A Moro Panabas With A Likely Chinese Influenced Blade
 

When I first saw this unique panabas I immediately thought it incorporated a Chinese cleaver style blade. However, having forum member Philip Tom, our resident expert on Chinese blades, look at it, he has come to a different conclusion. While the style and shape are almost certainly borrowed from Chinese forms, the quality of the pattern weld and its style are not Chinese, but clearly Moro...note the similarity to a pattern welded barong. The tang style also confirms its Moro manufacture.

It's quite an interesting piece and continues my interest in cross cultural influences in blades found in the Islamic world.

Sweet!

I like this blade profile, it means business.
What is it ferrule composed of?

Could you please tell us it's dimensions and blade thickness.

Hello Charles,

Neat!


Was going to ask the same.

Please also post a close-up of the blade!

Regards,
Kai

This looks similar to a blade that was sold to me as a Panabas: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15658

Maybe this sets precedence for this particular form of blade in a Panabas? Of course, the piece I linked to has not been confirmed as a panabas or even Moro in origin. It does seem to be made very similarly to an old pira of mine though.