There has been quite a lot of interest regarding these primitive style of all purpose machetes. They were used for everything from hacking logs, bow making, hunting and war. They are pretty much a standard item for every aboriginal man in Taiwan who spends any amount of time in the mountains. There is a local blacksmith in a mountain village outside my archery teacher's village in Hualien, Taiwan. He is a great guy and obviously knows his craft. When I went to visit him today, he proceeded to take one of the blades and strike a metal pole with it repeatedly in order to show me it wouldn't damage the knife-edge!! If you'd like one of these blades, we can trade items for the value of the blade since I understand money is not an option on the trade forum. I'd love to help support him. I am always looking for American wood. So, staves would be my priority. Juniper of any variety in particular, but of course anything else of use like osage, pignut hickory, ironwood, white oak, incense cedar, lilac, black walnut etc.... Sinew is always needed (prepared or it can't be shipped!) and I'd like to get some copperhead or rattler skins at some point for bow backing. It's a pity I can't trade Taiwanese snakes skins! You guys would dig some of the snakes we get around here. I'm not sure I can, but is anyone interested in shark skin or manta ray skin? I have access to it quite regularly. I'm just not sure if the skins are legal to ship or not. Sorry for the picture quality. My phone is crap.
