The machete (loan word from Spanish, Spanish pronunciation [maˈʧete], English pronunciation usually [məˈʃeti]) is a strong knife, about 5 mm thick. Use as a weapon: Just like tools (such as pitchforks and flails) were misused for fighting in the peasant revolts in Europe, the machete was used as a close combat weapon in the uprisings in the sugar colonies of the 17th, 18th and 19th century. In the period of one-shot guns, close combat was most common, so that during the Cuban war of independence against the Spanish colonial power from 1868–1898, the machetes departments of the Mambises of the Spanish colonial soldiers were feared - also because of the terrible injuries which were done with this weapon. With the emergence of multiple-shot guns, the machete, like the sabre, largely lost its importance as a fighting weapon. In the 20th century, there were examples for the use of machetes, not as a combat weapon, but as a murder weapon. So, the Interahamwe militias used machetes mainly during the genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda. The use of machetes was also typical for the Tonton Macoutes in Haiti. I am offering an original British machete: Great Britain: WW II Bolo Machete, Fa. MARTINDALE with Leather Sheath: Due to the transformation of my collection, I am offering: WW II Machete, Fa. MARTINDALE - length: 508 mm, blade length: 374 mm - hallmark: On the blade: "Broad arrow" and "Crocodile trademark" with the addition "REGISTRATED", on the grip: "Broad arrow" and "26" - grips: Bakelite with 5 strong rivets - strong leather sheath with "broad arrow" and "103", manufacturer: “J.B. Brooks & Co LTD 19?5“ The pictures are part of the item description - private sale; therefore, no return, warranty, or guarantee.