machetes,, regional styles..

[ausjulius]

Originally Posted by Gonzalo G

Strange, for being in Dagestan, you have much information on the machete, Ausjulius. I have the same interest on the weapons from your zone.

Yes, we have very characteristc machetes on the diverse areas. Each area has their special needs. On the contray of what is said in the formentioned article, the machete cañero is big and with a wider point, just to cut several sugar canes in one blow. In Guerrero state is used a diffrent humped machete, named "Acapulqueño", and also a slender, thin and flexible machete with a minimun hilt, that can be used around the waist. We have long and slender models to work on the southeast Mexico, and very short models on the north. In Oaxaca area are produced machetes in the traditional way, if they are ordered, with handguards, silver inlay, eagle pommels, tapered blade with etchings. The military machete has been assimilated partially to the charrería, the rural tradition associated with cattle raising in the center área of the country, from wich the trooper cavalryman was recruited, apart from the cowboys from the north Mexico, associated with the Coahuila-Texas tradition and also cattle raisers, though they used the lance and latter the carabine as a primary weapons. Most commonly, the charros uses crossguards on the machetes. Still today, many people carries on the saddle a big machete as a weapon and as a tool.
My best regards

Gonzalo

hello gonzalo..
yes weaponry as kindjas and the shashka are rather interesting indeed..
although the thing that draws me to machetes is the surpurbe utility,, while many styles are still a most lethal weapon they are also a very handy tool , and a tool that most nearly all people in all climates will have some use for..
i actualy grew up in australia in the northern territory,, . where machetes are rather common in use.. ,, actualy i aquired my interest in the as i spent the first part of my childhood in new zealand,, and in the rural area billhooks, hacks and pole bills , slashers ect ect were still common, when it was ragwort or thistle season we use to go out an make combat against these with various edged tools..

from there my interest was born and later on in australia i used a machete on many occasions for work or camping or as a kid in the bush,, the climate in the north would proably be close to some southern parts of mexico,,
hot humid whet/dry climate. rocky with lots of grass, bush and thorny plants,,something like the southern brazil

have you any pictures of these regional styles that are still used,

regards, julius

[Gonzalo G]

I don´t, but I have three different machetes of very diverse kinds, one of them hand made, if you want to see it. But you have to wait a little to let me take the pictures.

Some old machetes have been confused as espadas anchas, as there is some confussion about the concept of espada ancha and the concept of the machete.

Regards
Gonzalo

[ausjulius]

yes i would be most interested to see any pictures you have , is there any information on the internet that may show the specific styles used in mexico,, and other south american countries?

[Jim McDougall]

Gonzalo, that dissertation on the machete is a beautifully written piece of work, and extremely well said! I'm saving that for my notes.
It is also fascinating to see individuals from two distant cultures with interests in each others weaponry , especially as I also have deep interests in the weapons of Mexico as well as the Caucusus.

I agree Gonzalo, that there has often been a great deal of confusion between machetes and the extremely intriguing espada ancha. I think there were differences in the espada ancha in those of Northern Mexico, being heavier bladed as the heavy vegetation of the Sonoran desert certainly warranted these for utility as well as a weapon. Although the term 'espada ancha' of course meant wide heavy bladed sword, the more ornate examples with the familiar 'dragoon' broadsword blades seem to have been more for wear on the rancheros, than by those soldados or vaqueros in the rugged terrain in Northern Mexico and New Spain.

If one is looking at an old Collins Co. catalog, it is incredibly surprising to see many of the old machetes, with blades remarkably like old Solingen blades and overall looking very shashka like!. Not a comparison, but an interesting note.

All best regards,
Jim

[Gonzalo G]

The Espada ancha was used in all the presidios of the northern frontiers, including those on my state, almost as arid as the sonorean. I can´t disclose much information about the espada ancha, as a friend of mine, in my state, is making a research on this weapon, and I don´t want to anticipate on his work. Much of the information I have, comes from this source. And of course, from the espadas anchas I have seen here, on the hands of friend collectors. The espada ancha has not a fixed type, there are variations. As I understand the old manuscripts where the characteristics of the uniforms and weapons of the presidio soldiers are established, have some mentions of this point. But there was, also, heavy bladed short machetes, as the espadas anchas, and this fact permitted the confussions. But this is another subject. Latter I will post the machetes, but all of them are modern. I use them as working tools. I can trade them for shashkas or other dagestani weapons, you know...
Regards

Gonzalo

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you for the additional clarification Gonzalo. I well understand your respecting the work in progress of your friend, and I am really looking forward to seeing more in depth study on these fascinating swords. I have been intrigued by them since one these was one of the first weapons I owned in my younger years in Southern California. Not really knowing what it was I traded it off at some point, and years later was devastated when my interests turned to the Spanish Colonial weapons, and I realized my loss.

Because of the many variations and the commonality of both machetes and the espada anchas, it is truly difficult to establish regional and chronological order in studying them, or at least I have found that to be so. The Mexican blacksmiths of the frontier were brilliant at the use of materials at hand, and remarkably adept at returning weapons or parts of them to servicability. This is one of the many factors that make the study of the colorful history of Mexico through its weapons so incredibly fascinating!!

All best regards,
Jim