Spanish colonial short sword?

[Yvain]

Very interesting grouping Jim ! From your own collection ? The one at the top with the briquet hilt is very cool, I'd like to make a repro of it !

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Yvain

Very interesting grouping Jim ! From your own collection ? The one at the top with the briquet hilt is very cool, I'd like to make a repro of it !

Thank you very much!!! Yes, these are my own collection, many of which are featured in the article I wrote and published in "Review of the Swedish Arms and Armour Society New Series XXXIV",
"The Espada Ancha and Machete of Northern Mexican Frontiers and Spanish Southwest From the 18th through 19th Centuries".

The top item is a good example of how these ersatz weapons were fabricated in frontier regions of Mexico using repurposed components of older weapons. While obviously entirely incongruent and ungainly in appearance, the objective was to have a working weapon.

Wayne's example in post #7 illustrates just how wide ranged the combining of components often were, and why these rustic frontier weapons are so fascinating.