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#1 |
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 31
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Hi all, I just got this and I am quite happy with it. It looks pretty old and it definitely has seen a lot of use. The scabbard is pretty complete, just missing a couple of leather and copper bits. The craftsmanship displayed on the scabbard is impressive, the plaiting on the central ridge is the finest I've ever encountered. I know these were used in the male initiation rites of the Salampasu but were they fighting weapons? The blade is very heavy and it seems like an effective close-quarters hacking weapon. I would welcome any thoughts and or comments.
Last edited by Matt Splatt; 14th November 2007 at 11:41 PM. |
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#2 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
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Matt
That is a good example you have there too bad the scabbard is missing a piece at the bottom. Still you did good. Lew |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,773
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Needs a jolly good clean but leave the iron scale in the centre of the blade from the forte upwards. Nice scabbard.
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#4 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium)
Posts: 830
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Nice old piece.
Here's the front cover of the book 'Dodelijk mooi' (Deadly beauty). This is the way the natives used to wear this kind of sword. I don't think it was only used for ceremonies as these are real weapons. ![]() |
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#5 |
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA Georgia
Posts: 1,599
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Were these ever used as tools?
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#6 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium)
Posts: 830
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I once had a Salampasu sword which had a piece of cloth tied round the base of the blade (near the handle). It was very dirty and when I pulled it, it desintegrated. At the time, I wondered what it was.
Later I found some pics in a German book on African weapons. Both Salampasu swords had cloth tied to the blade. I should have left my sword untouched, but I didn't know ![]() ![]() ![]() Here's a pic from that book : ![]() |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 31
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Thanks for the input guys. Freddy, I really need to get a copy of that book! Bill, the blade is definetly stout enough to serve as a tool. From the wear on mine, I would guess that it was used to clear brush at a minimum. in fact, the heavy wear is only apparent on one side. May be this was done on purpose to preserve a sharp edge if the knife had to be used for defense.
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#8 |
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: France
Posts: 472
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I have a Pende sword with a piece of textile between blade and handle.
Luc |
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#9 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium)
Posts: 830
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The picture came from this book :
AFRIKANISCHE WAFFEN (African weapons) by Werner Fischer and Manfred A. Zirngibl (1978) There's also a second book by one of these authors : SELTENE AFRIKANISCHE KURZWAFFEN (rare short african short weapons) by Manfred A. Zirngibl (1983) Both books are written in the German and English language with a lot of pics. Sometimes they pop up on ebay, but then they are very expensive. I don't know why, I just bought them from the publisher ![]() https://ssl.kundenserver.de/s8782122...dex.shopscript https://ssl.kundenserver.de/s8782122...dex.shopscript |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium)
Posts: 830
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I see the link doesn't work
![]() Just type 'Zirngibl' in the search engine (Schnellsuche) and you will find the books ![]() |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 31
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Thanks again Freddy, I've ordered both books and should have them by Christmas!
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#12 | |
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: between work and sleep
Posts: 731
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![]() Quote:
My guess would be yes. A lot of cultures in that sort of setting used their swords for ceremony, war, and work... such as PingPu knives, kachin dao, mandau parangs, Visayan bolos... but I'll let the experts speak. ![]() |
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#13 |
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: between work and sleep
Posts: 731
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[bump]
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