Similar to the U.S. Marine cutlass Napoleonic era cutlass was used by Pirates roaming the Spanish Main. Features 24.5" curved metal blade, simulated brass handle, leather scabbard with brass fittings.

" The cutlass was the hand to hand combat weapon used when all shots had been fired from smaller arms. Pirates were very pragmatic people and, in this, knew that a shot from a gun was better than a slash from a sword. Still, in the face of an empty firearm, the pirates were determined enough to use such larger cutlery as a means to the same end."

Many so-called pirates were really privateers. Privateers were privately commissioned crews, ordered by the monarchs of countries like England, France, and the Netherlands to raid and capture enemy ships. Documents would be given to the privateers from the king or queen making this legal, but only in times of official war with the target country. Pirates would capture and steal in war or peace. They were not commissioned by anyone, and therefore piracy, unlike privateering, was illegal. But since the supposed privateers often forged their documents, the line between the two was blurred.

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