Hospital Corps Machete

Variations on the Civil War Hospital Corps Machete

H. Clay Aalders
Collins Company
·2 Comments··68 views

Variations on the Civil War Hospital Corps Machete – by B. K. Brooks
From the October 2019 issue of Knife Magazine:

“The Hospital Corps Machete (HCM) was created in 1862, during the early part of the Civil War, by the famed Collins Company of Collinsville, Connecticut (an area in the town of Canton). The company started out in 1826 as an axe manufacturer and as the company grew so did the variety of items it sold, many of the early ones being farm implements. In 1845 the Collins Company started making machetes, and there the plot thickens.

Collins Company machetes gained favor not only in the United States but worldwide. As an example, the Trans-Siberian railroad construction from Moscow to Vladivostok used Collins tools almost exclusively. Countless machetes and other edge tools were designed for South American countries and East Asia, the company producing patterns designed from drawings, models or examples sent to their offices”.

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Hospital Corps Machete

 

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H. Clay Aalders

H. Clay Aalders is a lifelong edged tool user. He spent the past 20 years as a woodworker and fishing guide in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Tennessee. While guiding in Idaho, Clay worked part-time writing for a local newspaper, and upon moving to Tennessee began writing for the blog The Truth About Knives - spending his last 5 years there as Managing Editor. His background is in fixed-blade hunting and bushcraft knives, but has jumped into the world of vintage slipjoint collecting with both feet since coming to work at Knife Magazine. Clay’s primary role is as Digital Editor, curating and creating new content for our website and blog, as well as maintaining the Knife Magazine social media accounts (FB/IG: @theknifemag, Twitter: @knifemagazine). He is also a contributor and Associate Editor of the print magazine.

2 Responses

  1. I have a HCM 2nd version the Spanish writing I’m willing to sell if the price is right if you are interested my name is Ed my phone number is 402-215-xxxx feel free to call. Thank you, Ed.

    (email clay(at)knifemagazine.com for the number)

    Reply

  2. hi there, i have a second variation collins and co hospital corps knife with the logo spanish on it, mine is set in the brass handle but i am having a very hard time finding any information on it. youre article here has been the most helpful with finding anything. so i am reaching out to see if you can help me any further.

    thank you

    Reply

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