Here's another that's even newer appearing due to the riveted hardwood scales, while the sheath (which I've temporarily misplaced) is of nicely tooled heavy leather and has the "Visayan sash tab" frog(my invented term, sorry) to keep it from sliding through a belt or rope (my guess is 1950's).
At first glance, "machete" pops immediately to mind, while in truth it's nearly indestructible and is my favorite tool for clearing brush, splitting kindling or even felling small trees.
Likewise, the blade appears flat, but upon close examination is expertly constructed with a sideways distal taper(right word?) and even ONE SIDE ONLY almost imperceptably rounded so that it sharpens to and holds an unbelieveabley keen cutting edge that's slightly reminiscent of a chisel grind in addition to the characteristics of a normally tapered blade.
The blade also appears to have been intentionally "blackened" except for the hardened cutting edge in a fashion totally unfamiliar to me.
Where it meets the hilt the blade is 3/8" thick, becomes thinner from top to bottom at mid-point where it curves up slightly instead of having a fuller and weighs a hefty 1 3/4 lbs.
While it's definitely a tool, it's anything but cheap and effectively beheaded a 6 1/2' rattlesnake that waited until I was far too close to rattle, temporarily becoming a weapon of need while I was out cutting saplings for spear hafts.....hey, instinct is instinct.(**grin**)
Mike
ps...found the better photos, sorry
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