Japanese Machete

[Overthetop]

i want to share with you today a japanese machete,.it was given to me by my grandfather along with a cigarette case & some photos he aquired while in japan on an allied relief effort in 1945,minesweeping & testing for radiation,the radiation exposure eventually killed him,.the cigarette case he told me was given to him by a doctor in japan,my grandfather engraved "memory of japan" on the top of the cigarette case.so its very sentimental to me,as are all these items.,i dont know how he got the photos or the machete,dont know if he took the photos or what,.but if anyone has any info on the machete please comment because i would love to know more,it has engraved on the blade " Hand Bolo Forged" & made in Japan on the handle also has made in Japan on the scabbard.,any info or comments much appretiated.

cheers

[douglas2496]

Hello, interesting items. This machette is of U.S. origin rather than Japanese. I used to have one myself marked U.S Navy 1944 and with Japanese made grips, so my assumption is that the Japanese refitted some US equipment in the postwar era. The hand forged marking is certainly American as is the style of the this machette. Imperial Japanese items are almost always marked with Japanese Kanji (there are a few exceptions) and not marked in English.

Douglas

[Overthetop]

thanks for your comment douglas,yeah i suspected that the machete had U.S markings & i think you are right that the japanese added handgrips post war & the scabbard.with a U.S blade,.quite a unique piece then i would think half WW2 U.S/Post war japanese
machete,.cheers

[Reibert]

I also have some questions regarding this HAND FORGED BOLO MACHETE.

In the www. there´re often indications that machetes of this type were already used as a basic model in the Second World War.
As far as I know, after the end of the Second World War, the Americans had various edged weapons manufactured in Japan, not only for the surplus market but also for the US armed forces.

Products from KIFFE JAPAN, (stamped or unstamped), found their way into the Vietnam War.
I'm thinking, for example, of combat knives in the style of the KA-BAR as well as the M4 bayonet.

As far as I know, M4 bayonets from the Second World War era were even overhauled in Japan after 1945 and then issued to the troops.
As far as I know, these bayonets were still used in Korea.

I can well imagine that machetes made in the States, or blades made in the US, were supplemented with spare parts such as new handles and sheaths made in Japan.
These machetes could well have been used in military conflicts after 1945.

There may be experienced collectors in the field of edged weapons here in the forum who could help me with my questions.

Thanks in advance,
R.

[Reibert]

... but if anyone has any info on the machete please comment because i would love to know more,it has engraved on the blade " Hand Bolo Forged" & made in Japan on the handle also has made in Japan on the scabbard.,any info or comments much appretiated.


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IMHO the snap button was manufactured by HISANAGA Company.

Hisanaga Seisakusho's crown mark got its start back in 1947. Four years later in 1952, we entered the metal fastener industry and began manufacturing spring snap fasteners.

Source:
Celebrating the Crown Mark's 75th Anniversary | HISANAGA CROWN MARK

[Anderson]

Nice detective work Reibert. So could well be Korean war issue, if not Vietnam as well?

[Reibert]

Nice detective work Reibert. So could well be Korean war issue, if not Vietnam as well?

This would actually be quite conceivable.

[Reibert]

Hand Forged Bolo Machete "Made in Japan" saw action in NAM actually ? ...

[Reibert]

I also bought a machete like this.

I would also be interested in the period in which such machetes were used, both in civilian and military use.

The dimensions:
Blade length: 370mm
Handle length: 124mm
Total length: 494mm
Blade thickness: 3.5mm
Blade width: 43mm to 73mm

The diameter of the blade stamping: 41.5 mm

Black plastic grips.