Latin Machete: The Classic Bush Blade, Forged in Damascus
The Latin machete is the machete most of the world pictures when it hears the word: a long, slender, slightly upswept blade that clears brush, opens trails, splits kindling and harvests cane from Mexico to Brazil. It is the pattern that made the machete the most widely used edged tool on earth, and this is that pattern executed in hand-forged Damascus steel rather than stamped mill stock.
The long 18" blade carries its weight evenly from guard to tip, which gives the Latin pattern its fast, whippy cutting stroke. It excels at light vegetation, grasses and green wood, and the fine point handles detail work a heavier chopper cannot.
Blade Craftsmanship
The blade is pattern-welded Damascus steel, forged from 11 pieces of steel folded five times to create 352 layers. Layers of 1095 high carbon steel, one of the highest carbon steels used in blade making, give the edge its bite, while the surrounding softer layers give the long blade the flexibility a machete demands. The blade finishes at 55-56 HRC on the Rockwell scale: hard enough to hold an edge through a day of clearing, resilient enough to take impact after impact.
Handle
Full tang for strength, with riveted micarta or hardwood scales shaped to lock into the hand on the swing. Handle finishes are shown in the photos.
Specifications
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Overall Length: 23"
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Blade Length: 18"
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Blade Material: Pattern-welded Damascus steel with 1095 high carbon layers
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Layers: 352 (five-fold forging process)
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Rockwell Hardness: 55-56 HRC
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Tang: Full
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Handle: Riveted micarta or hardwood scales
Whether it hangs in a workshop, rides in a truck or joins a collection of working blades, this Latin machete pairs the most proven tool pattern in the world with the steel Battling Blades forges everything else from.
