Don't buy a Gerber "gator" machete. First pines trip with it, the blade bend, and actually took a chunk out of it. The SS they use for the blade is way too soft for a machete. They offered to replace it if I paid shipping both ways, but that would be more than the thing cost me from amazon. I may just make a new blade for it from 1/8" flat bar, just because I like the handle and scabbard.