Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Heavily self modified Cold Steel Katana Machete

I started by cutting the handle down to 9 1/2 inches (Still able to use a 2 hand hold)
Stripped the blade of the black paint, put a hot vinegar patina on the blade.
Re-profiled the handle. Made the sheath out of 1 1/4 PVC.
Dura-coated handle and sheath with Dark Earth.
Wrapped handle with paracord.
Original mentions a 19 inch blade, mine is 24 inches

Link to original.
http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/97THK/TWO_HANDED_KATANA_MACHETE.aspx

I think you did good. The blade thickness in the link you gave is given as 2.8mm which is .11 inch (no?). A .11 inch thick blade needs two hands the wield it? I like yours better. Can you give us more details on the sheath?

The sheath was 1 1/4 inch pvc. The Katana did not come with a sheath.
There is a you tube video of a guy making a sheath for one out of pvc using a heat gun and clamps. I just followed his example in making mine.

I know its not a high grade Katana, but I figure it would be excellent on clearing myrtle vine and briar thickets.

Put the calipers to my blade it is .115, at 24 inch blade I can see where a 2 handed hold might help sometimes.

Neat project and nice work.

No, sorry, I wasn't clear. I think you're right in making it a one hander, and thanks for the info on the sheath.

(Still able to use a 2 hand hold)

Field report:
Well went to clear some shooting lanes and set up a blind today for late season archery hunt.
Took the CS Katana Machete.
Initially I was a little concerned, many of my blows seem to glancing and the handle felt awkward seemed like my wrist was getting tired quickly. On one of my strokes against a 1 inch sapling, I looked down and saw my paracord unwrapped and thought crappers. Well it was not the paracord it was this.

The handle had snapped at the end of the tang. I thought this really sucks cause I was only half way through my job, I had a folding saw but that would take forever.
After I got all my cord off, I got to looking and I could still get one hand on it. So I went back to work and to my surprise the glancing blows stop my cutting power seem to increase, and my wrist was not getting tired like before. A blessing in disguise!!
To be fair to CS, I narrowed the handle were it snapped to make everything even from one end of the handle to the other, but I probably did not take more the 1/4 inch off it. Oh well.
I am thinking if I was constantly in a Katana battle with other sword swingers maybe a 2 handed handle would be a benefit in theory. But most of my machete work is done with 1 hand, and that length of handle was not comfortable for 1 handed use at all.
On another note, the metal and tempering seems to be spot on, I hit several rocks cutting saplings close to ground, after examining the blade no dents or dings the 1055 was done right.
And even though I made a belt loop on the sheath when I was fashioning it, I found much easier to carry as the traditional Katana is carried sheath slipped through my belt on the left side very comfortable carry.
So now my next project. I am going to finish removing all the synthetic handle material down to the tang, slowly remove about 2 inches of the blade around the hilt to match the size of the tang, find me some good hardwood, (Anyone got a good piece of seasoned Osage Orange?) Epoxy, Corby bolt, and re-wrap. Will give some updates as the project continues.

Kinda funny. I had one of these in my paws at a gun/knife show a few weeks ago. I could not help but feel that the handle just felt "unsubstantial" to me. I didn't really give it much thought at the time. I just remember feeling that it felt "weak" to me for the few seconds I had it in my hands.

Cold Steel product quality varies greatly. Of course, so do their price-points. Some of it is a bargain IMO, some of it junk. They also have some higher priced products that are pretty darn good, but their prices reflect as much........

some guys i know really like what they get for the Cold Steel kukri machetes as far as bang for the buck.....apparently the design/quality level works really well for what yah pay, they are hacking machines on vegetation....

Not a huge Cold Steel fan, but these Sax style machetes have been real work horses.
12 inch, and an 18 inch. They whack through anything.

They look Good!
I still believe mine will work out. The metal in mine is excellent I will end up having a little time and money in fixing the handle and all, but I suppose in the end there is no free ride. Next it will be a full tang.

I really like the larger Sax, I believe that is about the right size.

Update.
Picked up some stock at Tractor Supply.
Fashioned my first guard with a cutoff tool, and some hand tools. Don't think it turned out to bad.

After changing from double grip to single grip I realized the blade was to much, so after custom guard and micarta handles. I cut the blade down to 19 inches. Put a razors edge on it, and a custom para cord retention wrap. Very large knife that can clear brush and other large knife duties.

I just default to the old Australian issue Golok made at Lithgow Small Arms Factory in the sixties.

The bottom top thing from Nepal may be a boys own toy but is essentially useless as a tool when compared to the Golok.



I apologise about the picture orientation but Photobucket is throwing a fit at the moment. apparently it has fixed the issues.

Those look great, wanted to take a better pic of mine but my camera just went belly up.