Schrade bolo review - A chopping BEAST!

Footage of the testing: • Testing the Schrade Bo...
SCHBOLO - specifications:
Overall length: 51.5 cm (20 1/4'')
Blade length: 35.3 cm (14'')
Spine thickness: 4 mm (1/6'')
Weight: 757 g (26.7 oz)
Blade material: 3CR13 stainless steel, with Titanium Nitride coating
Handle material: Rubber
Price range: $40-50
Where to get it:
www.amazon.com/...
www.hrknives.co...
Pros:
- Impressive cutting power
- Very tough blade
- Ergonomic handle
- Sharpener and ferro rod included
Cons:
- Impractical guard shape
- Handle attachment could be more durable
This is one mean chopper for sure. It can handle anything from splitting wood to self-defense. Based on my tests I'm quite impressed by how well it handles and how it makes heavy duty tasks fairly easy.
Definitely a good choice when you want a large blade for camping, survival and other outdoor exercises.
By the way, the name doesn't really fit, it would be more appropriate to call it a barong.
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[@roboninja15]

You should weigh down your stand, maybe a couple of heavy used tires dropped into the base. You might get more power and more accurate cutting data if the stand doesn't move as much.

[@lionelnathanderothschild8456]

Bolo is sometimes used as a generic umbrella term for any Filipino short sword, machete or large war knife.

[@jakeknight4541]

Cool to see that a company is willing to send you their product and ask for good constructive criticism

[@cbr600rrturbo]

ya 2 torque bolts & then the landyard hole & kryton handle & it should be good..well you know me & 3cr13mov... we don't have a good past lol

[@kevinolesik1500]

the handle top prevents something from sliding down the front of the blade and hitting your fingers ... its a safety feature ... full tang handle shouldn't break very easily

[@tetsubo57]

I might consider this model. I don't own a barong. Can you ask the manufacturer why they called a barong a bolo?

[@ez861]

Maybe they got confused since the Barong and the Bolo originate from the same place. The Philippines.

[@kevinolesik1500]

+tetsubo57 who gives a damn wtf its called ? - call it a butter knife if you want

[@Fasnic]

Kevin Olesik id Love to pull that out around company when they ask for a butter knife....

[@CanItAlready]

In that case, maybe they should call it a katana. Or maybe a kukri. Or maybe a hatchet. That's it, it's a hatchet.

[@_Gandalf_The_White]

The TF2 sniper would love to get his hands on this!

[@NothingSeriousTyler]

honestly shcrade has been impressing me with your recent videos might have to give them a second chance.

[@jesse8031]

Don't give this one the second chance. Get an SCH9. A great chopper with none of the flaws he shows here, and much more handy on most cases. The barong is a really interesting tool and very good for jungle work etc. But for most people carrying a barong is more than they need, and the SCH9 is like Goldilock's porridge to me - this one is JUST right. Bulletproof and a great chopper. Same money. Schrade is cutting corners on cost with this "bolo."

[@andreg36k]

Thank you for your videos... you defiently have the most interesting knife/blade videos out there.

[@christosvoskresye]

Dark Helmet: I see your Schbolo is as big as mine.

[@bigstud6655]

Very knowledgeable, been watching these dang videos on Big Knives for 3 weeks. Your explanation of this product, was impressive. Bought one! Thanks for posting very much.

[@ToeCutter454]

a lot of engine cases are hardened on the outside but only a few thousandths of an inch via nitriding or (case hardening), it would be my guess then that is the reason that the blade holds a good edge, however depending on the length of time and depth of nitriding and how much use it gets will determine how long it's able to hold a sharp edge before a lot of "between use" sharpenings are needed

[@iwantyourcookiesnow]

It's a Barong, own several real ones

[@guusdejong2523]

Is this fake then? :p

[@SalveMonesvol]

Sorry for being repetitive, but this is NOT a good value. I can get a 20" machete for $6. The steel is good, but the handle is plastic. Still, gets the job done as well as this for 1/10th of the money, and the extra length might help conserve energy.

[@rollinlikeariver7756]

Depends on what you are cutting, doesn't it? Your machete is so thin, this is thick, big difference.

[@IvanMozgovyy1990]

Nice test and great product for the price (I own one myself). I don't know either why they called it a bolo. The only thing I can think about is the U.S. Springfield 1915 Bolo Bayonet, which was issued to some U.S. troops serving in the jungle and had a roughly similar blade shape. Other than that, it's clearly a barong if anything.

[@TekedixXx]

Skall, I would repair that rip in the grip with some JB Weld and then sand it down flush. That being said, this modification would also reduce the grip of that part and may also be harder to ever replace or remove the grip if you ever wish to in the future.

[@lukastester3678]

y not use the fire rod with the diamond scharpener edge

[@dickersnoodle1025]

Lukas Tester it has to strike on steel or iron that is a diamond whetstone with aluminum cover so it wouldn't work

[@SAsgarters]

Could have sworn that I already gave my €0.02 on this knife. ;) Not much can be said without using it, of course. Basically, I thought the same thing about the guard and the sharpening. And like I've said about sheaths like that once before, they seem unnecessarily complex. Now that you mentioned the ferro rod, I find it amazing that they didn't just include a basic striker. At its simplest, it's just a 2 gram piece of stamped steel, it can't be a significant cost and it definitely isn't a significant increase in weight. At that thickness and size, I would call it a knife. Not that I would consider "machete" anything other than a subcategory of "knife".

[@phillstevenson4931]

Looks like Altin Aluminum Titanium Nitride, that is used to coat matching tools, you shouldn't have a problem with that coating at all,i use it to machine hardened steel lol

[@ramiabiakar2391]

Yeah, it's definitely resistant. I have a CRKT folder with this finish, and it shows some wear only after repetitive contact with metal (like prying open bottlecaps with the spine or carrying the knife in a pocket with a handful of change), unlike some other coatings which come off during much ligther use.

[@zednotzee7]

I think the guard is shaped like that purely to make the whole thing look aesthetically pleasing. You have to remember that a lot of people will buy with their eyes first, and their brain second. So the producv has to be visually stylish. I mean, how many times hane you heard ( or read in comments ) " I won't but that piece of crap, it looks like a kitchen knife ! " even though the review is very positive about it, and it's clear that it isn't "crap".

[@Obyvvatel]

Oushbolo just won the internets.

[@justinwales192]

I appreciate the mention of 'barongs', i thought i was the only one to notice.

[@Alekay227]

I think one could determine whether something is a knife or short sword or machete by comparing it to an existing model, and seeing what the model you are comparing it to is classified as.

[@theoprice721]

It's quite small for a machete

[@mizakzee]

Could you do a video comparing the kukri knife to this schrade barong?

[@toaonua523]

Softer rubber tends to dissolve in sweaty hands over long use.

[@fmkfmk3835]

THE BEAST of beasts I have had one for years and its the one to beat the knives

[@jade43296]

0:50 and that's exactly why I love Schrade.

[@TheSpiralAim]

yay Titanium Nitride! lol it's really strong and very heat resistant. I can imagine a blade of it would be awful but as a coating it should keep for a long time. Chemistry is kind of a hobby of mine lol though I'm a terrible reference for it.

[@Dave_Ebert]

Will you test how the TitaniumNitrate performs when it comes into contact with Fire?

[@agasteenbrink]

Hey skal, I was just wondering what your opinon is on the way Eli handles a machetti in the movie "The book of Eli" if you have seen it. I realy wonder if it makes any sense how he fights with it. Keep up the great work man!

[@saxoholick]

hey man, what do you think about the Cold Steel Natchez Bowie? I love mine. Too afraid to use it though. I need to get that out of my system. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that one.

[@sambutikofer3963]

Because the grip is rubber, does it get real slippery when it gets wet?

[@rollinlikeariver7756]

How does it compare to the CRKT Halfachance? The CRKT is thinner, so I was wondering how it compares, the Schbolo being so heavy, and being made of stainless steel.

[@JerryJr65]

A machete is a working tool. How much blade retention do you really want it to have if it is doing it's job? I think that here in the Northern latitudes we think about machete's too much inside the zombie apocalypse and too little in their utilitarian function! Not denying that hacking up zombies isn't work too! ;)

[@ObliviousBurrito]

Do you happen to have any reviews examining Indonesian weaponry, such as the Kerambit, Parang, and Golok.

[@EATSxBABIES]

So bolo, barang, traditional machete, kukri, which is generally preferred?

[@shinitaiyg3002]

quick question, i see you test in the woods so is it legal to just take out your machete where you are?

[@Alcatraz-ti1ht]

I was throwing my CS kukri machete too.... with the same result :D The handel is unbreakable THEY SAID !!

[@ireallyreallyhategoogle]

Does the curve in the spine and edge help with chopping?

[@MaharlikaAWA]

Does it flow well and is it light enough to swing it fast in multiple directions? I have looked into this blade for many years but never bought it. It is expensive for a machete and I want to make sure it flows well for martial arts movements. I have a COld Steel barong I got for nothing and it is a bit heavy.

[@eschelar]

so this one vs the schrade kukri? considering getting one for my dad who does a lot of chopping - typically using a crappy axe.

[@samuraigrandmaster]

I would suggest a gransfors bruks axe

[@og0361]

Skallagrim should i get the Schrade bolo or schrade Kukri Machete or maybe the CRKT chancinhell whats your opinion

[@Skallagrim]

Frano Franjić Depends. For heavy duty chopping I'd say the Schrade, otherwise I prefer the CRKT.

[@og0361]

Skallagrim ok thanks

[@rollinlikeariver7756]

What about the CRKT halfachance, how does it compare to the Schbolo? I know the Halfachcance is a thinner blade, how do they compare in testing?

[@baklava_]

Can i get an opinion on x46cr13 steel? Is it a decent steel for a blade of 20'' long?

[@MLGRACCOON]

Do the Karambit or a Butterfly Knife!

[@hayeshayes22]

Hi Skallagrim, iv been watching your channel for a few months and was wondering what you thought about +ULFBERH+T Viking swords. if you're not sure what im talking about there is a video here on KZbin called "Secrets of the Viking Sword". keep up the good work and hope to hear from you. ~Hayes

[@nanookyful]

Hey man. Need a nice big bowie knife. Was going to grab the Condor Dundee Bowie, or the Condor Moonshiner. Do a lot of bear baiting and need it for self defence over bush craft. What would you recommend of the two....I love Condor cases so that's why I choes those blades. Thanks again Skallagrim! Respect the reviews and your opinion man. Peace

[@deathbyastonishment7930]

Why exactly are you thinking of getting a Bowie style knife?

[@nanookyful]

+Cameron Reid Bowie's are usually big and thick blades. I needed a blade for self defence. I do a lot of bear baiting, and if pepper spray doesn't work, I need a reliable backup blade. Ended up going with the Condor Moonshiner. Nice blade and a beautiful leather case. Easy to carry on the hip, because I have to carry too large buckets of bear bait into every bait all day. I guess that's kind of why I went with the bowie. Big, but not too big.

[@deathbyastonishment7930]

+Django king seems like you made a logical choice then, good luck

[@nanookyful]

Thanks man. Take care

[@fmkfmk3835]

I suggest you the famous Schrade SCHF45 Leroy 16.5in High Carbon S.S. for accompanied ... the O --- sh''bolo

[@Maddawwg45]

whats your take on Condor Knife And Tool products ? I own the Hudson bay knife as well as 2 others by this company and I have not really put em threw there paces yet I am considering replacing the wood hand scales with some micarta dunno how difficult that would be though

[@Skallagrim]

I have their Bush Cutlass and am quite impressed with the quality, especially for the price. I need to save up for some more of their stuff.

[@Maddawwg45]

I want there kephart knife and the Village parang next I recently bought there mountain machete knife it came very sharp and a nice leather sheath all for about 16.00 Dollars totally worth it

[@leobeltran3545]

pls do a review on a kampilan sword.

[@joe549549]

I bought one of these last year, it had the right size, weight and 'feel' that I was looking for. It was intended for essentially light trail brushing, cutting of trees and branches up to a couple inches in diameter. What a piece of shit it turned out to be. After a couple of uses it wound up with half inch chunk knocked out of the blade. A few more uses it had another chunk out.... I have a Gerber Gator that has taken a hell of a lot more use and abuse than this thing has and the blade on it is still good to go and has only needed a light sharpening once.

[@iamjustawife2619]

So weird dude. I had the exact opposite happen than you. Schrade was way better and I never bought a gerber ever again. Possible that it was counterfeit blades? Apparently counterfeit products are quite a large problem. But yeah gator rolled, and chipped to shit while this blade worked exellent.

[@iamjustawife2619]

Also are you talking the full size gator or the mini? I had bought the full sized one.

[@joe549549]

@@iamjustawife2619 I have the Jr model, 18.75" OAL. The Schrade I wound up having to completely redo the entire blade edge. I had to take the entire edge down on a bench grinder, I took off about 1/2 inch of material, and then sharpen it again. I put more angle on the edge so it holds up better and won't get chunks knocked out as easily now. Several hours of work to do it though...

[@Ekfantos]

In my opinion it is very big for stainless steel.But it could probably work idk..:)

[@dioscoroalvarado6286]

Im a filipino thats a jungle survival bolo and for self defence in hand to hand combat by the filipino specially in close quarter combat.

[@gabrield8878]

I'm a Filipino, that's actually a Moro Barong, lol

[@crazyhorseaz5224]

Just wrapping will solve handle issues, IMO.

[@neilyakuza6595]

The first thing I would do is take off that rubber handle, and replace it with a traditional bolo handle.

[@user-xx5zl8dz1v]

It’s 26 bucks now at smkw.

[@kentalfred7175]

How many blades do ye have?

[@karnivore5846]

will it baton?

[@thanhnguyenla7485]

where can I buy it? I want to get it in order to cut trees

[@nickoconnor2673]

Do you even Viking bro

[@andgalactus1]

Aren't barongs just a type of bolo?

[@noeldionson2796]

andgalactus1 yes, a barong is type of a bolo

[@danhold1]

nice review

[@supersendojarren]

did you make that skallagrim youtube icon skall

[@Skallagrim]

Yes.

[@supersendojarren]

ok

[@80assist]

its use to chopping bushes for in the jungle XD or just other ppl :P

[@plitterusmaximus]

So barong or kukri for all around survival?

[@rnnfnrkrjrnjrkr]

Research spetnaz machete

[@melrakan]

That is like a kopis!

[@DCCUSTOMS]

How did u get in contact with them I would like to do the same

[@Skallagrim]

They have a KZbin channel: kzbin.info

[@donalddank6536]

hey guys wanna go cannoning i got a canoe no paddle but i got my bolo knife

[@duckgoesquack4514]

thanks, i'm going to buy it right now

[@ProphetofmtnDEW]

They probably portrayed it as a bolo because it it was a barong it would be the Shlong XD

[@schilll]

cool ring by the way! :D

[@bekakhitiri5734]

In Georgian "Bolo" means "last" or "ultimate", which is kind of fitting for this beast.

[@masterpwn3r]

00:42 *ba dum tss* xD

[@taliadettmann4001]

The OH SHI-Bolo.... lol

[@bobbiemanueldelapena4997]

If America had the musket as their 2nd Amendment, The Philippines has the bolo! It became the sidearm of the Philippine Revolutionary army until the US introduced to its allies the M1911 on 1911...

[@user-xx5zl8dz1v]

Is it really full tang ? I bet it stops before the lanyard hole

[@darthruin666]

Schrade really makes high-quality stuff, doesn't it?

[@fmkfmk3835]

yup ... quality price .... unbeatable

[@F15ElectricEagle]

Looks like a Kukri and a Barong got together and had a child.

[@SignedSign]

It's not a parang.. apart from the blade width it has no similar features with a parang, and it got to much of a overall belly to be a kukri, its simply a thick blade machete. For starters a parang got a upwards angled handle so you can chop against a log with the full length of the blade without getting the handle in the way, the bolo got a downwards angled handle, so it don't resemble a parang in any way shape or form, apart from the blade width.

[@brendtman]

It's a barong

[@thefreeviper4511]

he never said parang

[@SignedSign]

+TheFreeViper it used to say parang in the title, my comment is old if you noticed

[@thefreeviper4511]

SignedSign ok sorry

[@SuperLalulalu]

This is a KNIFE!

[@kevinolesik1500]

+SuperLalulalu now THAT'S a knife ! croc dundee

[@kentalfred7175]

Are ye irish?

[@patclark6222]

Why would you throw it into a tree but at the same time why would you not

[@yoitired]

Only $50 on ebay, really nice toy for the money.

[@Ksilisab]

O SH---bolo HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH

[@1macca550]

It sounds like a falchion.

[@tpcfenrir]

yea the look on there face will be hilarious

[@kitaryakysubae3156]

Whip out this bad boy~

[@TheADDFiles-yk4dc]

You lost me when you disparaged the handle AFTER you used it as a throwing knife. What did you expect? It’s a chopper, not a thrower.

[@ryanhojun]

Get the condor discord machete

[@rollinlikeariver7756]

Yeah, it's only $120! lol compared to this one for $40.

[@bobbiemanueldelapena4997]

If the United States had the musket as their Second Amendment, the Philippines has the bolo!

[@MrLittleSeahorse]

My neighbor keeps telling me that all stainless steels are crap. I'm just not seeing it.

[@Skallagrim]

Stainless steel is crap for swords but not for knives. There are plenty of high quality stainless steels out there. The reason why they wouldn't work for a sword is that they are too hard, i.e. too brittle for a long, narrow blade.

[@MrLittleSeahorse]

Would you say that the "bolo" is around the length limit for stainless steel?

[@Skallagrim]

Jeffrey Counterman Probably fairly close. It also depends on the blade thickness.

[@MrLittleSeahorse]

I can not imagin needing anything much longer anyways. Although swords are cool!

[@justinprather8846]

It needs a true full tang, micarta, carbon steel, and a powder coat.

[@Skallagrim]

It has a full tang. What do you mean by "true" full tang?

[@justinprather8846]

Like a scale style grip, where the tang is exposed along the edges.

[@AustralianKickboxer1]

That wouldnt be too clever, having an exposed tang with carbon steel would evoke a shitstorm of rust.

[@justinprather8846]

Not if here's a black powder coat.

[@samuraigrandmaster]

+Justin Prather eventually the coating will start to wear off

[@ProphetofmtnDEW]

+wafflelord1000 *Schlong

[@kentalfred7175]

Ye also look like sheamus no offense

[@jesse8031]

I am so surprised and disappointed. I have an SCH9, and a friend has a similar one, and they are amazing value for the money. The grip and sheath are absolutely the opposite of this problem. I saw it in real life and liked it, but seeing the handle peel off... Yikes. Schrade is marketing this to collectors, clearly, rather than for the use a bolo (or barong) is good for - chopping everything on a farm or jungle. Schrade, if u read this, this is a total mistake. Stick with your durable products with proper sheaths and handles and stuff. LOL.

[@jesse8031]

Thank you tho. I was gonna buy one. Dodged a bullet.

[@jesse8031]

Do u know/remember the riddle about Excalibur in Malory? Which is more valuable - the sword or the sheath? Schrade clearly never read Malory. A sword without a handle is a heavy object with no good purpose.

[@jesse8031]

I find a huge difference in the bolos and kukris made by agrarian societies and the fancy combat-oriented swords in other cultures. Most people drool over a katana. Why? If you aren't a feudal warrior it is a status thing and that's it. But a bolo is a functional farm and camping tool in peace times, and only needs to be a weapon in a worst case scenario. Do you think this is an accurate assessment? Do agrarian "peasant culture" weapons share commonalities, despite cultures widely separated by geography? I think this might be convergent evolution (kukris and bolos) rather than cultural sharing. But you'd know more.

[@stubhead]

The reason the video is so long is because three quarters of it is just footage of your hands fiddle-faddling around with it! Yakety-yakety-yak.... Review the knife, not your existentially-rococo relationship with the knife. I hate to be mean* - but maybe, can you ask a friend to review your review, ask them to remove anything that isn't about the knife - and you've got a 3 minute video! Now, even through all these tubes & wires I can sense that your heart is pure and your intent is just brimming with oodles of beneficence but godDAMN, you sure do talk a lot.