Martindale No 49 Help!

[j.anisio]

I've just bought a Martindale No. 49 machete in the Brazilian Amazon.
I bought it new, although it had evidently been sitting in the shop stock for decades.
It is 23 inches long, with a 17 inches straight blade. There is copper wire around its grip.
The blade is clearly marked: "MARTINDALE BIRMINGHAM MADE IN ENGLAND"
There is also a crocodile over the word: "REGISTERED"
I would like to have more infomation about this blade, but I had not been able to find any information on Martidale's site. Can anyone help me?
Regards
Jose Anisio

[Danzo]

I can't help you myself about the blade, but there is an old guy in the warehouse at Martindale who knows everything about them.

I realise that telephoning them from Brazil may be difficult so if nobody else has any answers I'll happily call and ask for you on Monday if that would help you?

Danzo

[j.anisio]

Hi, Danzo!
For sure it will help me! Thanks!
Jose Anisio

[Danzo]

Hi, Danzo!
For sure it will help me! Thanks!
Jose Anisio

No problems Jose. I'll call on Monday. I last spoke to him about a year ago trying to track down some Second World War era sheaths and he was very helpful. Any other information that may help? Does it have a sheath, and if so, what type?

I hope he still works there.

Danzo

[j.anisio]

It does not have a sheath.
I wonder how long these machetes had been sitting in that shop.
The stock is so old that some of the handles just got rotten. The shop had replaced them with cast aluminium handles.
Regards
Jose Anisio

[Danzo]

OK, Jose I'll call on Monday.

Anyone else got any info on copper wire wrapped handle Martindales?

Danzo

[Danzo]

Oh, and welcome to BB Jose, I didn't realise these were your first posts.

Danzo

[j.anisio]

I have the following pictures of this machete:


.
Regards,
Jose Anisio

[lemoneyewash]

Welcome Jose, that looks an interesting one !

[Danzo]

Thanks for the pics Jose.

I don't know if anyone else agrees, but that handle doesn't look like it was made in a Birmingham factory to me.

It looks......foreign. My guess is that the machete has been rehandled locally at some time in the past, or maybe the blades were originally sent out to have handles put on them.

Nice work on the copper wire handle wrap though, whoever did it.

The blade still looks very functional.

Danzo

[bardster]

certainly looks like an adaptaion of one of these http://www.ralphmartindale.co.uk/ral...namerica1.html
and the handle looks similar to a couple - but decayed a bit so therefore wrapped as a replacement?

[Jjv110]

Does it not say 43 on the balde, or is that me looking at the wrong thing?

[j.anisio]

The figure on the blade is actually a 49.
As I mentioned before, the blade is 17 inches long and the overal length is 23 inches. These lengths do not correspond with anything on the present Martindale product list. The blade also do not have any of the longitudinal grooves of the present models.
The blade and the handle looks original. Their quality is well above the ability of local production. The hardware stores of the city of Manaus have a lot of old merchandise, but I never expected to find such a piece.
As I also mentioned, in the same shop there are exemplars of the same piece with replacement aluminium handles of much later manufacture. These are obvious poor quality replacements of rotten wooden handles.
I think these blades may be older than I am, but I am not sure....

[Arno Günther]

Thanks for the pics Jose.

I don't know if anyone else agrees, but that handle doesn't look like it was made in a Birmingham factory to me.

It looks......foreign. My guess is that the machete has been rehandled locally at some time in the past, or maybe the blades were originally sent out to have handles put on them.

Nice work on the copper wire handle wrap though, whoever did it.

The blade still looks very functional.

Danzo

Dear Mr. Anisio

I think Mr. Danzo´s hypothesis is more plausible. Probably the blades were imported to Brazil and the handle fitted here by Tramontina, I guess. I´ve purchased one of that pieces that remains brand new, greased in the original paper. See photos below (aw... the brighty one I forged in a 5160 from a scrap. It was selectively hardened near the edge and point)

Salut!

[Danzo]

I think Mr. Danzo´s hypothesis is more plausible. Probably the blades were imported to Brazil and the handle fitted here by Tramontina, I guess.

That's great information Arno, thanks.

Your own machete is a real beauty. I love the blade shape and the handle complements it perfectly. The sheath looks really nice as well.



This might be the first BB thread with contributions from two members from Brazil!

Danzo