The Chilean Corvo, is made by FAMAE, the weapon factory of the Chilean's army.
This knife was used by the miners of the Atacama zone, and made famous in the Pacific War (Peru and Bolivia against Chile).
The name derives from curved, as it has a curved blade. Lots of people think it has arabic origins because of this, but it is belived to be a desendant of a spanish tool. The first corvos had the edge on the inside of the blade, not the outside as in Magreb weapons. I think it developed fron small curved knives used to cut vegetation, like a small scythe. The modern corvo has 2 sharp edges.
It started out as a tool used by miners and railway workers, but conscripts rapidly took it to combat and the modern version is a standard issue weapon in the Chilean Army.
It is a very feared weapon and is higly umpopular in Perú and Bolivia, so it gives a psicological advantage.
The current weapon is a big knife. It can be used as a tool (my dad chops wood with his) or as a weapon. It's size helps because it's intended to block and deflect a bayonet charge or a club blow.
You can't easly stab like with a Ka Bar, but it's great for catching other weapons. It acts like a Kukri, you stab and put leverage, or you use it like a hatchet. Wounds are horrible.
The big drawback is that you have to know how to use the thing. I actually have some trouble using normal knives as I'm used to curved blades cuting using the inside. You also use it like a pick.
The corvo remained a lost art up to relatively recent times. Today's standard models were created circa 1963 by 2 special forces officers. They had to learn to use it and studied with a man serving a prision life term for seven murders! Today we use moves adapted from Tae Kwon Do with the corvo.
Production was carried out by Andes Sam (a unit of FAMAE) from 1971-200. Today it's not being manufactured as the unit closed and a new producer has not been found.
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