Show us your "other" Visayan swords

[xasterix]

For this forum, I've noticed that the Visayan blades that tend to be focused are the garab, tenegre, and talibong.

I'm wondering if forum members would have other Visayan swords such as sansibar and pinuti.

Just like other PH tradblades, sansibar and pinuti have their own sub-species (or variants). I'm uploading mine as a reference-point for those who want to share theirs as well (or to help others ID theirs).

In the black-background pic, the upper one is pinuti (Cebu), while the lower one is a sansibar (this sword is Leyte-exclusive).

The white-background pic features a sansibar, a vintage and different variant than the first one.

Looking forward to other members posting their "other" Visayan swords too!

[chmorshuutz]

Nothing spectacular, these are recent samples. In the first image, from the top to bottom:

1. Binuwang from Agusan. Technically it's from Mindanao, but people there are closely related with people in Central Visayas.
2. Ginunting from Iloilo
3. Ginunting from Antique
4. Binalhag from Samar
5. Pinaray from Samar
6. "Media luna" from Leyte

On the second image, that's one of my first acquisitions, a sansibar from Leyte. Probably one of the easiest to acquire among trad blades.

[xasterix]

Originally Posted by chmorshuutz

Nothing spectacular, these are recent samples. In the first image, from the top to bottom:

1. Binuwang from Agusan. Technically it's from Mindanao, but people there are closely related with people in Central Visayas.
2. Ginunting from Iloilo
3. Ginunting from Antique
4. Binalhag from Samar
5. Pinaray from Samar
6. "Media luna" from Leyte

On the second image, that's one of my first acquisitions, a sansibar from Leyte. Probably one of the easiest to acquire among trad blades.

Great collection sir! There really is a great scope of Visayan blades out there just waiting to be discovered and ID'd.

[kai]

I'm fine with roughly forged or finished blades if they retain traditional functionality (distal taper, balance, etc.). It seems much tougher to keep functional hilts though - how do the modern fantasy hilts feel like during use in comparison? TIA!

Regards,
Kai

[kai]

Thanks for posting!

Ok, adding some antique examples and starting out with a pinuti for comparison: Blade length 48 cm (19")

Regards,
Kai

[kai]

Hello Ray,

Here's an interesting type: Blade a bit over 31 cm (12.5"); nicely laminated, chisel edge.

Another example from an auction (blade 35 cm, 13.8"), chisel edge.

I'd place both well into the 19th century.

Regards,
Kai

[xasterix]

Originally Posted by kai

Thanks for posting!

Ok, adding some antique examples and starting out with a pinuti for comparison: Blade length 48 cm (19")

Regards,
Kai

This is a sweet one, I've seen at least 4 iterations of this type so far. A talibong definitely, although some old-timers might even call it a pinuti.

[xasterix]

Originally Posted by kai

I'm fine with roughly forged or finished blades if they retain traditional functionality (distal taper, balance, etc.). It seems much tougher to keep functional hilts though - how do the modern fantasy hilts feel like during use in comparison? TIA!

Regards,
Kai

Great point Kai. I personally feel the same- I don't hesitate to acquire a modern blade that's ergonomic and has sound construction. Modern blades are mostly functional; hardened but very rarely tempered. I don't expect them to perform as well as modern custom stuff with supersteel, but I try to run them through some abuse.

Currently the main problem plaguing PH traditional blades has to do with hilt dimensions. This is what I've been working on refining with pandays I'm close with. Sometime during the 70s up to present time, hilts have ballooned out of proportion. I'm still trying to find a practical, non-intrusive, and inexpensive way to help modern pandays understand the advantages of having an ergonomic hilt.