This is an excellent entry Capn!
During the Revolution, naturally the majority of colonists weapons were ersatz versions (as you often note) of the usual forms, but of course crafted by the same blacksmiths who created tools for everyday use. It does not seen far fetched to see that handles of the forms used on tools and implements would not only serve as working elements of these weapons, but influence the crafting of other examples as well.
The use of files to fashion blades was indeed common in these times, in fact the famed 'Bowie' knife which made James Bowie famous from the 'Sandbar fight' was crafted from a file (actually for his brother Rezin, who gave it to him before the event).
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