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WWII US Jungle Survival Folding machete -
Air power was heavily used in the South Pacific during WWII. The possibility of an aircraft being shut
down over the jungle was very real. knowing that, the Army Air Corps and Navy outfitted the pilots
with survival gear intended to help them survive in the jungle while awaiting rescue.
One of the items provided in the pack was a folding machete. The design consisted of a heavy duty, single
edge blade with a had plastic handle. A hinging mechanism would allow the blade to fold into the handle.
some of the blades were manufacturer marked. The one featured on this page does not have any markings.
The Survival pack was usually placed under the seat of the aircraft. It was a square canvis bag with
a zipper in the middle. It contained multiple items such as signal mirror, fishing line, hat, etc.
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This page is a recognition and identification guide for military fighting knives.
Multiple detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out
clearly defined points that should be noted.
One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my fighting knife worth?".
A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the knives is
reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth
of the edge weapons in the collector's market is illustrated.
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The action of the machete was controlled by a locking mechanism. A lever is pressed to fold and unfold
the blade. The length of the machete is about 15.5 inches. This is a large folding blade.
When the blade was in the folded position a good portion of the edge of the blade is exposed. Since the
machete did not come with a scabbard, a black metal sleeve was provided to cover the edge and prevent
the soldier to be inadvertently injured by the blade.
This edge weapon is currently being reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because
the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with
the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this item.
Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of
the collectible.
If you have an interest is seeing other fighting knives, you can do so by going to our
Military Fighting Knives Price Guide
identification guide. Where we cover Army, Navy, Army Air Force, USMC and other organizations.
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