Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very good original U.S. WWII Marine Corps bolo knife manufactured by Chatillon of New York and accompanied by a USMC marked leather scabbard made by Boyt Harness Company in 1944. The knife retains its broad utility blade, complete grip scales and rivets, while the heavy leather scabbard retains its brass throat and clearly dated belt hanger.

Bolo knives of this type were issued to U.S. Marine Corps personnel for use as heavy utility tools. Their broad blades were well suited for clearing vegetation, cutting bamboo, preparing stakes and splints, and performing general field construction tasks in the tropical environments of the Pacific Theater.

Although designed primarily as a working tool rather than a dedicated fighting knife, the bolo was carried in combat areas and could serve as an emergency weapon when necessary. No provenance identifies the individual Marine or corpsman who carried this example.

The left side of the blade is marked:

USMC
CHATILLON N.Y.

The blade remains solid but is in fair condition. It shows extensive sharpening, surface wear, heavy staining, and minor pitting from age and long-term storage within the scabbard.

The cutting edge is bright from repeated sharpening. The present edge should not be interpreted as retaining its original factory profile. The broad blade measures approximately 11½” long. The grip scales remain present and are secured by their original rivets. All rivets are intact. The grips show heavy staining and general service wear but remain firmly attached.

The accompanying scabbard is constructed from heavy brown leather with a brass throat. Its substantial construction was intended to protect both the blade and the wearer during field use. The rear belt hanger is marked:

U S M C
BOYT
44

The marking identifies the scabbard as a 1944 product of Boyt Harness Company of Des Moines, Iowa. Boyt was a major wartime supplier of leather equipment, including holsters, slings, scabbards, and related military accoutrements. The scabbard measures approximately 12” long.

The Chatillon blade marking, complete grip assembly, 1944 dated Boyt scabbard, brass throat, and USMC property markings preserve the principal features of this Marine Corps utility knife set. The heavy sharpening, staining, minor pitting, and grip discoloration are important condition factors, but the knife remains a representative example of the bolo tools carried by Marines during WWII.

Dimensions:
Blade Length: 11 ½”
Blade Style: Bolo Machete
Grip Length: 5”
Scabbard Length: 12”