Palaw'an panday
 

During a field visit to a Palaw'an mountain village in Southern Palawan I had the good fortune of encountering a panday at work. Great to see traditional methods still alive and well. I figured some of you would enjoy seeing photos.

Thanks for the photos! The blademakers in that area are active indeed. The traditional methods live on!

They have good craftsmen, I knew of this one that makes exquisite carvings, probably the best one I've seen among all Filipino carvings. Very intricate.

Really, really good to see this. Great to see these guys at work, and pick up little things like the temporary grips/handles on the still being forged blades. Thank you.

Thanks a lot for these wonderful photos!
Possibly the best photos of traditional Southeast Asian forges and bellows I have ever seen!
I know of only four types of bellows used by Asian blacksmiths. One of them, which was used in North and Northeast Asia, disappeared about 100 years ago and is known only from illustrations. The second, from Southeast Asia, is disappearing before our eyes :( Perhaps in 20 years only these photos will remain.

Was he doing some kind of repair to this blade? I have never seen a smith forging after the handle has been placed.

Yes, I think so. Some of the blades in the picture below, which I believe to be his work queue, need repair. The second picture below shows what looks like a freshly completed blade with a handle blank. The last picture was taken in another part of the village, the man in the middle was carving a handle (near his foot) and you can also see a scabbard in process.