Choosing your gardening machete: billhook, blade, and materials

Summary

• The Blade and Steel: Choosing the Right Garden Machete
• Straight, Curved Machete or Billhook: Which Tool to Choose
• Handle, Maintenance, and Safety of Your Garden Machete
• Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing your gardening machete might seem simple, but a few differences in shape, length, or weight can change everything about its use. A few pointers are enough: observing the blade, handle, and legal regulations can help avoid common mistakes and find a tool suited for the garden.

The Blade and Steel: Choosing the Right Garden Machete

The blade sets the tone. Its length, thickness, and steel quality influence the cut, the tool's endurance, and comfort during gardening. Once the intended use is clearly defined, the choice becomes more precise: light pruning, regular brush clearing, or working in dense vegetation.

Length, Thickness, and Weight of the Machete for the Garden

For a versatile gardening machete, a blade length between 40 and 50 cm remains the most balanced benchmark. This measurement allows for a clean cut with enough reach, without losing control of the movement. Tramontina models range from 36 cm to 55.5 cm, allowing for adjustment of the tool to the shape of the beds, the type of vegetation, and the intensity of the brush clearing.

• Short length (36-40 cm): suitable for precise work, pruning shrubs, and tight spaces where maneuverability takes precedence over power.
• Standard length (40-50 cm): a good compromise for common use, with a useful balance between control and cutting capacity in the garden.
• Long length (50-55.5 cm): designed for dense vegetation and heavier tasks, with a wider strike that requires more effort.
• Blade thickness (3 to 5 mm): this range limits the risk of bending or chipping during repeated impacts.

The weight of the machete matters as much as its length. A model that is too heavy quickly tires the wrist. Conversely, a machete that is too light lacks momentum on thick branches. Tramontina models seek this balance between steel, handle, and weight distribution for more regular use in the garden.

Stainless Steel or Carbon: Which Blade Material to Choose

The blade material dictates both maintenance and cutting quality. For frequent use in a humid garden, a stainless steel blade of type 420HC or 440 offers better resistance to sap, humidity, and mineral deposits. Les Artisans du Jardin considers this a practical criterion: less corrosion between sessions, thus less daily vigilance.

Carbon, on the other hand, is attractive for its sharpness and hardness, often stated between 160 and 180 kg/mm². However, this tempered steel requires careful cleaning and oiling after each use, otherwise oxidation quickly sets in. As soon as the chromium content exceeds 10.5%, the steel becomes stainless; below that, carbon often maintains the cutting advantage but demands more attention. Full tang construction remains, in all cases, one of the most serious criteria for durability.

Criterion	Stainless steel	Carbon steel
Corrosion resistance	Excellent	Low without maintenance
Sharpness	Good	Exceptional
Required maintenance	Minimal	Regular (oiling)
Recommended use	Humid garden, frequent use	Intensive work, expert use
Durability	Very good	Excellent if well maintained

Legal Compliance and Safety of the Machete in France

Before deciding on a model, the law must be examined as carefully as the blade. In France, machetes fall under category D when they do not meet certain prohibited characteristics. An adult can therefore own one freely, but its transport requires a legitimate reason related to its use: gardening, agricultural work, or construction, with storage in a secure container. Consult the machete regulations in force before any purchase.

Since the decree of September 5, 2025, machetes with fixed serrated blades or sharp points are reclassified as category A1 and become prohibited. They must be handed over to the authorities within three months. Once placed in the trunk or a closed case, the tool remains within the framework provided for garden use. Conversely, carrying it without a recognized reason exposes one to a fine of up to €15,000 and one year's imprisonment.

Straight, Curved Machete or Billhook: Which Tool to Choose

The shape of the blade varies greatly depending on the use and the vegetation to be treated in the garden. Knowing the different types of machetes helps to choose the right tool accurately, without dulling the edge on a cut that requires a different shape.

Straight or Curved Machete Depending on Garden Vegetation

The straight machete, with its wide blade and linear shape, is suitable for precise downward cuts: thin branches, ornamental plants, brush clearing in open areas. The handle fits the hand well and provides appreciable control over already structured shrubs.

Conversely, the curved machete works more by pulling. Its blade catches stems, draws them towards the edge, and is useful in dense vegetation, for tall grasses as well as for dense brambles. However, cutting thick dry wood should be avoided: the tool can deflect and safety is compromised.

The Billhook, Complementing the Types of Machetes

The billhook holds a special place for targeted pruning. The gardening billhook, particularly the Italian billhook, weighs less than 500 g for about 40 cm: it clears paths, refines the cut, and remains comfortable in hand thanks to a well-proportioned handle.

As soon as the hedge exceeds arm's reach, the long-handled billhook takes over. With a handle of about 150 cm, the work is done with two hands with greater reach and safety. For clearing brambles, the bramble-cutting billhook combines a curved blade for mowing and a flat blade for cutting on the same form.

• Italian Billhook (40 cm, <500 g): light and precise for path maintenance and pruning small sections.
• Long-handled Billhook (150 cm): suitable for tall hedges with more stable two-handed work.
• Bramble-cutting Billhook (<60 cm): double-edged for intensive brush clearing and cutting brambles.
• Pruning Knife (10 cm): beveled curved blade for grafting, fine incision, and delicate finishing.

A new billhook almost always requires sharpening before first use: the original edge is often too rough for a clean cut. The same attention applies to any machete, when metal meets light.

Handle, Maintenance, and Safety of Your Garden Machete

The blade often attracts attention first. However, over time, it is the handle that dictates comfort, grip, and safety for every use in the garden. Once the right steel is chosen, the quality of the handle and consistent machete maintenance make the difference between a reliable tool and one that quickly becomes tiring.

Choosing an Ergonomic Machete Handle

An ergonomic handle adapted to the hand limits fatigue and stabilizes the movement during brush clearing or gardening work. At Tramontina, the wooden handle provides a natural balance appreciated during prolonged sessions.

• Wood (Tramontina): comfortable, balanced, pleasant in hand, to be kept away from prolonged humidity.
• Rubber / TPR / Kraton: very good grip, even in the rain, useful vibration absorption, available on some long-handled tools.
• G10 / Micarta: lightweight materials, stable against humidity, often chosen for professional models due to their resistance.

Safety also comes down to details: handguard, finger grooves, and a clean attachment between the blade and the handle. A lanyard loop allows the hand to relax a bit during repeated use. Regularly check the assembly between the handle and the steel, as the slightest play quickly becomes annoying, then dangerous.

Blade Maintenance and Sharpening After Cutting

Machete maintenance begins as soon as the work is finished. Sap and humidity quickly mark the blade, especially on a carbon steel machete. Wipe, dry, then store the tool in its sheath: on carbon, a thin film of oil helps prevent oxidation when the metal meets light.

A clean cut depends on a well-maintained edge. As soon as the blade dulls, more force is required, the trajectory becomes less sure, and fatigue increases. Use a stone adapted to the blade's thickness and respect the original angle to preserve the steel's quality and the edge's consistency.

Safety and Good Practices in the Garden

A machete works with momentum, using the weight of the blade and the correct form of movement, not brute force. For controlled use, the movement originates from the shoulder: cutting is done at an angle on rigid stems, more horizontally in tall grasses.

• Safety distance: maintain at least three meters around you and always check the trajectory before cutting.
• Protective equipment: resistant gloves protect hands from thorns, splinters, and plant debris.
• Secure storage: the tool should be stored in its sheath, out of reach of children, preferably high up in a locked shed.
• Legal transport: the machete should be transported in a closed container, for justified use such as gardening, brush clearing, or construction.

This collection offers Tramontina gardening machetes with stainless steel or carbon blades, ergonomic wooden handles, and careful attachment between blade and handle. Each model is designed for gardening, pruning vegetation, and regular use, with a thickness adapted to routine maintenance tasks.

Les Artisans du Jardin upholds this same demanding standard: tools made to last in the garden, to be placed in a garden, not just in a catalog.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different types of machetes for the garden?

For the garden, the different types of machetes are distinguished primarily by the shape of the blade and the intended use. A straight machete, with a wide blade and linear profile, is well suited for clean cutting of stems, maintenance work, and general gardening. Conversely, a curved model facilitates brush clearing in dense vegetation: its geometry better supports the motion when cutting tall grass or clearing a path.

In addition, the billhook and bramble-cutting billhook maintain their place in a garden. The former is used for finer pruning, while the latter is better suited for brambles, vigorous regrowth, and hard-to-reach areas. Therefore, the right machete does not replace other tools: it complements the arsenal according to cutting, reach, and precision criteria; the motion is as important as the result.

How do I choose my machete according to the intended use?

To choose a machete, you must start from the actual use, not just the blade length. Regular garden maintenance, on light shrubs or flexible beds, often requires a maneuverable model: a 40 to 45 cm blade, an ergonomic wooden handle, and an easy-to-control cut. As soon as the work becomes more demanding, especially for brush clearing, a longer and thicker carbon blade provides more inertia and efficiency.

The weight of the machete is also a decisive criterion. Les Artisans du Jardin therefore recommends matching the shape, handle, blade material, and overall balance to each user's physique as well as the terrain. The Tramontina ranges cover these needs with several lengths, from 36 to 55.5 cm, to be placed in a garden, not in a catalog.

Is it legal to own a good machete in France?

Yes, the possession of a Category D machete remains legal in France for an adult. However, carrying and transporting it are subject to specific rules: one must be able to justify its use for gardening, agricultural or forestry activities, and keep the tool in a closed and secure container.

Since the decree of September 5, 2025, certain models with fixed serrated blades or very sharp points have been reclassified as Category A1. These are prohibited from possession and must be surrendered to the authorities before December 6, 2025. Before selecting a model, always verify its legal classification and its intended cutting purpose, both outdoors and in a workshop.