United States. A Marine Corps Bolo Knife With Boyt Leather Sheath 1943

This bolo knife features a 285 mm long steel blade, magnetic, with a very sharp edge and a very sharp rounded end forming the tip, along with a very wide spine. The blade exhibits a very bright finish and is marked "U.S.M.C. / CHATILLON, N.Y." (United States Marine Corps; manufacturer: John Chatillon & Sons Company of New York) in the centre portion of the blade on the reverse, measuring 285 mm in length. The blade and the core of the handle is one solid piece, the grip on the handle formed by wooden plates, with a tawny brown look, placed on either side and secured in place via four large rivets, the bolo knife measuring 420 mm in length. The accompanying sheath is in leather, with a dark walnut brown finish and has a multi-piece construction, exhibiting heavy stitching throughout, with a copper grommet placed at the point, the throat with a bronze reinforcement coupling secured in place by two rivets, the reverse with a six-sided piece stitched in place to the body of the sheath, the bottom point bearing two large rivets, the six-sided piece fronted by a rectangular patch that is emboss stamped "USMC / BOYT / 1943" (Boyt Harness Company; manufactured in 1943), the patch well stitched and secured in place via four large rivets, along with incorporating two large metal clips at the top, the sheath measuring 307 mm in length. The spine on the bolo knife exhibits multiple nicks, the blade with surface wear overall on both sides, both wooden grips on the handle with a single crack running vertically, the wider one of which is one the obverse, the leather sheath with contact marks and discoloration present indicating active use and age wear, its bronze reinforcement coupling at the top and the two clips on the reverse with surface rust. Fine.

Footnote: This bolo knife was issued to United States Marine Corps hospital corpsmen, with a simple design intended to aid in clearing brush, cutting branches for stretchers, etc. It could also be a handy last-ditch defensive weapon, an implement that became essential in the jungles of the South Pacific islands.