Knife with a Spanish Influence?

[RobT]

Interested Party,

My 11/15/25 response to this thread shows three khopesh Philippine blades and a fourth blade with a big belly (sort of Binakuko-ish Binagong-ish). Although the sheaths for all the khopesh blades are missing suspension parts and one sheath is fragmentary, all matched Lee’s example when they were complete. So, it is entirely possible that Lee’s sheath originally held a khopesh bladed knife.
The eight ray sun with a face was part of iconography of the Philippine resistance flag. I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see such a symbol on a resistance fighter’s sheath.
I don’t know how willingly, in the more distant past, Philippine cultures forgave left-handedness. I’ll bet in the Moslem south there was pretty much zero tolerance. Even the Spanish controlled and heavily Catholic north (where the OP’s sheath is from), probably had a rather dim view of mano sinistra. I know when I was a kid growing up, students entering Catholic school as left-handers were right handed after the nuns got finished with them. Even my father, who was raised Protestant, was forced to become right handed. I on the other hand, having been brought up in a more liberal environment, wasn’t subjected to the same treatment (thank goodness) so perhaps the Philippine tolerance for left-handedness is a fairly recent phenomenon.
My 11/22/25 response to this thread provides photographic evidence showing that sheaths matching Lee’s (and the examples I provided) were designed for left side carry and right side cross draw only. The pictures plainly show how awkward right side carry would be and the text of that response adds additional support to the visual evidence.

Sincerely,
RobT

[Lee]

I will entirely agree that the strapping on my sheath is designed for left side carry and right side cross draw. Maybe it may actually have been used with the knife in the past as the knife is narrow enough to be inserted, but, as noted, the mouth is quite wide compared with this blade.

Below is an image from Lew's estate sale of a knife of unknown origin with the cutting edge on the slightly concave long edge that would likely better fill this sheath and in the right direction for left carry, right draw.

My knife is unusual and good observations have been made above. I guess the question is whether it is something left over from Spanish colonial times or totally unrelated.

[Ian]

Hi Lee,

Lew's knife is consistent with a Spanish colonial origin also. The ring for the first finger is found on espada ancha and occasional knives of Latin America.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Lee,

Lew's knife is consistent with a Spanish colonial origin also. The ring for the first finger is found on espada ancha and occasional knives of Latin America.

Well noted Ian, these 'finger ring' types of edged weapon are (according to Levine '85) dirks from Central America. Not sure of the scope of examples with this distinctive feature, but the scope of diffusion throughout Spanish colonies is almost immeasurable. The Spanish main extended from the Caribbean, Gulf colonies, Mexican coastal ports and extended to the Spanish Philippines, and weapons of all forms were aboard the vessels that plied these vast trade networks for centuries.

I recall one weapon that seemed to fall into the Latin American category with such a feature yet its other character leaned into the familiar espada ancha category. ..truly a variant and illustrating how these forms were inclined to meld together at times.

Colonial blacksmiths and artisans were always innovative, and well used whatever resources were at hand, repurposing components of many forms constantly. They provided perplexing csonundrums for those of us afflicted with the arms investigation obsession

Spanish colonial, again, is probably the most accurate designation for most of these kinds of weapons, with qualifying additions as required.