I see you prefer the new style curved blade and with the short handle. You ever work in a cane field using one? The hooked end is used when "Striping" cane, no that doesn't mean cleaning the leaves off, Stripping is how you plant cane which is replanted on average every 3 to 4 years. Its also used when after a hurricane, the cane has to all be cut by hand due to the cane swirls and it laying down all over the place. You can't just walk away, it has to be cut and hauled so next years cane can grow.
I spent a day or two in the cane field.
You are right it will sharpen, you are right its a Louisiana tool, and it carried on nearly every sportsman's boat you'll see.
Versatile ? I was 16 before I knew they made a motor driven lawn edging tool! It was a engineering marvel! Imagine building a machine that could edge using a gasoline motor...... Course Pop didn't need one till I went off to college.....LOL