Collins Legitimus Machete Identification

S

Sprockethead

Joined
Feb 4, 2019
Messages
6
Hi all, I’ve been looking at grabbing a vintage machete for yard work and have stumbled on an old Collins Legitimus. I’d like to see if you guys can identify the mode number/age of the piece before I pick it up. Guy has it listed for $80, and I talked him down to $50. Thanks for any input!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s92KLYzXpqDbuWz-MqEUYvXr4dL7etWX/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zjq-MJT-gr_0oHdc67pnwcCt9U_uYHuD/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dzu9_xaGJFztWftJJ7qCACHRByWFijZA/view?usp=drivesdk

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It looks like 1940's vintage. They are very well made and a bit heavier gage material then most modern machetes. The scabbards are nice aand have a cool embossed pattern on the other side. But I've always seen them in one piece. That one looks like it was pieced together.
 
I just learned from the seller that it’s made in Mexico. I thought all of these were US made? Or did they cheap out later and go foreign? I wonder if they are the same quality
 
One other thing, these thicker machetes are great for cutting heavy brush but not as good at cutting blackberries and other vines. Thin and fast is better on blackberries.
 
Sprockethead said:
I just learned from the seller that it’s made in Mexico. I thought all of these were US made? Or did they cheap out later and go foreign? I wonder if they are the same quality
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There were later-period Collins machetes made in Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia. Not the same as the USA-made ones, but still excellent machetes. Worth much less than USA-made models, of course, but that doesn't diminish their utility or (slightly lesser) high quality of build.
 
With the amount of Collins Machetes made and the fact they put a model number on them I wonder if there is a listing of them.
Currently I am recovering from hip replacement surgery, but as soon as I am ambulatory I think I will head up to the Canton Museum and go through the records to see if there a central list.
 
Hey guys,
So I got a Legitimus Collins & Co. No.191
It has a 20.5" Blade, 26" Overall with Handle
I cannot really find any information about it, so far I have figured out that it is WWII Era and supposedly USMC Issue but im not 100% sure on that. Anybody have any ideas or knowledge about them as far as History, Value etc...
 
ZeroCool187 said:
Hey guys,
So I got a Legitimus Collins & Co. No.191
It has a 20.5" Blade, 26" Overall with Handle
I cannot really find any information about it, so far I have figured out that it is WWII Era and supposedly USMC Issue but im not 100% sure on that. Anybody have any ideas or knowledge about them as far as History, Value etc...
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You can find some info on them here.
 
I just acquired a Legitimus 128 by Collins that jad been cut down to a 9” blade. Extremely strong and sharp. I wondered if this had been done to make it a fighting knife.
 
MASTFI said:
I just acquired a Legitimus 128 by Collins that jad been cut down to a 9” blade. Extremely strong and sharp. I wondered if this had been done to make it a fighting knife.
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More likely that it broke and the broken blade was made into a knife to get more life out of it. After all, for fighting the full sized blade would be more martially useful in most contexts.
 
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