Gear Review: Survivorman Les Stroud SK Jungle Machete

It is often nice to witness the UPS man drop off that awaited package containing a product to be field tested. The “often” part of it is that sometimes the press-release, which prompted my request of a ‘field sample,’ is far superior in description than the item actually turns out to be. So each package is opened with a certain amount of trepidation that hearts at the other end of the postage will be broken by my honest test and appraisal. I mean, every parent loves their own kid—even if they turn out to be worthless creations.

Manufacturers are no different in how they feel about their product and in this- not everything I receive is worth my reader’s spent money. However, when I pulled the Camillus Knives ‘Survivorman Les Stroud SK Jungle Machete’ from the package, I felt a bit upbeat on my first inspection. The scabbard was designed of durable Ballistic Nylon with multiple belt and attachment points. The hook-and-loop ‘keeper’ to hold the machete into the scabbard is placed well and secures the blade from actual loss. There are two snap-tabs for total access opening of the scabbard and though I found them unnecessary to open and retrieve the machete, they are durable and may have use as attachment points for something you may wish to carry along and keep at-hand. The scabbard also had a Mesh Pocket for a Trail Map.

On the outside of the scabbard is a ‘fire-stick’ with knurled steel pommel held firmly in place by the snap-in placement on its handle. Striking the machete against this surface produced enough hot spark to flash a fire in dry tinder, quite nice to have at hand.

The handle of the Survivorman was ergonomically designed and is both cushioned and formed to stay both secure and comfortable in hard use. The grip end has an opening for attachment of a lanyard if that is one’s preference and not a bad idea where you occasionally need the use of both hands for gripping and don’t want to continually retrieve the machete from where you otherwise would have laid it away. The curved blade is Non-Stick Titanium Bonded 440 Stainless Steel where the curve of the thick blade drops away from the handle in a degree that focuses the swing-force into the material to be cut. More chop-for-energy-spent is a good thing when it comes to clearing a long shooting lane, brushing a trail or opening a camp space.

The bevel of the blade is ample and the steel’s sharpness during testing on hard and course materials held up at least better than one normally expects from a chopping device. The fore-end of the Survivorman’s blade is a slight-projection chisel point cutter that was useful as a digging tool which didn’t affect the sharp cutting edge of the blade itself. This aspect is more often used than one easily considers from a comfortable chair at home. It was a real ‘deal clincher’ for me.

Whether you are segmenting game parts, collecting medium size wood for the fire or handling any of the clearing chores necessary for camp or hunting life, the Survivorman Machete from Camillus Knives is a keeper and destined to be a classic of design and utility in years of field work to come and you don’t actually have to live in a jungle to find a good use for this machete in your camp.

Check this awesome machete out today at: Camillus Knives

Frank Medicine Wolf Springer

“Think a good thought!”