viking73 Posted July 13, 2019 Share #1 Posted July 13, 2019 Hi I just picked up this 1966 Ontario Knife Co. machete today. It was at an antique shop about 40 miles from me. I'd seen it there for over a year - I feel it was priced too high. Well today the seller was having a sale and so I snagged it for 75% off Anyway, it is well used as you will see in the photos. The thing that I really like about it is the marking on the scabbard - does this mean it was issued/used by the Marine Corps? I mean I know there isn't any way to tell if the wear was caused by use in the jungles of Vietnam or on someone's property here in Texas but I think that marking really adds interest to it. What do you think? Here's some photos, thanks for looking. -Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking73 Posted July 13, 2019 Author Share #2 Posted July 13, 2019 Here are some close-ups of the scabbard. It's very well worn as you can see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking73 Posted July 13, 2019 Author Share #3 Posted July 13, 2019 Some shots of the blade itself. I wiped this down with some gun oil as soon as I got home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking73 Posted July 13, 2019 Author Share #4 Posted July 13, 2019 Here is a shot of the tip of the blade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking73 Posted July 13, 2019 Author Share #5 Posted July 13, 2019 Last shot, a close up of the stencil on the scabbard. She's rough, but I am happy to have added this one to my collection. Thanks for looking. -Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted July 14, 2019 Share #6 Posted July 14, 2019 A good possibility of Marine Corps issuance; here is a '44-dated Pack rig, the lower section of which has a similar stenciling which was applied upside-down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Flage Guy Posted July 14, 2019 Share #7 Posted July 14, 2019 "R & D"...wish I knew what that signifies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzyzzogeton Posted July 14, 2019 Share #8 Posted July 14, 2019 H&S Co. would be "Headquarters and Service Company" R&D is "Research and Development" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tankerman Posted July 16, 2019 Share #9 Posted July 16, 2019 Nice find of a stenciled scabbard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted July 16, 2019 Share #10 Posted July 16, 2019 Great find! The US being at an angle to ONTARIO KNIFE CO. let's us know the machete too was made during the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking73 Posted July 19, 2019 Author Share #11 Posted July 19, 2019 Thanks gents. I was happy to have found this one and at a good price and finally take it home. I don't imagine these are too common with a stenciled scabbard. -Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reschenk Posted July 19, 2019 Share #12 Posted July 19, 2019 Does anyone know the expansion of the name "MARMAC"? Is it perhaps "Marine Military Advisory Command"? That would seem to fit with the naming conventions we used at the time, e.g. MACV, MACTHAI, MACSOG, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted July 19, 2019 Share #13 Posted July 19, 2019 Marmac is a brand name. They also made the food containers we called "Mermites", which was probably a messed up "Marmac". I have army machete scabbards from the same time that are stamped "Marmac". SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reschenk Posted July 20, 2019 Share #14 Posted July 20, 2019 Marmac is a brand name. They also made the food containers we called "Mermites", which was probably a messed up "Marmac". I have army machete scabbards from the same time that are stamped "Marmac". SKIP Mermites is a term to designate an insulated container for transporting food to the field that goes back to at least WWII. It appears to be a generic term for an item produced by a lot of different manufacturers. There are a number of firms that do business under the MARMAC name, but none seem to have a product line which would likely include either mermites or machetes/machete scabbards. Perhaps it is a defunct company - do you have any details on a company named MARMAC which produced mermites? What were their years of operation? I'm mainly looking to see if they were in business providing military equipment in 1966. If so, it could well be our explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Flick Posted July 20, 2019 Share #15 Posted July 20, 2019 I have not spent more than 60 seconds on this but your MARMAC scabbard maker might possibly be: MarMac Precision Corporation located at 116-54 Newburg Street, Jamaica, NY 11412. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Flick Posted July 20, 2019 Share #16 Posted July 20, 2019 Another 30 second search reveals: Marmac Corporation at 1231 Bellbrook Ave., Xenia, OH. It has been in business more than 50 years and is a government contractor. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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