Would you call this a small Machete ... or not ?

[fernando]

What do you Gentlemen make of this ? Would there be a name of it ?
I bought it in a local street fair. Its 'all steel' manufacture looks European ... to me. Possibly not mass production, although a very accurate work; we can even see a light ridge in the point section. A very solid piece. Some spots of active rust here and there, that i have to deal with ... without erasing its patina; hoping its age goes back to the 19th century.
Length 18" ( 46 cms.) Weight 474 grams.


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[fernando]

Moving this one to the Ethno forum.

[BBJW]

Looks like something I made in high school metal shop.--bbjw

[M ELEY]

Very interesting piece! The blade proportions and shape remind me of a Chinese dao, but the 'handle' is so 'tool' shaped. If this were only a few inches, that grip would make me think it was a scalpel or a wood-working tool, but at 18" !? Not so sure...

[fernando]

Thanks much, Gentlemen. So ... definitely not a standard pattern thing. And not a kitchen knife, either . Dare i say its blade has a Bowie touch... in a custom made fashion ...

[Interested Party]

Agricultural tool?

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by fernando

we can even see a light ridge in the point section. A very solid piece.

I'm seeing the tip area as being a spear tip with the top and bottom edges tapering away to a cutting edge from a central medial ridge... if I am reading the photo correctly, this is very much a weighted piercing tip.