This measures about 16 inches overall, including its simple wood handle fitting into an iron ferrule, and has a 9-inch, maker marked blade. These come in several forms, but the common feature is a hooked blade with inside cutting edge. These were used for cutting brush generally to clear ground or build a road by pioneer or engineer troops, but had a specific application in cutting thinner branches and young trees that could be bundled together to reinforce field fortifications and earthworks for defense or be thrown into trenches or soggy ground to make a path for assault troops. These broadly date 1750-1820 but are excavated in Revolutionary War contexts and several are shown on page 118 of Neumann’s Collector’s Encyclopedia of the Am. Rev. War. This one has the additional feature of a maker’s mark consisting of the initials “KM” flanked by two asterisk stamps. Both wood and metal are very good, with some expected corrosion to the metal surface, but a generally nice, even brown tone and a good edge.   [sr] [ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.

THANK YOU!