AFRICAN BOWIE KNIFE ?

katana · 21st August 2010, 01:40 PM

The sheath and hilt are reminicent of the Somalian BILLAO / Afar tribe GILLE.
Do you think the blade is locally made ? Millitary blades are often clearly marked......if the blade has age could have been a private purchase. I'm wondering ...with the conflict in North Africa during WW2....whether the blade originated from that time

I have seen a number of military knives/machetes/bayonets that have been 'Africanised'.

Regards David

KuKulzA28 · 21st August 2010, 03:40 PM

blade looks like it could have been a salvaged and shaped machete blade, there's some with clip-points and others with rounded tips that can be easily made into clip points.

katana · 21st August 2010, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KuKulzA28

blade looks like it could have been a salvaged and shaped machete blade, there's some with clip-points and others with rounded tips that can be easily made into clip points.

You are probably right.... re-profiled 'trade' machete blades are common in Africa....some even made into short swords.

laEspadaAncha · 21st August 2010, 05:18 PM

The blade is typical of the bowie-profile NO. 18 Machete designed in 1934 as a "bailout" knife for Army Air Corps personnel stationed in tropical areas. The knife was made by Case, Collins, Kinfolks, and Western, and was issued during WWII (until '42) and was adapted by the 2nd Raider Battalion of the USMC (their operations were confined to the Pacific Theater).

The original had a 9 3/8-inch / 23.8 cm blade, and all were tang-stamped on the ricasso or the blade by the manufacturer. I'm guessing your example isn't quite as long from its appearance in the photos...

This could indicate either a re-worked blade or (more likely) one of the (tens if not hundreds of) thousands of examples that have come out of Pakistan in the last 40-or-so years that emulate the original. If the spine seems overly thick, then in my opinion the smart money is on the blade being of Pakistani origin.

21st August 2010, 01:40 PM	#1
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	The sheath and hilt are reminicent of the Somalian BILLAO / Afar tribe GILLE. Do you think the blade is locally made ? Millitary blades are often clearly marked......if the blade has age could have been a private purchase. I'm wondering ...with the conflict in North Africa during WW2....whether the blade originated from that time I have seen a number of military knives/machetes/bayonets that have been 'Africanised'. Regards David

21st August 2010, 03:40 PM	#2
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	blade looks like it could have been a salvaged and shaped machete blade, there's some with clip-points and others with rounded tips that can be easily made into clip points.

21st August 2010, 05:18 PM	#4
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	The blade is typical of the bowie-profile NO. 18 Machete designed in 1934 as a "bailout" knife for Army Air Corps personnel stationed in tropical areas. The knife was made by Case, Collins, Kinfolks, and Western, and was issued during WWII (until '42) and was adapted by the 2nd Raider Battalion of the USMC (their operations were confined to the Pacific Theater). The original had a 9 3/8-inch / 23.8 cm blade, and all were tang-stamped on the ricasso or the blade by the manufacturer. I'm guessing your example isn't quite as long from its appearance in the photos... This could indicate either a re-worked blade or (more likely) one of the (tens if not hundreds of) thousands of examples that have come out of Pakistan in the last 40-or-so years that emulate the original. If the spine seems overly thick, then in my opinion the smart money is on the blade being of Pakistani origin.