Collins No. 1253 “Paratroop Machete”/“OSS Machete”

Ian · 5th July 2023, 02:25 PM

WW,

Thanks for bringing these knives/machetes up for discussion. They are not ethnographic, as you say, but I'll leave them here for discussion because I have also heard that these were modeled after Filipino swords.

There is some similarity to the Visayan swords of Panay and of Leyte/Samar. The narrow forte is similar to talibon from the Eastern Visayas, while the blade shapes resemble tenegre from the Western Visayas. Those weapons usually have a chisel grind to the edge, whereas the Collins' examples have a V-grind.

The hilt also has a Filipino look, resembling the kakatua pommel on some Moro weapons.

It's not surprising that a U.S. company copied some of the Filipino blade styles given that the Philippines was a U.S. possession from 1898 until 1946.

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5th July 2023, 02:25 PM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,363	WW, Thanks for bringing these knives/machetes up for discussion. They are not ethnographic, as you say, but I'll leave them here for discussion because I have also heard that these were modeled after Filipino swords. There is some similarity to the Visayan swords of Panay and of Leyte/Samar. The narrow forte is similar to talibon from the Eastern Visayas, while the blade shapes resemble tenegre from the Western Visayas. Those weapons usually have a chisel grind to the edge, whereas the Collins' examples have a V-grind. The hilt also has a Filipino look, resembling the kakatua pommel on some Moro weapons. It's not surprising that a U.S. company copied some of the Filipino blade styles given that the Philippines was a U.S. possession from 1898 until 1946.