Machete Identification Question

[Donald]

I was given a machete many years ago by a kind neighbor. He was a retired U.S. Naval Chaplan. It would have been OLD in 1972.

It has an angel or similar figure with its chin on its hand and other arm resting horizontally on a flat surface. It is marked "No. 203". It says something like "KORFF & HONSBERG". The letters are in capitals but I may have grossly misread them. The blade has a groove running along it.

It has a brown leather sheath. The black handle has three steel rivets surrounded by brass washers along the handle and another one on the beak of the back of the handle. The handle also has a hole for a lanyard or wrist thong. The blade is just under 22 inches long with a 4.75 inch handle excluding the beak, for a total length of just over 27," if you include the beak.

Any information would be appreciated.

 

[not2sharp]

Here's a start. Per Levine's 4th edition Korff & Honsberg was probably a manufacturer of medium grade cutlery out of Remscheid, Germany during the 1930's. I'll come back if I find more.

By the way I just drop a note in the suggestion box asking bladeforum to set up a knife identification forum. Please let them know if you think its a good idea.



[This message has been edited by not2sharp (edited 23 September 1999).]