USMC "Machete, Intrenching"

[Greg Robinson]

Made by COLLINS & COMPANY for the Marine Corps from about 1912 to the beginning of WW2. HENRY DISSTON & SON also made them during the 1920's and '30's time period. They were listed in the Navy Landing Force Manual of 1938 as being part of the equipment issued to a Marine rifle outfit. By the start of WW2 they were no longer being issued and nice examples today are rare and expensive. Even the well used ones, and most seen today are in that condition, can be pricey. The example I own is pretty "salty" so I've borrowed pics from a French USMC website.

 

Shown is a COLLINS & CO #1001 version of this edged tool.

[Greg Robinson]

Here's my example of the machete, intrenching made by DISSTRON.

[MAS36]

looks similiar to a butcher's meat cleaver

[Greg Robinson]

looks similiar to a butcher's meat cleaver

 

yes...it does and it's very heavy. if sharpened it would be a fearsome weapon.

[Hellwood]

THis one was dug close from Belleau Wood on the USMC battlefield

 

 

This one was found in France "forgotten" by Marines in 1918 , it's the Disston model

 

 

Marking of the Disston model, not exactly the same as on your machete, this one is WW1 made

 

Hello from Belleau Wood area France , Greg

 

I was just reading your post about Collins USMC # 1001, I just want to add that these machete ( or intrenching tools as they called them officialy) were also well used in France by the Marines of the 4th Brigade/2nd Division AEF; They used the both models made by Collins under #1001 and the model made by Disston. A few of them were found by diggers as relics on USMC battlefields, ( have one in the Belleau Wood museum, which was found close from Belleau Wood), and also some of them were found on flea markets in old french villages where the Marines trained with the French in 1917/1918.

I found also some pics of the Marines in France equiped with that machete, mostly in the 5th Regiment USMC ( because probably they got them first and they already used them before WW1 in campaigns like Cuba,Haiti, Nicaragua, etc... and the 6th Machine Gun battalion ( probably fro digging emplacement for the tripod of the french Hochtkiss machine gun).

 

Best to All,

 

Hellwood,

 

Gilles Lagin

[gunbarrel]

Origin of this picture is unknown. Somebody sent it to me a while back. Shows the intrenching tool being worn.

[Greg Robinson]

THis one was dug close from Belleau Wood on the USMC battlefield

 

This one was found in France "forgotten" by Marines in 1918 , it's the Disston model

 

Marking of the Disston model, not exactly the same as on your machete, this one is WW1 made

 

Hello from Belleau Wood area France , Greg

 

I was just reading your post about Collins USMC # 1001, I just want to add that these machete ( or intrenching tools as they called them officialy) were also well used in France by the Marines of the 4th Brigade/2nd Division AEF; They used the both models made by Collins under #1001 and the model made by Disston. A few of them were found by diggers as relics on USMC battlefields, ( have one in the Belleau Wood museum, which was found close from Belleau Wood), and also some of them were found on flea markets in old french villages where the Marines trained with the French in 1917/1918.

I found also some pics of the Marines in France equiped with that machete, mostly in the 5th Regiment USMC ( because probably they got them first and they already used them before WW1 in campaigns like Cuba,Haiti, Nicaragua, etc... and the 6th Machine Gun battalion ( probably fro digging emplacement for the tripod of the french Hochtkiss machine gun).

 

Best to All,

 

Hellwood,

 

Gilles Lagin

 

I didn't know that DISSTON made them that early. That might explain why the markings were different on mine. I'm familiar with the markings on yours. They roll stamped the "DISSTON / USA" and then hand stamped the "USMC" each latter individually.

 

They continued to make them into the 1920's & '30's and maybe that's when mine was made.

 

Thanks for sharing those pics

 

Greg

[General Apathy]

Hi Greg, thanks for posting this style of USMC knife, do you have any sort of price guide as to what these are worth in the US presently.

 

Cheers ( Lewis )

[Greg Robinson]

Hi Greg, thanks for posting this style of USMC knife, do you have any sort of price guide as to what these are worth in the US presently.

 

Cheers ( Lewis )

 

Ken

 

In recent weeks I've seen these go ballistic in value when selling on ebay. I could understand this if the condition were spectacular since few "minty" ones are seen for sale nowadays. But most you see are a stretch to make "very good" condition, much less near mint. Setting aside some ebay sales that might just be an abberration, a typical selling price is around $400 and up.

[General Apathy]

 

Hi Greg, thanks for the rough valuation on the Landing Knife. Here are two Marines knives I sold on recently, sorry I can't remember the maker on the Landing knife I sold, however the aluminium handled knife was a ' Case' bladed one. There is dried grease all over the blade.

 

Cheers ( Lewis )

[rtruth]

Thats a really cool machete. I have never seen that tool, and i sure do like it... Very cool piece.