All Purpose Tactical Machete with Sheath, Great for Clearing Brush, Survival, Camping and Outdoor Activities, Gladius Machete, One Size

I have been collecting swords and large daggers for at least 30 years. I have collected all over the states as well as numerous assignments overseas and in unfriendly places. I have many 'shiny' weapons as well as a number of 'real combat' blades. I admit in advance that I have been a fan of Cold Steel ever since I saw them in the San Diego Gun Show in the 1980s and drove by their store going up to play against Temecula for Football games for about 10 years running, but I have had very few products of theirs. Once I saw this new machete series they put out, I could not resist any longer. I bought a number of different kinds, but I digress...The Cold Steel Gladius just looks beautiful. A period piece with a modern use. The length overall length of the Kopis and the Gladius are almost the same by the way. There is a reason the Romans, the Celts, and the Greeks (among many others) used blades just like this/similar to this for thousands of years. It is not too short, not too long, incredibly thick to prevent sheering/breaking during actual battle and the 1055 steel is about as strong and useful as it gets (minus the rusting issues, which they compensate for by putting this awesome black, anti-corrosive finish on them). A fantastic handle--admittedly, I own some good blades that have crappy handles--these seem to be actually 'dip-molded' onto the blade with this hard plastic material that can take a serious beating. I really like the handle, because whether swinging a sword or a machete, with or without gloves, my hand will eventually slip (even when I am not sweating... and I sweat like it rains). When I combine this handle with a simple rope loop through the provided hole in the handle, I know that I basically cannot let go of this blade at the wrong time. It is not as good as the 'u-turn' handle on the Kopis and the full handle on the cutlass, but the Gladius has that 'big old flat ball' pommel that gives me trust in swinging hard. I used mine to chop the heck out of a tree that had so many branches that a chain saw was too heavy and ridiculous. Admittedly, I had two Kopis machete's from Cold Steel that I used more... but that is also because I loved my single Gladius so much I did not want to I have it scuffed from actual use so that I could use it for Ren-Fairs and Costumes. Had I had another Gladius, I would have no issues banging it up for actual practical use just like I did with the Kopis. I have used it twice and was amazed at the chopping/cutting power of this blade. I can chop through all the branches, even those just over 2 inches thick... in winter(it wasn't freezing, but was nearing 50F in the day and 20F at night). I wrapped the handles in some cloth tape (think hockey sticks) and it worked even better. When I was done with my yard work, I took a common, finger-held sharpener and touched up the edges. The handle is just a bit thick for me and is just too wide for me to really feel like I can grip the living daylight out of it for those 'monster swings'. I really wish they could narrow it down a bit while leaving the pommel the same size. I am about 5'10' and an athletic 175lbs.I really like the sheath, but it is utilitarian, and only partially combat useful. The blade comes with a warning that if you 'fast draw' the blade from the sheath that you can cut through it and hurt yourself. I am very thankful for the warning, because I fast draw with most of my blades and would have undoubtedly cut through the sheath and sliced my leg. I am also very careful not to ram the blade home into the sheath for the same reason. Cold Steel did well by adding extra plastic plating on the tip of the sheathe to assist in the blade not cutting the bottom, because the point is truly wicked.This blade is a truly beautiful weapon and useful tool. The price is phenomenal and if you are parent looking to get a kid a sword (no judging here) I would never buy a stainless steel blade bigger than around 12 inches... just google that on youtube and you can see videos of stainless steel swords breaking even with very light use(it has to do with the alignment properties of the steel when they make it stainless steel--more or less--stainless is just not good for combat blades and if used, should be kept for short blades and daggers where it does fine most of the time. These are fully functional, lifetime pieces, that look and feel awesome... for about $30. Yes, they are more expensive than a cruddy machete from Harbor Freight... but do you really want to have a 'bug out blade' or a functional defense weapon that cannot be relied upon to do even the lightest of chores? Bottom line: You cannot go wrong with this blade and I cannot stress enough how much I love this product. Furthermore, this blade makes my soul 'sing' when I have it in my hand (so does the Kopis, but just not as much as the Gladius).Also, no problems with the stickers on this blade... my Kukri's were a pain to get off, but the Kopis and the Gladius had no issues. I loved them all so much I am going to get the cutlass next!

So right off the bat, if you are looking for a really good machete, don't buy this.....ANY other machete would probably perform better at this role. Certainly if you keep it sharp and swing it at brush and vines it will most likely cut right through them......but is this really the best designed tool for this task???? So now what on earth do we do with this thing???? I don't know how to answer that... I bought it because my son and I enjoy collecting knives of all sorts, and he also happens to be one of the worlds greatest walking dead fans. I bring home tons of cardboard boxes from work and he has hours of fun going at them with his knives, throwing stars, tomahawks, etc..etc.. Hey, way better than sitting inside playing video games all day..right?????So back to the "sword". In my opinion, the best use for this sword is the one you will never use it for...combat. A machete is much better suited to fill the machete role than this thing. If you want to use it for trail clearing, I'm sure it would work, but you may want to also imagine you are fighting your way through herds of man eating lions at the roman coliseums during the process. That and fighting early A.D. wars alongside the Romans is by far the best use for this well thought out tool.Again, specs can be found on line so I wont go into great detail. 1055 steel so easy to sharpen and cold steel's usual black backed on anti rust finish which wears very well and with a bit of care for the steel is outstanding. sharpens easy and gets sharp like all the cold steel products I have reviewed in this category. ****One very important note about the price***** I purchased this 9/24/2014 and paid 20 bucks with free shipping by combining it with the cold steel bowie machete for free shipping. I see now it is in the mid 30 dollar range. Personally I would not buy this in that price range. The 20 dollar price was the reason I jumped on it so quickly. You however may feel different.Mine came very sharp. So much so, that we heeded the warning label attached to the handle so that we were careful with this double edged sword. Grinds were good and even on mine unlike some that other reviewers have come across. Blade was fairly symmetrical out to the point so that it retained it's true intended shape. Looks just like a roman sword!!! So cool!!! As I stated earlier, very sharp and finished black. The sticker on the blade is hideous, but wd-40 and a little plastic scraper should take care of that with no issues as it did on my all terrain chopper. This is not a decorative quality sword by any means. This thing was made to use and abuse and scratch it up on things that you will never have the opportunity to test it against. (unless there is a purge or zombie apocalypse).The handle...very heavy black polypropylene that is functional, has three gripping rings around the handle, and a very slight textured feel to it. Not nearly as grippy as the other cold steel machete's I've reviewed, but the massive round pommel should ad a bit of security so that it doesn't fly out of your hands when defending the empire. Feel free to add a lanyard if needed as the pommel contains a lanyard whole that would fit up to paracord sized lashing. From what I can see with flashlight inspection, the steel seems to extend all the way through the handle as the steel appears to be drilled through when I peak through the pommel lanyard hole. Cold steel's website should be able to confirm or deny this as I hardly put that much thought into it. Some reviewers have complained about a bit of plastic flashing on the front edge of the handle where the blade exits the handle.......Really????? Do you own a razor knife????? Mine had it as well. I trimmed it off in 2 seconds and slept well that same night. But then again, I only paid 20 bucks for mine. If forced to make a complaint, I would say the handle is way more slippery than I prefer, but I doubt I will be finding myself fighting any gladiator style battles in the near future. Even then, it's not as bad as my Becker BK-7 on the slippery handle scale (no pun intended). As far as blade uses are concerned, this is a thruster through and through. This blade was made for serious piercing of flesh and bone and some slashing as well. But when in the hell you ever gonna do that????? just know that when killing cardboard boxes is in play, this weapon shines!Sheath is typical cold steel machete sheath style. Heavy black cordura nylon with reinforcing rivets around the perimeter with the extra heavy plastic blade guards on the outside front and back to prevent poke through. Secure one button strap around the handle to keep it in place and the usual massive belt loop for anything much larger than you would ever wear in real life. But isn't it nice to know you could wear a 31/2" wide belt if you wanted too??? Overall length is 25 7/8 on mine and not 1" longer as stated in the amazon ad. And yes, I really measured mine. It is perfectly sized for the combat role that I will never use it in. This is one bad a$$ battle sword (machete), but like I said, when will we ever be able to prove that?Overall impressions???? Really cool though maybe impractical. Great for collectors of all this other useless edged crap we love to buy that makes our wives role their eyes and mumble, "what on earth are you going to do with that"? I would gladly buy again as the wow factor when my son unwrapped it was priceless...well at least priceless as far as 20 bucks is concerned. While I love him dearly...maybe not dearly enough to pay the current mid 30 dollar price range. I'm not a big sword collector, so past 25 bucks and I'm out...but you may feel differently depending on what your interests are. Keep in mind this is still a thick machete blade...not a true sword blade. But it is bad a$$ and really fun to play around with. I just would not spend the current amount to get one. Nor would I purchase if I was looking for a true sword of this style. Other than that, lot's of fun here.

With anticipation I received my new Gladius Machete from Cold Steel, I collect edged weapons and currently have 11 machetes, all from Cold Steel except for two.This Gladius machete to me is a low cost sword masquerading as a machete, it is well built of quality 1055 carbon steel, it is light, agile and truly fun to play with (yes old farts like me still enjoy playing like the kid I once was), today I was a Roman Centurion cutting & slashing barbarian wild bushes on our property!Here I must warn you to be careful, unlike others that have written reviews on this item, mine came out of the box VERY SHARP on both edges & the point is like the tip of a needle. I am not sure why Cold Steel did not just come out with a Gladius sword since their sword line is of the up-most quality and the envy of many, but I am very happy they decided to bring this historical blade in the guise of a machete, so that in these difficult economy times folks like me can afford one, $32 with shipping, talk about value! Back to the blade for a few moments, the handle is very comfortable, I recommend a lanyard as it will secure your hand to the grip when swinging or chopping, strangely enough I was able to easily remove that pesky Cold Steel sticker in one attempt! don't forget to rub a light coat of oil on the blade, the edges are naked steel and will rust quite easily, btw the look of naked edge & black coating makes for a good looking blade! The sheath is a typical Cold Steel machete covering, it is well made and will do a good job but for me I am going to look for a custom leather sheath if not too expensive. Overall I am very pleased with my purchase & new addition to my collection, I can highly recommend this great blade, I doubt that it will be often used as a machete but I think that soon we will have many folks picturing themselves back in those ancient times of Rome. Good job Cold Steel!

This is my first Cold Steel product I have purchased. I was BLOWED AWAY by the look of this monster! This thing maybe called a machete but this is no machete. This is a short sword!! The 1055 carbon steel blade is what I have heard to be a tough steel that can take impacts and holds its edge well. On top of that it's tough steel the blade is thicker than I have expected. I have never seen any edged weapon with a blade this thick! This thing is built like a tank. When it came it had some rough burrs on the blade,but after using a wet stone I smoothed them out. The handle is pretty good and can get a good grip on it. I wrapped mine in paracord. I also made a sling for it so now I can carry it on my back!I must warn you. The very tip is thin and would avoid using this tip to chop down trees or bushes or what not. Not that the tip is not strong,but its not designed to be whacked on trees,rocks or vegetation like that. This thing is not designed to be used as a machete. It is made to kill. Its tip and its double edge proves that this is a weapon and the wielder is not just trimming his bushes with it.I dont see this as a garden machete. I see this a defensive weapon. I see this as the thing you reach for when you know someone broke into your house. I have this sword by my bedside at night for this very reason! Its an awesome defense weapon! Its tip looks like it will go through a man if you wanted it too. Its light and easy to control,that makes this sword deadly. As I states earlier. This is a weapon. You can use it as a machete if you want too. But I would be careful with the tip when cutting down tree branches. And also keep in mind that when your going at it at that tree remember that you have a second,equally sharp blade facing you at all times. It will do a great job as a garden machete don't get me wrong,but its designed to be a weapon meant to kill. The primary purpose of this thing is being a weapon in my opinion, but thats just me. Overall a great sword and definitely worth buying!

As others have said, although marketed as a machete, this is a perfectly serviceable low-end sword, modeled on the gladius hispaniensis. After testing it out I feel it deserves five stars.First, the aesthetics. The sword comes looking a little rough, but after a few minutes' cleaning and oiling the blade, it's gorgeous. The blade is well balanced and (as far as I can tell) perfectly symmetrical, the handle is clean and comfortable. The black coating on the blade (which I assume is there so they can market it as a machete) looks beautiful once it's oiled. I'm not going to pretend this is a high-end sword, but it's great for what it is: the handle is hard plastic, but it's very durable hard plastic that fits the hand well and doesn't slip.Next, function. The blade sits securely in the sheath and comes in and out easily. The edges come quite sharp -- not razor, but pretty sharp. The point is deadly: even semi-sharp, the shape means it can pierce ANYTHING. After a few minutes sharpening it myself, both the edges and the point are deadly sharp. After whacking around with it for a while, the edges withstand a lot of abuse and still keep their sharpness. I have yet to chip or dent the edges in the slightest. The point, however, because of how long and tapering it is, can bend very easily, but it can easily be hammered back.My main complaint: it comes with a sticker on the blade. This is a pain to remove without using alcohol (which you do NOT want to do, as this will strip the black coating off), but it does eventually come off.All in all, this is a great little Roman sword, especially for the price. With a bit of care and after oiling it, it looks gorgeous. The blade itself is extremely resilient and can hold an edge well, even with a lot of use and abuse. It might not go front-and-center above the mantlepiece, but it definitely deserves a place in my collection.

It came sharp. despite my fears due to other reviews, the gladius is sharp, clean, and required nothing more than some light deburring with a knife sharpener to make it an extremely lethal, battle ready, one-handed, short sword. I love the weight, feel, and grip. Awesome sword for a great price, very sturdy. It's overall length is equal to my katana, so it's a bit longer than I expected ( that's a good thing) I thought it was going to be another hatchet grade long knife, but it's so much more! Pair it with a targon shield from cold steel for defense and you're set in that department lol

...But if you did want a machete sword, this is definitely the coolest one I've seen. It's fun in that sort of way your parents and significant other wouldn't approve of. It's also stupid beyond belief (what are we, post-apocalyptic Romans?) and not ideal as a real machete. Hell, a sword is an impractical weapon in today's world anyway. But it's still so much fun to play with (USING PROPER SAFETY PRACTICES.) Anyway, onto the details:Blade:The wasp-waisted blade looks very impressive in person. Photos just don't do this thing justice. It's not pretty, but it is really cool. Coated with the standard cold steel black finish that will not last, but ultimately that's not a huge deal.The edges are sharp enough (no need for a razor edge on a sword; indeed most swords had an "appleseed" edge shape,) and the blade is flat in profile. Although this is ahistorical for a gladius, it allows the blade to cut quite nicely while historical gladii were used primarily as thrusting swords. As Oakeshotte so nicely pointed out, a cutting blade needs a flat cross section. Thrusting, as you might expect, yields brutal results.Hilt:Slice it any way you like: its plastic. Impact resistant? Probably. But clearly plastic. On a purely practical level, though, the grip seems to be secure in the hand. The pommel feels like it will get in your way in the execution of the cut, but it doesn't. Lanyard hole is a nice touch and not a bad idea.Sheath:A little too flexible like all cold steel cordura sheaths. One nice touch is that the plastic drag covers the entire point up to the start of the edge. Be careful when removing or returning the blade. Belt loop is generous. Kydex would have been a better choice, but would have also been more expensive.Overall, a stupid stupid product that's fun as all get out. Please be careful with this. It's not a toy. Well, really it is, but it's a dangerous toy. Use responsibly.

Mine arrived with a sharpened but a bent tip, don't know if it was that way from the manufacturer or because of shipping. But the tip is ridiculously long and pointy. With a file we were able to remove the bend and strengthen the tip. Ended up bending it on 3 separate occasions (in the last week), each time, refiling the point, shortening it and strengthening it. (Maybe what state you ship to determines if you get the unground tip version.)The grind was very rough, like 40 grit, maybe 60, and the grind was very uneven - meaning each of the 4 edges per side (Crescent in left, Tip out left, Tip out right, Crescent in Right) each were a different width, meaning a different grind angle... and again, that is on each of the four segments of the blade, and then the other four blade segments on the other side. This is not good. If you want to use this to cut, even if you have PERFECT edge alignment, your cuts will still curve in the cut, because the grind angles are not even on each side of the blade, in each segment. On one side's tip segment, the grind is VERY steep, so the grind is very short, but on the other side, the grind is very shallow, so the grind is very long/wide... totally uneven angles on each side of the blade.Also the grind ripples in and out, meaning it is not consistent, on a couple segments of the blade. I can see this because I've been attempting to sharpen the grind lines out, and so the shoulder and edge of the grind are smooth and polished after my hard work, but the grind lines in the middle of the grind go from shallow to deep to shallow to deep to shallow to deep... Basically the grind on this machete is a joke. Does that mean this tool is not useful to cut brush or practice cutting, no, it's still useful out of the box (which arrived slightly sharp... like you could pinch both edges of the blade and squeeze a little bit while you run your hand down the blade - don't try this at home - and you wouldn't cut your fingers, but if you squeezed firmly, you would cut your fingers), and with work reprofileing the blade, and removing the deep, deep grind lines, and attempting to create equal grind angles on each side of the blade, you can get a mirror polish on the edges of this blade, and it will be wicked shaaarp, mate.The handle material might be the worst part of this blade, in my estimation, as I can work on the grind and make it passable, but reprofiling the plastic handle... who knows how that will go? It's a very soft plastic, but probably rugged, can't say, only had it a week. Want to know how long the tang is, and whether the handle/pommel is hollow or not. I don't know. Wish I did. If I knew the shape of the tang, I might remove the plastic handle altogether and put on a wooden handle with better grip, and a less boxy/rectangular shape. Also, I'm really bothered by the bulbus plastic pommel. I know CS are modeling this machete off of the ancient Roman Gladius, but it's just not needed here, and it does actually interfere with my potential grips on the handle of this machete. It is so bad, that while practice cutting, and swinging quite hard, with a wet hand, this machete flew out of my hand, and as my fingers tried to grip the handle as it slipped out, it caused the machete to flip, rather than just slip, out of my hand, causing the machete to fly roughly 160 degrees behind me, flying 15 feet and impalled itself 6 inches into the dirt of my backyard.This was and still is extremely disturbing to me, and I haven't used it since. My adult child was standing 5 feet further back behind me than where the machete impaled itself into the lawn. We both looked down at the machete and then at each other and knew that we just avoided a fatality. Really, honestly, real world frightening. I expect the soil gives more resistance than the flesh and bones of a human leg or torso... I can't imagine what could have happened if they were standing closer, and I thank God that no one was hurt or killed. I may have to do something about the pommel, it is very annoying and in my estimation, very dangerous. We have not used it since. And forget the lanyard hole... you don't want an 18 inch blade swinging back towards you if it slips out of your hand... IMO it is more dangerous to use a standard lanyard with this sort of machete.And for what it's worth, I've been swinging tennis rackets, racquetball rackets, axes, hatchets, all sorts of hand swung tools, and all sorts of other machetes throughout my life and not ONCE did a tool slip out of my hand. For hours after this I had the shakes, no joke. This not the type of accident where someone can get hurt but if you get to the ER in time, you'll be fine with a good gnarly story. No, this thing is so pointed, so sharp at the pointy tip... this machete would enter someone like it was going into whip cream, and probably come out the back side at least a few inches, if not all the way through. If you didn't die on the spot, you'd bleed out from an arterial bleed before the ambulance could even get to you, let alone get you to the ER. I'm sorry for writing all of this, but this is serious. It was inconceivable, based upon 40 years of swinging tools like this without one even slightly slipping out of my grip, let alone entirely out of my hand, flicking at a high velocity behind me (it happened toward the end of my swing just as I started to decelerate the blade). And it was even further inconceivable that a tool like this could fly behind me like it did. My child was entirely in what I've been taught and always reasonably considered the safe zone, and this thing nearly went clean through them.And PS I don't think this is the fault of CS. My hand was dripping wet, I was only going to take one cut, and this was just an accident. I think this was enabled, but not the cause of, by the plastic handle, and the bulbous grip of the pommel. On a Gladius sword, most of the pommels were/are a half sphere - this is to lock your hand into a hammer grip, essentially squeezing your index finger and pinkie towards each other, reinforcing your grip like a boxer's taped hands. But this pommel doesn't do this, the handle is longer than any handle of any historical Gladius I've seen, leaving about a 1/4 inch of room below the pinky before the pommel starts, this doesn't act to lock the hand into a solid hammer grip onto the handle, it acted oppositely, allowing my wrist to break into more of a handshake grip, but the pommel broke my grip as it doesn't allow a full handshake grip, and it acted like a fulcrum, and launched this blade behind me.So, please listen, don't blame a manufacturer for something you cause. You, I, we are responsible for our safety and the safety of those around us. It is up to us to evaluate the tool and how it functions and determine FOR OURSELVES, not with lawyers or government agents, but with the best of our prudent judgement if the tool is safe to use. You can do this by inspecting the tool when you receive it and before each time you use it. When you receive it, use it by yourself, in a secluded area where no one else is, or will be, with definitely no pets around, and where an errant slip of the grip can't send the blade in a dangerous direction, injuring people even beyond the area... (I think this thing could go through the exterior of a house, into the interior, no joking, it is that stabby, and it definitely could go through a nearby window or over a fence... with potentially life ending consequences, seriously, I'm not being a safety sally). Swing it a few times, small little swings to judge the weight of the tool, how it fits in your hands, how it works with your body. Build up the force of the swings until you're at full, full power, and see how the tool behaves.If YOU deem it safe, then you can use it with and around other people. But remember, each person using this tool needs to familiarize themselves with it before they really use it. And remember that people are unpredictable, may walk into harms way, even when they don't know it's harms way, so inform them of the safe zone, where they can safely be if an accident happens. And if you're around immature people, kids, people under the influence, forget it entirely, don't even break this tool out, way WAY too dangerous. Only if you're around responsible people, who are behaving responsibly can this or any tool like it be considered safe.Sorry for all that, but this is a life and death issue, I almost lost the most important person to me,someone I've committed my life to serving, all for what, a machete. Not worth it.I might recommend CS's Tactical Machete, well, the version that has a long leaf shape blade but a real hook in the pommel of the grip, it's ten bucks more than this one, at this time, but way safer, imo.The length of this blade: supposedly 18 inches, I haven't measured it, but it seems right, but this blade is WAY longer than I thought it would be. I was worried that it was too short for chopping, and it you were mobbed by a group of zombies while clearing brush... and now I'm worried if it is too long! Seriously, this is longer than you think. It is a good length for clearing brush or dispatching zombies - not too close, and not too far, just right.Which brings me to the sheath/scabbard (it's a sheath, really), it's surprisingly good. It's not like a cheapo chinese nylon thing you might expect, you know the instant throw away, loose nylon slipping out of its stitching cheap... no, it is a step and a half above that. It is nylon, but nylon and plastic perhaps, it is stiff, not totally rigid, but way, way more rigid than I expected. The sheath has a totally enclosed plastic tip that encloses the pointy end of the blade, and it is riveted in place. Just guessing from memory but this tip protection is roughly a half inch thick. it is legitimately solid. Good job CS on that one. I think that they know this is one really pointy tool. I haven't worn it on my belt, just as a way of safely storing and transporting this tool. I might make a leather sheath, but just for fun, not out of necessity, at all.Let's see... what else? The machete has a good weight to it, all again, in my opinion. It's not light like I feared it might be, no it's nice and substantial, but then not too heavy, and I think the point of balance, like four fingers up the blade from the hilt, is pretty good, only through experimentation could I find a better balance point, if there even is one. No, it feels just good and solid, capable of swinging and carrying enough force to chop brush, but not so heavy that it tires you out. It's heavier than a couple cheap chinese machetes that I have, but not too heavy at all. Maybe if you were hacking through the jungle for 10 hours a day, maybe it would be too heavy and tire you out, but in my experience, it felt just right.The black coating is okay, I don't prefer coatings, but I suppose it does help prevent rust on most of the carbon steel blade. I'd recommend still oiling the uncoated portion of the blade. After a couple cutting sessions, the black coating is unmarred, but I wouldn't call these sessions hard use, and one did end EARLY. But the coating seems legit, and well applied. I can imagine it mostly staying on for the life of the blade.That's it for me. Enjoy it, but be safe, and please take my warning about safety seriously. This isn't knife safety, this is more like sword, deadly sword safety. I'd take more safety precautions with this thing than I would a fire arm. Seriously, just one wound from this thing would likely be worse than a 9mm hole through your body.

Das mag an dem mehr als schrecklichen finish liegen. Diese Machete hätte ich mir lieber als ungeschliffenen Rohling gewünscht, als mit diesem verkorksten Maschinenschliff.Aber eines nach dem anderen.Mittlerweile habe ich so einiges an Macheten durch und nutze diese auch relativ stark im Gelände. Ich besitze unter anderem auch die allseits verspottete Walther Mach Tac 2 - diese tut aber seit etlichen Jahren hervorragend ihren Dienst und hat lediglich ein bisl Spiel im Griff mittlerweile. Die Walther Machete war damals in etwa genau so teuer wie der Gladius, jedoch weitaus besser und hochwertiger gearbeitet - wie ich leider feststellen muss.Wer Cold Steel kauft, will Qualität ohne Schnörkel kaufen. Viele, viele Messer dieser "Marke" konnten mich bis heute stets überzeugen und der Stahl soll besonders gut sein. Ich muss aber ehrlich sagen, wer so eine Machete nicht zu diesem Preis vernünftig fertigen kann, sollte es einfach lassen. Ich kann mir nicht vorstellen das Cold Steel UK eigentlich weiß was da in Süd-Afrika produziert wird!Das wichtigste in Kürze:+ Tolles Design+ Liegt gut in der Hand, die Klinge fühlt sich leicht und ausgewogen an+ Der Griff macht einen soliden eindruck (mit einigen hinnehmbaren Guss/Druck fehlern)+ Die Scheide wirkt hochwertig. Vernietet, vernäht und mit geschlossener PP-Spitze- klasse!+ Meine Klinge kam ohne den berüchtigten, unentfernbaren Aufkleber, sondern mit einer relativ schicken Prägung/Stanzung "Cold Steel South Africa" ein Stück über der Parierstange.- Der "Schliff" der Klinge!!! : Asymmetrisch, unsauber, grob, schief und ätzend. Absolut des Namens nicht würdig und für mich die ober-enttäuschung!!!! Spähne und grate kamen mir aus der Scheide entgegen!- Dieses schwarze "baked Anti-rust" zeugs findet sich in stellen auch in der geschliffenen Klinge wieder und lässt sich mit einem Taschentuch und längerem rubbeln einfach abtragen... :( Da ist nichts gebaked (wie bei der Walther), sondern einfach nur drüber-gerotzt.- Dunkle Thermo-Verfärbung an der Spitze. Hier wurde zu doll geschliffen und der Stahl dadurch weich. Schade- Die gesamte Klinge hat nicht einmal einen feineren Schleifstein gesehen. Also leute, was habt ihr euch nur dabei gedacht?Fazit: Es handelt sich hier definitiv um die Kriegswaffe Gladius, welche sehr effektiv und gefährlich ist. Irgendwie haben die es geschafft das Ding als Machete in Deutschland zu vermarkten. Ich werde die Klinge jetzt vernünftig nachbearbeiten und schleifen und habe dann ein ziemlich heftiges stück Stahl ;-) Ich hoffe inständig, dass es sich zumindest wirklich um den 1055 Kohlenstoffstahl von Cold Steel handelt, hätte aber für diese schicke Waffe auch gerne 20 Euro mehr ausgegeben mit vernünftigem Schliff und Gewissheit ob des Stahls. Ich denke mein Gladius hier ist der Auswuchs von der Gier nach dem schnellen Geld und ich finde es unheimlich schade, dass Cold Steel sowas zulässt. Die Firma lässt bei verschiedenen Herstellern weltweit Produzieren, aber auch dann kann man einheitliche Qualitätsstandards einhalten.Wer Lust und Zeit hat sich diesen Rohling zu verfeinern, wird mit einem schönen, eleganten und ausgefallenen, zweischneidigen und spitzen Gladius belohnt, welcher sich im Notfall auch zum Erlegen von...wilden Tieren wunderbar eignet. Macheten-Anfänger oder Gartenarbeiter sollten lieber zu etwas anderem, kopflastigerem und besser verarbeiteten greifen. Hier bei uns im Waffenladen gibt es Macheten aus Blech für 12 Euro - reicht zum Hecke und Geäst schnippeln.UPDATE 10/17:Ich habe den Gladius bis heute schonungslos im Feld benutzt und unzählige, armdicke Äste durchgehackt und eine kleine Tanne gefällt! Ich habe auf Europaletten eingedroschen, bringe meine Apfelbäume regelmäßig damit in Form und habe das Ding immer dabei wenn es raus ins Gemüse geht. Und was soll ich sagen... Bei dem ganzen, heftigen Impact hätte ich jetzt mal langsam Spiel im Griff erwartet oder Scharten in der Klinge. Aber NICHTS davon ist passiert :-DDie Spitze habe ich leider an Metall krummgehauen (meine Schuld, sollte man lassen), was dazu führte dass ich die Machete in mühevoller Handarbeit nachgeschliffen habe. Ich liebe das Gerät!Dafür nochmal ein Stern rauf!UPDATE 01/20:Was soll ich sagen, nicht kaputt zu kriegen. Der Griff ist wie am ersten Tag bombenfest, da wackelt nichts! Die Scheide habe ich leider mit dem sehr scharfen Gladius beim hineinstecken einmal sauber durchgeschnitten. Das Gerät ist öfter mal im Einsatz, auch zu trainingszwecken. Leider habe ich ihn einmal ohne mein Wissen für ein paar Tage nass in der Scheide gelassen, dadurch hat das Finish ein paar Rostflecken bekommen- was nicht weiter schlimm ist. Mein absoluter lieblings-Engelmacher :-)UPDATE 03/26:Hält und hält, einfach wunderbar. Der Griff hat noch immer nicht einen Mikrometer Spiel obwohl ich schon einige kleine Bäume mit diesem Gerät verarbeitet habe. Also lässt sich rückblickend sagen: Der Schliff war zwar blöd, die Verarbeitung aber tadellos. Für diese Haltbarkeit gibt es doch wieder 5 Sterne.

Honestly, I am very tempted to order another.I was not expecting much. I figured that, at that price, it was going to be a POS in gladius shape. I was very surprised by what I got.I will start with the things I did not like: which were the blackened finish was pretty smeared and dinged right out of the case. No big, but made me aware that with use it would only get worse. Getting the product sticker off the side can only be done by use of something like Goo Gone.The second is the quality of the edge; the whole blade had the marks to show the edge was ground on real roughly. It is going to take a long time to put any sort of real decent edge on it (out of the box I had dull spots here and there). Now, of course, for the price, I was not expecting much, but still.Those were my only issues.Sure, the metal grade means care will be needed to prevent rust, by I do that to my blades regardless of the grade.The point is something to watch out for. This thing comes to one wicked point. Careful when putting it in the sheath and when swinging it since I could see this breaking off if you hit something it will not pass through.The balance is nice. Most of the weight in swing seems to be on the spade and well behind the point. Cuts well and chops good to.I very much like.

Für den Preis bekommt man ein wirklich überraschend solides Stück Stahl. Das Finishing ist zugegeben nicht perfekt und die Schneide verträgt auch etwas Nacharbeit - aber da habe ich schon deutlich schlechtere Stähle gesehen. Dieser Stahl erlaubt jedenfalls eine gute Behandlung und lässt sich sehr scharf schleifen. Der Griff ist einfach (Kunststoff) aber fest und griffig, notfalls auch für 2 Hände (die Einschnürung vor der Kugel auf den Bildern gibt es bei meinem Exemplar nicht). Den Griff mit Schnur, Leder o.Ä. zu umwickeln ist gut machbar und sichre hilfreich, durch die große "Kugel" am Griffende besteht aber kaum Gefahr, das die Machete aus der Hand rutscht...Die Klinge ist natürlich nicht sehr stark, biegt sich schon durch und bringt nicht allzuviel viel Gewicht nach vorn - ist dem Preis geschuldet.Die Scheide ist zweckmäßig und stabil.Man erhält jedenfalls eine wirklich eindrucksvolle Klinge!

I am impressed with the quality of the Cold Steel Gladius Machete. Some call it a sword-chete, and it certainly is that. I daresay that any self-respecting Roman legionary of the ancient past would be very happy if this was all he had to hand in a fight. Sure, it may not compare to a true gladius type sword costing hundreds of dollars, but it would be great for home defence, for when those pesky zombies show up, or just for chopping up some brush for a campfire.It is a solid bit of kit, very well made, and I'm very thankful that it came without the annoying sticker on the blade, which many reviewers had expressed their displeasure about and was apparently extremely difficult to remove.It is a full tang blade, about 2.8 mm thick. the blade length is 18 inches long, with a handle length of 7 7/8 inches long for a total length of 25 7/8 inches. The total weight is 27.2 ounces. These are the measurements and weight given by Cold Steel on the package closure.Mine also came pre-oiled to aid in preventing rust. From what I hear from other reviewers, with the kind of steel used for this machete, that is an essential thing to regularly do for this blade to keep rust away.The handle is able to be held quite securely using the main grip, but also the pommel is large enough that you can actually grab it and swing with both hands in a safe and secure manner. Although keep in mind that the original gladius after which this is patterned, is a sword meant to be used one-handed, and mainly for thrusting, but this is a machete rather than a sword, so however you wish to use it, please do so, as long as you do it safely.There is a fair-sized lanyard hole in the pommel, and if you expect to be using this as a machete, then perhaps it would be safer to add a lanyard, to aid in controlling the blade when you swing it. It might keep anyone close to you from getting speared on the rather pointy end, if it should fly out of your hand while you attack whatever object offends you, brush or bushes, etc...Overall, I really like this machete, and find it not only looks cool, it has a well balanced feel in the hand. The sheath is quite nice, with a tough plastic end cap, to prevent the very sharp point from bursting through the end. For safety's sake, I suggest gripping the end cap while drawing the gladius from the sheath. You're less likely to lose a finger or two, just in case something goes wrong. Remember, safety first.So, whether you're a certified zombie killer, or like to pretend that you're a Roman legionary holding off the forces of barbarism, remember to do it when there are no wee folk around, or at least not within range of the blade, should it accidentally fly out of your hand while practising your fancy blade-handling skills.This is not some toy for a kid, or even for some adults. You could hurt someone, or yourself rather badly with this item, if you are not careful. Enjoy, but use common sense and keep yourself and others around you safe.

Very cool. Heavy, sharp and good looking. The bottom of the hilt is a little too big in my opinion but overall it's a great addition to my collection. Worth the price for sure.