Condor Tool & Knife Survival Machete with Walnut Handle

I am an avid camper and hiker and I do a lot of amateur bushcrafting. This golok is a true gem, one of those rare pieces of extremely well made equipment, from a reputable company that stands behind their products, and frankly at an unbelievable price for the value. I was turned on to this knife by a friend after I'd bought a rather extravagant and, in comparison, mostly useless bushcraft knife for three times the price. The Condor Pack Golok is what I'll be carrying from now on for the majority of my light hiking and camping. Read on to find out why. CONSTRUCTION You've read the specs so let me just say that the construction is fairly immaculate - particularly for this price point (around fifty bucks when I got mine). The black forge finish on the blade is very attractive, the edge geometry is uniform, the handles are well crafted and well fitted. It's an attractive knife. As the description notes, the blade is thicker at the base than at the tip. As noted below this is relevant for the tasks you will use the knife for - you can use different parts of the blade differently. I have done a lot of chopping and batoning with this golok and it has held up just fine. No concerns with smacking it into hard wood. Depending on how you sharpen and profile your edge, and what you are chopping into, you may find the edge rolls a little from time to time. This is normal and is easily repaired (and see below for how I sharpen my convex edge). For a machete-type knife it's better that the edge bends instead of breaking, and that's exactly what you get with this 1075 steel. Lastly on construction I would note that this is a high carbon steel that will rust if not cared for, particularly if you put it away wet in the (amazingly high quality) leather sheath. I have had rust develop in under an hour after working outside in the snow - the combination of having a little snow in the sheath and on the blade, and moving from cold air to warm which causes condensation on the blade (and then not wiping it down immediately with an oil rag) caused rust spots to appear. Nothing a little 800 grit sandpaper won't fix - but it does need care. I have applied a forced patina to my blade using a vinegar bath which I believe will help prevent rust in the future - lots of tutorials on youtube for how to do this. HANDLING A knife made for chopping has to handle well - you're swinging a very sharp blade in an arc with some power behind it. If it's not comfortable then you're creating a danger for you and anyone around you. So how does this knife handle? It's a comfortable chopper. The center of balance is pleasantly forward of the handle, the handle itself is comfortable to hold, with a little palm swell at the end that helps you hold on even when loosening your grip a little, which is one way to get a comfortably fluid chopping motion. People with small hands may find the handle too large around. No problem - if you are so inclined you could easily sand it down and trim the metal pins and lanyard hole with a dremel. It might not be pretty but it would be functional, and that's what you should be aspiring to with this knife. It's a worker. The handles themselves are very solid and have a nice wood grain. I don't think they arrive coated with any sort of varnish, which I was very happy about because I don't like the varnished texture and I prefer being able to treat my wood handles myself. In this case I just applied a few coats of mineral oil and let it soak overnight. It darkened the wood, brought out the grain, and most importantly gave it some extra protection against moisture. A lot of people also swear by boiled linseed oil. If you decide to use a lanyard, please do yourself and your friends a favor and learn how to use a lanyard strap on a chopping tool. If you just loop it around your wrist, and if you accidentally lose your grip on the handle during a swing, the blade will pivot back around on you. You don't want a deep leg wound when you're out in the forest away from civilization. What I like to do is to wrap the lanyard loop around the outside of my hand (not around my wrist), then around the handle and hold it in place with my fingers. I know that description probably tells you nothing - there are some tutorials online. The idea is that while you're gripping it, the rope reinforces your grip, but if you let go, your fingers will slide out freely. SHARPNESS This came shaving sharp from the factory, which I like because it shows Condor's dedication to detail, but to be honest I don't think the factory edge on a knife is worth obsessing about. If you are into knives and if you will be using a knife for chopping, you'd better know how to sharpen it yourself. So the real question is - what kind of an edge will it take? This golok has a convex edge - like an ax, but thinner. The convex edge helps with splitting and keeps the edge from binding in the wood. Many forum posters and other reviewers here have noted that they "thinned out" their edge. Personally I wouldn't do it - the edge just below the tip, which is the "sweet spot" for chopping, is already quite thin in comparison to an ax. Thinner helps with a combination slicing/chopping motion and lets this golok bite deeper into wood than an axe - it's really quite astonishing. But too thin and you're going to have an edge that just won't stand up to use. Some beginning knife users are intimidated by having to sharpen convex edges. This knife is the first time I really learned how. Lots of youtube tutorials with various methods - the one that worked for me is the mousepad + sandpaper trick. I use a couple binder clips to hold a piece of sandpaper on top of a soft-ish mousepad. It doesn't need a lot of give - generally less than you expect - you don't have to see it bending for it to be effective, it will still be working right at the edge. You then strop the knife backwards away from the edge (as you'd strop on leather) along the sandpaper, at a low to medium angle and with a tiny amount of downward force. Don't push on it - the weight of the golok will do the work. Use a sharpie to color the edge and watch where the ink is removed, to ensure you're uniformly polishing the very edge as well as the convex bevel behind it. For a knife that's already relatively sharp and just needs touching up, I start at 800 grit and go to 1500 then 2000, then I strop on leather with a green chromium oxide compound, then on regular leather. It takes about 10 minutes and you should end up with a mirror polished convex edge with a smooth graduated curve back along the bevel, that will slice paper, shave hair, and really do some superb chopping. CHOPPING Ah, we finally come to the heart of the matter. This thing really chops. But be forewarned - it will only chop as well as you do. Technique counts for a lot. Spend the time to learn a little about wood grain and how it impacts cutting tasks. When chopping down or through small trees (3 to 5" in diameter) you should use a drawing motion as you chop - as with a katana stroke (what, you guys don't swing katanas?). Chop at around a 30 degree angle to the trunk, not a 90 degree angle - otherwise you will be trying to chop through the wood in its strongest direction. Keep in mind that a golok design first originated in tropical climates with smaller and generally softer woods. You can fell a large oak if you really want to, but it won't be fun. I have felled small trees with softer to medium hardness around 5 inches in diameter with 5 well placed chops and a gentle push. In summary, because of the wonderful chopping ability, I feel this golok can replace a hatchet and belt knife for light duty as a hiking and camping tool. I would still want an axe if I was doing heavier work. CARVING Is anyone even still reading? Just buy the thing. For carving this size of knife is honestly not ideal, but you can do feather sticks and finer work with it. One trick for feather sticks I like is to embed the knife upside down into a log and then draw my sticks across the blade - it's easier to run the stick back and forth in a line than to try to move the knife. Another trick for fine work is to let the golok hang by its lanyard loop from the crook of your elbow, and then your same hand to grip the front of the spine and carve with the front edge. The lanyard will hold the weight of the knife and let you bring a very light touch to the front edge, which is the thinnest part of the blade and thus the best for fine work. BATONING Good knife for batoning - nice and long so no risk of "running out of blade". Don't try to baton through the middle of giant logs - take slices off the edges to gradually thin in it down. I find it best to start batoning from the edge of the wood so that the golok cuts into first, instead of just trying to split through the top of the wood. SHEATH What an amazing sheath for the money. There are places out there selling leather knife sheaths of equivalent quality for the same price as this entire knife + sheath combo. It's well made of high quality leather. I treat the outside with Obenauf's LP, which is what I use on all my leather stuff that I want to keep supple and water resistant (don't put it on your gun leather though). One note - this is not a fast-draw sheath. And if you sharpen your blade like I've done mine, you won't want to draw quickly anyway. Undo the snaps and take your time when removing or inserting the blade so you don't slice up the inside of the sheath. There is a trick to the angle that you will learn as you work with it. My only complaint about the sheath is that, when the knife is inserted and the snaps are snapped, there is still some play that lets the knife slide up and down about an inch. It won't fall out but the sliding might result in internal damage from the edge. FINAL THOUGHTS I've used up all my thoughts in this unexpected long dissertation. I can't say enough about how much I love this knife and would recommend it without reservation to anyone looking for a camp tool that can replace a hatchet and a belt knife.

I finally got a chance to use my new Golok. Great tool. Cuts small brush/limbs, weeds and vines. Bulbous handle makes you feel secure swinging this and for most use blade speed is your best friend. A major plus for this is the cost of the machete. You can find cheaper machetes out there, but this is thick enough to be a serious tool. The blade steel is of a quality that likewise is befitting a serious tool. As a user, you want a tool that is constructed of a hard enough material that it stays sharp, but tough enough to not break. A similar tradeoff on costs. Buy a quality tool, but not one that costs so much you won't use it. This Condor hits that sweet spot for me. (I give that advice especially for myself!) I love my quality Spyderco knives but often reach for a cheapie when I'm going to do "real" work. My first day's use included some sprout trimming. For that, I want to cut close to the ground. I'm not going to use my Cold Steel Gurkha Kukri with Kraton Handle that way for doing everyday chores! Yep, I hit the dirt, even some rocks. All in a day's work for this. Just like I'd use a hoe or shovel. I'll nick the blade. It sharpens easily enough. There is some concern for how narrow this blade is down near the handle. Condor has done a nice job of tapering the blade thickness. I measured the width of the blade, estimating the center of the sharpened bevel back to the spine. Nearest the handle my Golok is 1 inch wide and 0.24 inches thick. Out near the tip, I got 1.75 wide and 0.115 thick. My point was to try and figure the weight distribution by calculating the cross sectional area of the blade at a couple of points. (Near midpoint of blade, the figures are 1.38" by 0.165") Calculated cross sectional areas were, starting nearest handle were 0.23 in^2, 0.23 in^2 and 0.20 in^2. Again you face compromise. Heavier near the tip gives greater cutting power. But a thinner blade cuts more easily. What I found is the blade is actually heavier back near the handle, but not by much. The greater thickness helps avoid bending blade, of course. Oh, yes, I spray my Golok with WD 40 or whatever is handy. It'll get rusty soon enough, but it's still new, so I want to delay my neglect for until next time. I like this tool!

I've been swinging machetes for around 25 years now. I've been through various brands. Some of them I've given up on and others just didn't hold up through the years. This is by far the best I have ever owned. This machete arrived brand new and in retail packaging. It was boxed up and packaged very well. The machete was wrapped in plastic and not even inserted in the sheath. The sheath is separately wrapped in plastic and everything was inside the factory box. I've heard and read so many good things about Condor machetes. After deciding on this Golok for it's size and shape, I found that what everyone is saying is absolutely true. This will be the last machete I will be needing in this size. If I ever do get another machete it will be another Condor, and only because I might want one of their larger sizes. The machete is sharp right out of the box. It is a good size for throwing in a backpack or clearing limbs out of a trail. I have been using it a lot in both of those scenarios. The handle is still very firmly attached to the blade. No loose handle like you would find with cheaper machetes. The blade is thick and solid. You aren't going to shake the blade and make that metal warbling sound that you can with cheap machetes. I like the design of the handle. The curved design with the bigger and thicker end keeps the machete in place in my hand throughout use. It is very comfortable to hold and use throughout the day. My hand is not fatigued after an extended period of use. The leather sheath is the best I have ever seen. It is so well constructed. This is definitely worth every penny. I can't stand the cheap nylon sheath that you typically get with a machete. This leather sheath gets used a lot. It's either protecting the blade from cutting stuff in my backpack or allowing me to carry on my side. I don't put the sheath on my side if I'm going to be doing a lot of sitting, it does swivel and allow you to sit, but for me it is mostly when I'm going to be out in the woods. One day I left the machete in the floorboard of my car overnight and into the next day. We had a very cold night and a hot day. The temperature fluctuation caused moisture to build up on the metal and retain in the leather sheath. When I pulled the machete out it had a little bit of rust at the edge of the blade. A little sanding and the rust is gone. This was my fault. I'm not used to the leather and metal combination . I won't be leaving it in a place where the temperature will fluctuate rapidly. My car may have had a little moisture in the floorboard as well. I'm not an expert at sharpening things. This edge is one of the easiest edges to work with for me. I have a puck with some honing oil that I use on all yard equipment. I've been using the puck on this machete and can keep it very sharp. Like I said, I'm no expert and can still keep a good edge on it. If you are reading this without an edit then the machete is still working fine and everything is holding up well. If anything changes I will update this review. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Packaged well. No issues with sheath. 2 minor issues with the knife. 1) micro bevel 2) uneven scales. Sharp convex edge out of the box but it had a micro bevel on one side. I beat the snot out of some Siberian Elm both green and seasoned and I also used it to baton some Russian Olive well seasoned and Sycamore well seasoned also and it batons nicely. Overall did great, cleared roots but tip is a bit thin for comfort but no damage. Micro bevel almost self resolved but it will be easy to clear up with some sand paper and a mouse pad. The wood scales look beautiful and feel great and really take boiled linseed oil well making the grain look almost 3d. The scales are not even as in the left side is thicker than the right. The feel is still great but I can still see the difference. Cosmetic issue only it seems so far. I like the knife a lot. It has replaced my Ontario Kukri 6420 as my EDC (after work) paired with a Mora 611. Handles saplings and de-branching trees with ease. Thinner and heavier but near identical length to the Ontario Kukri if anyone cares. Had there been even scales and no micro bevel it would be an easy 5 stars. Not worth sending back as it will be a beater and sharpened multiple times a week. I was disappointed with the scales being uneven but again only cosmetic and an easy fix if something fails in the future so it will suffice. Great tool for the money and I would and will recommend it. Only photos I have in this device all have the Kukri in it also, sorry. The golok had only had its first oil treatment on the scales in these photos and they were taken after first use on elm.

My Golok just arrived via UPS and all I can say is wow. I purchased a piece of property early this year that has very dense undergrowth consisting largely of briars and small saplings. I knew I was going to need a bush knife of some sort so I went the cheap route and picked up your basic $10 off the shelf machete from a local big box store. Big mistake. The thing was flimsy, dull and wouldn't cut wet paper. I couldn't even begin to beat my way through the underbrush. Being the person I am I started researching and ended up deciding on the Golok style bush knife. This style is highly regarded in the survivalist community for it's ruggedness and versatility. From clearing brush to chopping down small trees to batoning wood, this knife will handle all with ease. Once I started trying to decide on the actual knife to purchase the Condor really caught my attention. I'm a bit of a knife junkie anyway so seeing that this was carbon steel I immediately knew that this would be able to take and hold an edge. The hardwood handle looked to be top quality as did the leather sheath so the decision to purchase this was easy. The knife arrived from BUDK Catalog three business days after placing my order so no disappointments there. It was nicely packaged with the blade wrapped in parchment and the entire knife in a plastic bag. One thing I expected was for the blade to be liberally oiled being carbon steel but it wasn't. Considering the black finish on either side of the blade leaving only the edge and spine exposed I suppose it's not a big deal. Everything was clean and shiny so I won't fault them for that. The blade itself arrived honed to a razor edge. Being 1/4" thick at the handle you would expect this to be pretty heavy, and while it does have a heft to it does't feel cumbersome. The bulbous handle adds some counterweight to the blade and overall it's pretty well balanced with the point of balance being 2 3/4" from the end of the handle. Not bad for a 14 1/4" blade, which is what mine measured. Since these are made by hand expect some variance in blade length. My initial impression is that they put just as much quality and attention to detail in the sheath as they did the knife. It's made using leather that's slightly over 1/8"thick and riveted in the corners. The belt loop pivots and the rivet is covered internally to prevent it from scratching the blade. Typically I'm a "buy it once" kind of guy and and will gladly pay a little more for quality. My first impression of this knife is that this will be with me for years to come and maybe even end up in the hands of a grandchild one day. The proof is in the pudding though so I still need to take out and abuse it. I'll add to my review once I've had that chance.

I bought this Condor after becoming frustrated trying to put a decent edge on a Gerber machete. My brush-cutting tasks are not really rigorous, but the Gerber seemed better-suited for use as a club, especially after my wife almost destroyed the edge on a bench grinder, then finished it off by trying to saw her way through a stone, ruining both the stone and the blade. I never managed to bend the blade, but I had heard of others doing so. It is probably not fair to compare this machete directly with the Gerber, but that is where my experience lies. In any event, the Condor trumps the Gerber in almost every respect. First off, it is beautifully crafted. The hardwood handle is perfectly matched to the tang. The wood seemed a bit dry in places, but a little beeswax I had handy gave it a semi-matte satin finish. The blade is sharp right out of the box. Some reviewers have described the Condor products as "kit knives" that needed a bit of work to get a sharp edge, but my example needed nothing. The blade is thick, about 6mm at the handle, tapering to 2-3mm near the point. There is no way you will bend this blade short of putting it in a hydraulic press. The grind is convex, not unlike an axe. I found it to make short work of branches up to about 5/8" in diameter, usually in a couple of swings if I placed the second one right. Some of the thicker brush would probably go easier with pruning shears, but the sheath makes the machete easier to carry than a pruner, leaving my hands free for other chores as I work. I didn't try too much chopping, but the heft and grind of the blade suggest it should perform in this regard. In contrast to the cordura sheath that comes with the Gerber, the Condor sheath is nicely made of thick, heavy leather. It holds the blade securely by friction. It has an oiled black finish, and has the Condor crest embossed on the front. The belt loop pivots on a stud, so that the sheath can swing out of the way if you sit down. If you look around, you can find the machete alone for about half the price of the machete and sheath together, but the sheath is a good value, and worth paying extra for. Of course, the thick blade means a heavy knife, which helps it do its work, but at the same time makes it pretty heavy to lug around. The handle shape does not help in this regard. It is thick and almost round in cross-section, rather than oval as many other machetes. The combined effect is that the Golok feels like quite a load in the hand. On balance, though, this is a very nice tool, capable of doing a lot of work while being very nice to look at and to handle. Update: After using the Golok for a year or so. I am giving it a fifth star. It is simply a fierce brush-clearing implement. I love this thing. Update 7/17: the Golok has proven to be a great chopper. I used it to take down a 4" Chinese elm, not the best tool for the job, but if it is what you have with you, it's good to know it can get it done. Not the best tool for grasses, either, a lighter Salvadoran machete or Tramontina will let you work longer without tiring, but the Golok will do the job. It really comes into its own on medium-sized brush, up to a couple of inches in diameter. I have tried a lot of other machetes since I bought the Golok, but this one gets the call for a pretty wide range of conditions.

UPDATE (OCT 2015): So I've been using this machete for over 3 years and I'm even more convinced now just how outstanding Condor's products are. I own a couple of Condor knives but this one I've owned the longest and put it through the most abuse. Everything from splitting bullets to killing Rattlesnakes to chopping down one-foot thick trees, just to see how the machete would perform. And yes, I know there are more effective tools out there to chop down a tree but I wanted a challenge. However it turned out to be not much of a challenge after all. Overall I used the machete at least once a week in the great Pacific Northwest wilderness for the past three years and I have never been let down by Condor's superior reliability and design of this machete. As far as the sheath goes, It's very nice with thick leather and a premium feel to it. And the part that attaches to the belt swivels freely from the rest of the sheath which is nice for when you're moving around with the machete on your side. But all it took to break it was forgetting a couple of times that it was on my side while getting in my car. At first the hinge got a bit loose until it finally broke off. I contacted Condor about this and without hesitation they simply sent me a brand new sheath to replace the one with the broken hinge. This is awesome customer service and a company that truly stands behind its products. My original 5 star review remains 5 stars. I highly recommend this to anybody looking for a robust and high quality machete for doing actual work with and not just to look nice. ORIGINAL REVIEW (AUG 2012): I bought this machete in the spring after the handle in my cold steel latin machete broke. The golok feels very good in my hand and the bulb on the handle is very functional and keeps the large knife from slipping from my grasp. The steel is very high quality and is very thick compared to the cold steel latin machete. It chops like a boss; the thickest log I chopped with it was an 11 inch pine and the blade was still able to shave the surface of my finger nail.... (stayed very sharp). Overall I put it through a lot of use and abuse and it is holding up. I take it with me on every mountain and hike and I got used to the weight of it. May I add that you do have to take care of the blade because it rusts if it gets wet. It happened to me after a trip to camp muir(10,200 ft.) at Mt. Rainier and the knife got soaked from me glissading down the snow field, a day after which the edge of the blade got a thin layer of rust. But it wasn't anything 5 minutes of polishing couldn't fix. Overall buy this machete if you want it. You will realize how much more you should have wanted it after you use it.

This is a nice versatile camp/utility blade. The blade as others have described is 11 inches long with an overall length of 17 inches. It feels good in your hand and has a nice heft to it which becomes useful when chopping some medium sized branches. I got this as a Christmas gift in 2016 and decided to chop some branches that were too close to the house. The branches were about 4 inches round but this blade brought them down in no time. It took about 12 good swings cutting the branch in a V pattern before the branch came down on its own weight. I cut the branch into some manageable pieces and then proceeded to baton the thickest log with the blade. The blade ripped the little log quickly and efficiently. The thickest part on the spine of the blade closest to the tang is about 1/4 inch tapering off to about an 1/8 inch toward the tip of the blade. I thought this blade would work great at a camp ground or out on a trail. The blade comes with a leather sheath with a belt loop riveted on as well as two snaps to keep the blade secure. As I was using it, I only kept the snap closest to the tang closed and left the middle snap loose for quicker access. I wish it came with a leather wrist loop since it does have a hole on the butt of the tang for a loop. Overall I am very happy with this gift, its a great blade with good sharp edge out of the box. I can't wait to use it on the camp ground, hope this review helps you in your decision. Thanks!

Etwas teuer, ansonsten nichts zu beanstanden.

WOOOOOW !! FABULOSO. Y MUY BUEN DETALLE DE LA PATINA.

This is a beefy, sharp tool with a high quality leather sheath - I have no doubt that this will last me the rest of my life. Arrived on time, pretty sharp (a few strokes on a sharpening stone brought it right up to "hospital trip" sharp) and incredibly solid.

Fits very well in the hand cam incredibly Sharp as always Condor leather sheath is very well made the dangler Style is very comfortable bites into wood like butter

Ich bin vielleicht kein Spezialist, was Klingen betrifft, jedoch bin engagierter Sammler von Hieb- und Stichwaffen und praktiziere Schnittübungen. Der Condor Golok übertrifft im Preis-/Leistungsverhältnis alle Waffen die ich besitze (darunter auch ein Schwert von Ravens-Armoury und ein Messer von MAM). Ich erhielt meine Machete für den Preis von €69,- über Amazon und hatte hohe Erwartungen auf Grund von vielen positiven Produktrezensionen der Waffe. Die Lieferung erfolgte prompt und unkompliziert. Geliefert wurde das Messerchen in der Condorschachtel. Der Golok befand sich in einer rigiden Pastikhülle und die Klinge war penibel mit Reispapier umwickelt. Ausgepackt sah man noch einen dünnen Ölfilm auf der Klinge. Auffallend war sofort das Gewicht der Machete und vor allem die perfekte Balance der Klinge (Schwerpunkt 7,5 cm hinter dem Griff). Die Klinge ist ca. 70 Prozent mit einer schwarzen Schutzbeschichtung versehen, die ca. 7 cm vor der Schneide aufhört und somit einen dramatischen Kontrast schafft. Die Klinge ist durchgehend zwischen stolzen 6,5 mm bis 3,2 cm (Spitze) stark, ca. 38 cm lang und leicht nach oben gebogen, Stechmanöver sind Möglich aber auf Grund des vorn offenen Griffs nicht zu empfehlen. Im Gegensatz von billig gestanzten Stahl (siehe Cold-Steel, etc.) erhält man beim Condo Golok ein (sehr) solides Stück Schmiedekunst, wie man noch ganz dezent an der Rundung um den Griff erkennen kann. Das macht das Messerchen noch symphatischer, weil echtes Handwerk. Ein einhändiges Ziehen über Kreuz möglich ist, da eine Sicherung an der Scheide nicht notwendig ist (Scheide kopfüber gehalten, leicht geschüttelt, Klinge rutschte nicht hinaus). Die Griffschalen aus Hartholz sind beitseitig auf die Klinge aufgenietet (perfekte Verarbeitung, nichts steht über) also `full-tang'. Die Klinge ist für eine Machete messerscharf geschliffen, aber nicht rasiermesserscharf (ist bei der gewaltigen Klinge auch wahrlich nicht von Nöten). Die Lederscheide ist ebenfalls sehr solide aus gutem Leder gefertigt und sauber vernäht. Die Gürtelschlaufe erlaubt dem echten Macho eine Riemen von 6 cm Breite, sollte wohl reichen. De Facto habe ich für ein sehr kleines Geld eine Faust voll bitterbösem Stahl erhalten der sowohl im Busch als auch in der Heimverteidigung glänzt. Aber vergesst nicht, es braucht auch den richtigen Arm der soch eine Klinge führt. post scriptum: Kleiner Tipp, es gibt auf dem Markt auch noch ein altes Modell Condor Colok, bei welchem die Klinge komplett im Griff verschwindet: Nicht Kaufen, Griff kann bei Belastung brechen.