazing to use. The first time I choked the handle, the blocky protrusions hurt my hand after a few swings. If you’re big on ergonomics, you might want to sand down the handle to make it more comfortable. Or be like me, use gloves.

Lastly, this machete is not the ideal tool for more precise cutting, such as filleting fish. It’s too flexible to use for smaller, finer cuts. It’s better for bigger jobs that don’t require any precision but still need a sharp blade. 

Why Should You Buy This Machete?

While it is too thin and light to be a wood chopper it is perfect for agricultural work. Once you get accustomed to the handle, the Tramontina will make your life much easier, especially if you own a house with a backyard, a garden or a farm.

It’s a good substitute for a range of gardening tool: branch cutters, leaf scissors, corn, and wheat sickles. I tried cutting tall grass, and it works like a charm. The clover-field needed a good clearing, but you must cut it near the ground, and a machete is not a good choice because you must stand hunched over. Quite painful! Aside from that, clearing a path is much easier with a thin, Latin machete like Tramontina.

Superior Cutting Ability

Since the Tramontina machete is a well-made and easily sharpened blade, it cuts very well. It makes easy work of even thick branches, without needing the weight that other machetes can have. This means I can use this machete for hours without tiring too quickly.

Its length also helps make this blade a great cutting tool. This machete is very well balanced and quick, which combined with the long blade makes it the perfect blade for quickly clearing paths.

For lighter brush, the Tramontina machete clears vegetation like butter. This is because of how sharp this blade can be honed to and the good balance and lightweight. The full tang and wooden handle also provide stability and sturdiness to this inexpensive machete.

Comfort and Accessibility

While one of the cons of this blade is the factory issue handle, you can sand it down to fit your hand better or use gloves (I prefer the second option). It’s lightweight, quick, and a little flexible. This helps reduce any shock to joints during repeated use.

Here is a cool (but destructive) experiment: You can sandpaper the signature wooden handle according to your needs. That should give it a very comfortable shape that fits your grip. I didn’t try it, but it’s possible! In case you want to shape it to be more ergonomic. 

As I already mentioned, the price point on this machete is one of its major selling points. For how functional the Tramontina machete is, it is very affordable. It makes a great starter machete for anyone looking for a helpful tool to clear cut brush or for yard work.

Check out this Amazon link to see more reviews and what big advantage did the users find with this blade.

Overall a Great Machete

The Tramontina machete is clearly a top of the line tool at a very affordable price. It is no wonder that more and more blade enthusiasts and homeowners alike are looking to this versatile machete.

Even though there are some shortcomings, the handle shape, and factory dull edge, these are easily fixed if you have the right tools at hand. I did have to invest a little more time and effort up front before this machete’s greatness really shined.

Compared to other machetes in the same price range, it is simply the superior blade. It features a full-tang, wooden handle, and quality spring-steel blade. This signature Brazilian machete will be a great addition to anyone’s tool shed who wants a useful blade at a very reasonable price.

Feel free to enrich this Tramontina machete review with your personal stories and comments!