During the American Revolution, especially early on, militiamen were expected to carry a tomahawk or large knife if they did not have a bayonet. Here is a knife I made in the style of the ubiquitous trade knife, which should serve the purpose quite well. (From what I could find, crossguards on knives came later, in the 1800s.) It started life as a machete with a broken handle. I cut the blade down, made scales from maple boards, and reused the brass pins. I also removed the "made in Ecuador" and other modern markings. The blade is 10", with a 5" handle. I also made the center-seam sheath (my 1st attempt at one.