Looking for some info on this old coconut machete.

[knifejunkie1928]

My uncle gifted me for Christmas this old coconut machete. I've never seen anything like it. It's very rough and doesn't have a smooth surface. It has lots of small craters in it. I'm assuming it's forged? I no nothing about forged knives. The edge and spine are a little wobbly.

All I no so far from my uncle is it's from the Philippines it belonged to my grandfather for a few decades and then he's had it for quite a few years as well.

It seems to have a distilled taper along the spine. It doesn't have a real secondary edge on it. It also has some odd jagged metal coming out of it where a pommel would go.

Anyone seen anything like this before? I can't find anything online. My uncle wants me to rehandle it I think. Should be a fun project.

 

[knifejunkie1928]

Two more photos.

 

[tltt]

Guam Chamorro knife, sometimes called a Sese knife, they're a traditional jungle utility knife from the area . Neat knives you don't see often.

Edit - Yes forged, traditionally the handles are horn. Newer ones use wood or plastics now. They sometimes got fancy on the handle inlays. Star or diamond rivet heads were common. Also your knife might of had a butt plate at one time, sort of like traditional kukri have.

 

[Cereal_killer]

It also has some odd jagged metal coming out of it where a pommel would go.

Beautiful family knife hand-me-down, I would be honored to receive such a fine piece of cutlery from my family like that!

The parts on the pommel are to hold a butt plate, they would of started out the same width as the stock then when time came the butt plate would of been slid onto the protrusions and they would be peened over to hold the plate.

 

[skyhorse]

Congrats, that should be a fun project.

 

[knifejunkie1928]

I love the internet! Ask a question get an answer. Guam chamorro knife super cool! Makes sense my grandfather was stationed over in Guam for a few years.

Thanks for the info guys!

 

[USMCPOP]

Chamorro Machete Making video:

 

[F308gt4]

So how does this differ from a Bolo? Is it just country of origin?

My mother in law is Filipino, and she told us how when she was a kid, they used to used Bolos to open up coconuts. Although, IIRC, she told us that they used the backside of the Bolo to hack apart the coconuts.

 

[USMCPOP]

Just regional/country variations based on the task at hand and experience/custom. Knife, machete, sword, hatchet, axe... that sort of deal. As for coconuts, you husk with the sharp side, bust open the top with the spine of the blade, especially mature ones. The shell of a mature coconut seed is harder than woodpecker lips. "Dull or chip your blade, it will." (That's a quote from a previous future Star Wars episode - "In the Beginning - Jedi Jungle".)

What is sometimes more interesting are the little accessory knives/scrapers/pokers/fruit snaggers that they make.

 

[Mecha]

That is awesome. The pits and craters look like the blade was rusty and someone cleaned it up with a wire wheel.