The Infamous Machete

In most of the world, a machete-wielding man would not even raise an eyebrow. Unfortunately, machetes have a more sinister reputation in the US. Most people think of violence when you mention a machete, and although classified as an agricultural tool by most governments, it always pays to be circumspect in shipping or carrying a machete. Whenever called upon to identify the contents of our packages, we try to use the harmless sounding "Edge Tools" as opposed to "Machetes."

Bill Hooks: the European Machete

Condor Bush Knife $59.99

The billhook is any many ways the machete of Europe. Featuring a curved blade that concentrates vegetation in the center of the curve for controlled cutting, they are great for stripping side branches or cutting around curved objects like tree trunks.

Billhooks were useful for woodlot management, particularly important in an earlier time when wood was the fuel for virtually every household.