Philippine knife (panabas shaped blade)

Ferguson · 8th May 2007, 02:51 AM

Won this on Ebay, but haven't received it yet. Looks like a tool rather than weapon, but I haven't seen anything like this before. Blade looks similar to a panabas. Overall length about 18". Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Steve

ariel · 8th May 2007, 04:48 PM

If you feed this baby human blood, it will grow into a very big Panabas.
Darn! I should have sold this idea to Hollywood! " A little shop of horrors-2"

Bill M · 8th May 2007, 06:05 PM

Steve,

I was watching this also and trying to make up my mind what it is. Some kind of varient tool or mini-panabas?

I like the looks of it and imagine it would be a good Kudzu cutter!

Ian · 9th May 2007, 12:46 AM

This is an interesting knife. I think it will turn out to be a working knife, but I'm not sure from the pictures which side has the cutting edge. The end-on view suggests that the concave edge has been sharpened.

The scabbard seems to be more helpful than the knife. This looks like work from the Bagobo or T'boli, but could be from another of the Lumad groups of Mindanao.

All in all an interesting piece. It recalls an old discusssion on the Forum about 6 years ago. Unfortunately some of the pictures are no longer available. http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000665.html

I have a similar shaped blade in a similar woven scabbard that was sold to me as Bagobo. The sharpened edge of that one is on the convex side.

Ian.

Ferguson · 9th May 2007, 03:25 AM

Thanks gentlemen. I'll post more pictures when it arrives.

Steve

Ferguson · 15th May 2007, 01:34 AM

The knife finally arrived today. A quick polish and etch revealed a well forged laminated blade. The wood handle is made in two pieces and bound together with rattan and leather. The wood is dark brown with thick black streaks. Very pretty. Black palm? The blade is sharpened on the convex side.
I couldn't find anything similar in Stone's. Don't know what is is, but I like it.

Steve

ariel · 15th May 2007, 01:58 AM

A huge problem with this one and the other Panabases ( Panabi?

) is the way their handles and blades are attached to each other. There are no rivets and no cementing substance to prevent the tang from moving up or down within the handle with each strike. My son wanted once to "use" a Panabas to chop off a pretty thin branch ( < 1 inch in diameter). The branch was easily cut with a single stroke but the rattan binding on the handle got torn by the tang.

D Wilke · 18th May 2007, 04:31 AM

Saw several of about the same profile, but without the panabas flare at the toe in Mindanoa. All were used as coconut knifes - in fact that what they called them. Ever try and cut one and you'll know you have to have a pretty hefty and sharp blade to do it one swing. The downward angle lets the blade stop in the chopping block before your knuckles get bashed.

Dan

Ferguson · 18th May 2007, 04:37 AM

Cool! Thank you sir.

Steve

8th May 2007, 02:51 AM	#1
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Philippine knife (panabas shaped blade) Won this on Ebay, but haven't received it yet. Looks like a tool rather than weapon, but I haven't seen anything like this before. Blade looks similar to a panabas. Overall length about 18". Any thoughts? Thanks, Steve Attached Images

9th May 2007, 12:46 AM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,209	Most likely Lumad This is an interesting knife. I think it will turn out to be a working knife, but I'm not sure from the pictures which side has the cutting edge. The end-on view suggests that the concave edge has been sharpened. The scabbard seems to be more helpful than the knife. This looks like work from the Bagobo or T'boli, but could be from another of the Lumad groups of Mindanao. All in all an interesting piece. It recalls an old discusssion on the Forum about 6 years ago. Unfortunately some of the pictures are no longer available. http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000665.html I have a similar shaped blade in a similar woven scabbard that was sold to me as Bagobo. The sharpened edge of that one is on the convex side. Ian.

18th May 2007, 04:31 AM	#8
D Wilke Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Okinawa, JN Posts: 22	Saw several of about the same profile, but without the panabas flare at the toe in Mindanoa. All were used as coconut knifes - in fact that what they called them. Ever try and cut one and you'll know you have to have a pretty hefty and sharp blade to do it one swing. The downward angle lets the blade stop in the chopping block before your knuckles get bashed. Dan Last edited by D Wilke; 18th May 2007 at 04:33 AM. Reason: add content

8th May 2007, 04:48 PM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	If you feed this baby human blood, it will grow into a very big Panabas. Darn! I should have sold this idea to Hollywood! " A little shop of horrors-2"

8th May 2007, 06:05 PM	#3
Bill M Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Georgia Posts: 1,599	Steve, I was watching this also and trying to make up my mind what it is. Some kind of varient tool or mini-panabas? I like the looks of it and imagine it would be a good Kudzu cutter!

9th May 2007, 03:25 AM	#5
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Thanks gentlemen. I'll post more pictures when it arrives. Steve

15th May 2007, 01:34 AM	#6
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	The knife finally arrived today. A quick polish and etch revealed a well forged laminated blade. The wood handle is made in two pieces and bound together with rattan and leather. The wood is dark brown with thick black streaks. Very pretty. Black palm? The blade is sharpened on the convex side. I couldn't find anything similar in Stone's. Don't know what is is, but I like it. Steve

15th May 2007, 01:58 AM	#7
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	A huge problem with this one and the other Panabases ( Panabi? ) is the way their handles and blades are attached to each other. There are no rivets and no cementing substance to prevent the tang from moving up or down within the handle with each strike. My son wanted once to "use" a Panabas to chop off a pretty thin branch ( < 1 inch in diameter). The branch was easily cut with a single stroke but the rattan binding on the handle got torn by the tang.

18th May 2007, 04:37 AM	#9
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Cool! Thank you sir. Steve