Weird Philippine sword/bolo

ThePepperSkull · 14th February 2012, 06:31 PM

^ I have heard very similar stories regarding many WWII era philippine blades. I wonder if this was because the Japanese soldiers preferred to use the enemy's Bolos as opposed to their own blades. I don't know much about their wartime-produced swords aside from the fact that they were mass produced and ssupposedly of lesser quality than than of a traditinally-made nihonto. Did they have a habit of breaking? Were the blades too long? Or was it just that the length of blade was too much for jungle warfare? I am not sure, but hopefully someone can illuminate this discussion.

Speaking of bicolano blades, Here's one that just ended on ebay (And that I missed out on bidding because I thought it ended tomorrow instead of today. D'oh!)

Congrats to whoever won it. I'm not sure exactly if this is a bicolano piece (The sheath carvings look different to me, as well as the blade being a single bevel as opposed to souble bevel like all of the other bicol blades I have seen.)

Another thing to note is that the sheath is Kamagong on one side and on the other side a lighter toned wood (I think it's either Molave of Yakal). This is a feature that you see in Philippine blades from Luzon even today, Mainly I believe it's because Kamagong is expensive and more coveted than other woods.

14th February 2012, 06:31 PM	#13
ThePepperSkull Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 338	^ I have heard very similar stories regarding many WWII era philippine blades. I wonder if this was because the Japanese soldiers preferred to use the enemy's Bolos as opposed to their own blades. I don't know much about their wartime-produced swords aside from the fact that they were mass produced and ssupposedly of lesser quality than than of a traditinally-made nihonto. Did they have a habit of breaking? Were the blades too long? Or was it just that the length of blade was too much for jungle warfare? I am not sure, but hopefully someone can illuminate this discussion. Speaking of bicolano blades, Here's one that just ended on ebay (And that I missed out on bidding because I thought it ended tomorrow instead of today. D'oh!) Congrats to whoever won it. I'm not sure exactly if this is a bicolano piece (The sheath carvings look different to me, as well as the blade being a single bevel as opposed to souble bevel like all of the other bicol blades I have seen.) Another thing to note is that the sheath is Kamagong on one side and on the other side a lighter toned wood (I think it's either Molave of Yakal). This is a feature that you see in Philippine blades from Luzon even today, Mainly I believe it's because Kamagong is expensive and more coveted than other woods. Attached Images