This very interesting Mexican Revolutionary era sword is believed to have been made from a 19th Century Chinese Dao. There was a strong Chinese presence in the United States and particularly the state of California during the 19th Century with thousands of Chinese migrants employed on the railroad and in numerous construction projects. It is thought that a Chinese polearm or Dao was later re-hilted in the Mexican style, adding cast brass grip scales and an elongated “S” shaped cross guard.
The 474mm high carbon steel blade has three cutting edges. The primary edge, a 160mm upper and a 95mm forward edges. All three edges are very sharp. The blade is in good, aged condition with tarnish and edge nicks consistent with age and use. There is some minor pitting and nicks on the forward edge.
The fabrication and quality of this short sword shows that its primary function was as a weapon as opposed to use as a plantation or farming implement. The sharp forward edge serves no practical farming purpose and the point of the forward edge, in conjunction with the edges’ sharpness is sufficient to enable a devastating thrust.
The sword has a total length of 610mm and is solidly made, the blade having a 7mm thick spine tapering to 4mm at the beginning of the upper cutting edge. The short sword weighs a heavy 1.12kg.
This is a very interesting and rare part Chinese, part Mexican sword, possibly adapted for use in the Mexican Revolutionary War of 1910.
