2016 Aranyik Extended 5160 Latin Machete

Wow! This is a substantial piece of steel! Although one of the previous reviewers did not like the slight up-sweep of the blade, I think it is absolutely perfect. The balance is great, it has just the right amount of heft so that when it is being used to chop larger vines and saplings (or bamboo, for that matter) it does so without much effort, but it is also light enough that I don't experience any fatigue in my arm, wrist, or even from carrying it all day. The 5160 carbon steel comes with an EXCELLENT edge and even after putting it to good use, is easily brought back to razor sharpness with a few passes of a stone or accusharp sharpener.This item is made by hand, so it's not as "flawless" as a mass-produced piece, but I think it gives it character. The blade is beautiful, sharp, has great spring, balance and heft. The handle is a bit rustic, but surprisingly comfortable. Personally, I didn't have any need for the small decorative red "lanyard" that comes with it. You could easily make one yourself out of paracord or something similar, I doubt I'll put one on mine since I feel I've got a good enough grip as-is. The full, thick tang has two scales of red eucalyptus attached with 3 pins and has been stained and then manually ground down with most rough bits smoothed away. There are still small spots that are a bit uneven or flawed and I suppose if you are obsessive-compulsive you may want to finish the detailing yourself (it would probably be easy to do with a bench grinder or dremel tool in a few minutes), but when you actually grip the thing it fits your hand like a glove and feels perfect!The sheath isn't bad, better than most machetes out there, but compared to the machete itself it's a bit lacking. Since this machete is built like a beast and will likely out live me, I have a feeling I'll be making a custom sheath for it at some point.All in all, if you're looking for a work-horse to clear over-grown brush, vines, etc., this beast is EXACTLY what you're looking for. If you're looking for a surprisingly intimidating and and well balanced camping and self-defense machete, this DEFINITELY is it! The blade itself is almost cutlass-like in it's shape with the upswept, reinforced tip. It could thrust as well as it cuts, if you had to defend yourself from burglars, wild beasts, or even zombies! It is a big, short-sword of a machete that is seriously impressive and I believe puts those mass-produced Cold Steel machetes to shame! Do yourself and your family a favor and get one while they're available!

Strong, very sharp; more than adequate size for a variety of task (brush trimming, tree pruning, etc.).Didn't like: the tip a bit too upswept (I changed it a bit); the handle was bit rough and the sheat is crap.

So this is actually my 5th Aranyik blade and I have actually been wanting to get this Latin Machete for a while now. From everything I had read and seen of it, it looked impressive. And having handled a few other products, I knew what to expect as far as quality and performance. However, none of the other Aranyik products I currently have prepared me for this thing!First of all, this is the biggest blade I currently own. At 27in overall, this sucker may as well be classified as a freakin' short sword, and large short sword at that. The 5160 carbon steel convex ground blade is about 20.5in leaving 6.5in of real estate on the hand crafted wood on the handle. Although the proportions of the machete are on the big side, there's nothing clumsy or awkward about handling it.As I've heard someone else say about this blade in particular, it really does come alive in your hand. There's an elegance to wielding that I don't think I've never felt in any other machete (and I own ALOT of machetes!). I attribute this to someone just doing what they do very well and putting their spirit into their work. Even with the weight being biased forward at the end of the blade, it just flows so well with every motion you make with it. I can't fully articulate how natural it feels in your hands. You'll have to get one and find out for yourself.The blade shape lends itself to a multitude of applications, making it one of the most versatile blade styles out there, in my opinion. From wood processing to clearing vegetation, outdoor survival to self-defense, this beast can do it all very well. One thing I especially like is the up-swept tip. Typically, the latin machete blade profile just has the spine of the blade go straight all the way to the tip. This up-swept tip, however, is more something you'd see a panga style blade. It not only offers a more acute tip, but a slightly extended curve, increasing it's effectiveness in slash and draw cuts. It's a welcome addition to this package!The criticisms I have are few, and one of them is more a matter of personal taste. I personally love the wooden handles. I think they are gorgeous and I love having that natural element be a part of the blade. However, it probably won't offer enough traction if your hands were to get sweaty or otherwise wet. I'd suggest wearing gloves or wrapping it with something. I just tie a lanyard to it myself. The other problem is something I have mentioned before on my review of the E-nep K2 and that is the sheath (I actually just finished making a leather sheath for my E-nep). While there is nothing special about it, I will say that this sheath works better than the one I got with my E-nep. There's actually a pretty good amount of friction between the material and the blade, so retention is decent. The retention strap actually does a good job of retaining the blade if it does begin to slip out as well. Not sure what the sheath is made of, but it seems to be water resistant. A few rivets and some stitching hold it all together. It's not terrible, but it is limited in certain ways. But as far as doing it's job of holding your machete for you on your belt, it works just fine. Not a dealbreaker, but something you might just want to be aware of if you decide to buy this bladeFor the money, I not sure you can do better. This is a hand forged, hand sharpened piece of functional artwork that will last you a lifetime and serve you well in whatever role you need to put it into. Do yourself a favor a buy one. Hell, buy two. I just might.

I'd really give it a 4.5 stars, but I'm gonna just go ahead and round it up as any cons are, in my opinion, very minimal and aesthetic in nature. The fullers ("blood grooves") are kind of unfinished and the grind marks used to make them are visible, but that's easily cleaned up with sand paper and love. The edge, although very much satisfyingly sharp, is a little sloppy and nonuniform, but with the aforementioned love and my Lansky Puck, it will soon be perfect. It came USPS, and rather fast at that. I live in Indiana and it shipped from Hawaii on the same day of Friday and then arrived on the following Monday. The shipping box allowed for some immediate testing, and I'm pleased to announce that the box is no longer suitable for shipping purposes. It is suitably blade heavy in it's balance, as it is a machete and made for blade heavy purposes. A quick snap cut from the wrist nearly sliced the shipping box in half, and that was more due to the weight and sharpness of the blade than my own physical effort. The handle is nice, though aesthetically it is obvious that it is hand made, and allows for a multitude of gripping techniques. I'd consider it hand and a half, and I have some meaty paws. It didn't come with a sheath, but I ordered one that was made for the two handed Cold steel latin machete, and it will do fine until I make a leather one for it. Like I said, it's a little rough aesthetically, but functionally it's amazing. Being that it's hand made, no two are going to be exactly alike, and the one you buy is going to be 100% yours and unique.