How to Care for a Machete

A machete is large cutting tool, similar to a cleaver. People usually use one for heavy duty clearance of jungle foliage or sugar cane crops, but may use it as a weapon. It's a type of knife people use all over the world. The machete is a highly utilitarian knife which can be useful in many situations.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Clean and dry the machete as much as possible. Although this knife is very durable, it still requires a great deal of basic knife care. Whenever you have a moment where the knife is not in use, clean and dry it to keep it in good shape.
2. Store the knife in a sheath when it is not in use. This protects the blade from harsh environmental elements which may damage it. It'll also protect you and others for coming in accidental contact with it.
3. Clean the knife with knife oil, such as Japanese oil made from Camellia flowers, to give it an extra sheen and protection. Simply dampen a cloth with the oil and rub it downward, from the handle to the tip.
4. Check the knife fairly often for trouble spots. These are reddish brown dots on the blade of the knife which signal the beginnings of rust.

Tips & Warnings

• Although many use the machete as a weapon or tool, in some regions people use it to complete everyday tasks as well. In Central America, people sometimes use machetes to cut large pieces of food.
• Proper storage is especially important in the case of the machete, as its purpose requires mostly outdoor use.
• Machetes are somewhat similar to a falchion, a medieval sword which was wider at the tip than the hilt.
• The machete is sometimes called a "watermelon knife" in Hong Kong.
• For those without thick jungle foliage nearby to cut through, the machete is also useful in garden and lawn maintenance.
• If the blade does rust, you can fix the problem areas with rust remover.
• Machetes made of stainless steel are generally unreliable since they can't withstand heavy repeated impacts and the blades break fairly easily.