Collins Heavy Machete/Knife

[Aragorn243]

I really don't have a ton of information on these and the nomenclature is all over the place. Most call it a Collins knife because that is the company that made them. These were also produced prior to WWI and some say were in inventory for the Spanish American War. I included a US Kabar style knife for size comparison. These are huge, they are also heavy, over 1/4 inch thick at the top of the blade. These two are nearly identical in size and shape. Having them one over the other produces the illusion the lower blade is flatter but it is not. The one is unmarked that I can see, not uncommon. This is the one with the smaller rivets and the metal cap on the handle. The other is marked but all but the model number is difficult to read.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Nice blades, mine is a bit different. Yours are definitely early. I'd like to have them, then what would I do with them? Mine's 28" long with a 22" blade. All marked for USN and straight from the toboggans of Charlie Airborne Ft Wainwright Alaska..."Manchu!" It's done some bush time with me when I was in Reconnaissance Pl but mostly I carried my shorter Sheffield made blade. Here's my K-Bar like yours, I got it from a USN Seal in 1978 I think...on board the USS Alamo...

[marysdad]

The model is Collins No. 1005. It is marked Collins & Co. Hartford on the ricasso, but is lightly struck, so is often no longer visible. My example has the green horn grip.

USA - First World War Era Bayonets

[Peter Laidler]

The angle of the handle against the blade and blade shape seems to defy mechanical principles to me. I'm thinking........ I forget the word or term used, but it is like when you hit a cricket ball with a bat or something hard with a baseball bat and you whack the ball with the wrong balance point of the bat. You get a sort of recoil or back-blast that stings your hands. In the Far East we just had big machetes called Gollocks or Parangs. Just straight, 20" long, leather or fibre handle (to prevent the back blast?). Sort of conventional and very useful for chopping up your next live meal on the survival phase of jungle warfare training at Canungra!

[marysdad]

When you hold it in your hand, the ergonomics seem pretty brutal. It is incredibly heavy. Nothing like the Second World War M1942 machetes. I could see it transmitting vibration back to the hand if struck against solid wood, like an axe. However, against vegitation, not so much.

[Peter Laidler]

Perfect explanation Marysdad. Thanks

[Aragorn243]

I may have to take it outside and whack something with it I guess. I don't think I could possibly hurt it. I'm not sure if I have anything large enough out there to hit.