I've purchased several other Gil Hibben/ United Cutlery knives in the past and my expectations have always been exceeded. But this machete is on an entirely different level. This thing is massive and gorgeous. It is truly a functional piece of exquisite art. Your sons will be debating over who gets this one someday, and once this goes out of production it may have some real collectability.That said, the concern mentioned by another reviewer is a valid one. This thing is unfortunately made in China, which per se means the quality control is lousy. Why we send good American money over there for junk that literally ends up in American landfills within only months is beyond my ability to comprehend. I personally would prefer to spend twice as much for an American-made (or even Taiwan or Korean-made) version, where quality is much more assured. I know that there is some good stuff coming out of China, but it is only a very small percentage. 90%+, in my view, is garbage. Even if the piece looks pretty good, you never know for sure. Will the piece fail under heavy use or duress due to some compromise in production?That's the issue here with this machete. The first one I received had a small hair-line mark on the spine which I presumed was a scratch. By total coincidence, on the same day I received the machete, I also received a 10x Belomo jeweler's loupe. I inspected the "scratch" through the loupe and saw that instead it was a crack in the steel. It was a very disconcerting observation. Never have I purchased a knife where there is a crystalized crack in the steel. It makes me wonder whether there is some pervasive compromise in the type of steel they are using over there, or whether this was simply an error in the founding process.Regardless, I replaced the defective one, and I now "proudly" have one which appears defect-free. But let's say I have to actually put this beast to work some day, hacking a tree or an unlucky intruder. Will the steel fail? I'm pretty sure I can get the intruder into at least two parts, but some other more extended project might reveal craftsmanship issues in this tool. It is disconcerting that I even have to wonder.Mr. Hibben comes up with truly magnificent designs. I just wish he could get them built at factories and in locations where the quality is beyond question. Gil, I would gladly have paid $200 to $300, or more, for this if I knew that the quality was beyond reproach. Boker-Plus does great work at reasonable prices; can't you emulate their manufacturing strategy?