A machete is a powerful tool for clearing brush. In the tropics, machetes are ubiquitous, all-purpose tools: they have been used to carve trails through tropical forests, to slash out clearings for crops, to crack open coconuts and slice papayas, and, of course, as imposing weapons. Use your machete to keep the peace with weeds and brush in your garden, or to serve watermelon with a flourish. Use it with care and respect: it is a razor-sharp tool.