Mexican machete

length: 28"
blade: 22 1/2"
blade width: 1 13/16" max
grip: 5"
guard: 1 5/16"
weight: 1 lb 11.5 oz

Interesting Mexican eagle headed machete - possibly Mexican-American War, but likely a touch newer. Nice solid blade with short fullers and an unsharpened 10" false edge (quite unusual in machete). Blade is marked "P.Lepe". Great feel to this one, I'd classify it as a weapon, not a tool (which means it's not a "machete", but with that false edge I don't want to classify it as a "cutacha", which were single edged weapons). Circa early 1900's.

Note received 10/17/01 from CR, one of the world's leading authorities on these types of weapons, after I had initially identified this as Cuban:
"This is an interesting piece and well made. The overall look of it to me is Mexican. The pommel and guard appear to have been cast in a sand mold rather than by the method used for the Cuban "Machete Reglamentaros" which are much finer in appearance. The devil is in the details. I agree that is not a cutacha as such but more a slasher and could be a Horseman's pattern common in Mexico. Certainly it is not a tool."

04/03/02