There Will Be Piras

[harimauhk]

I believe piras and barungs have always come in a variety of thicknesses and lengths. Hand forging steel is far from an exact process, and yes, lighter blades are of course faster, so the thickness might vary depending on the needs of the user and the materials the smith started with. I had the good fortune of handling dozens of well-made barungs and piras last week. While newer pieces (1940s up), there was quite a variety of blade thicknesses.

As for agricultural piras: I believe there have always been agricultural barungs, and I just picked up an interesting itak that resembles a pira (I bought it in Zamboanga, a stone's throw from Basilan). It also resembles a Malay parang lading to some extent. Definitely an interesting piece! I believe the smiths that crafted it are Tausug since they do turn out a lot of barungs (agricultural and combat use versions).