how local blades look (zamboanga edition)
 

Taken during a trip to the local market (tiangge in chavacano).

a mixture of sangguts - the ones shaped like a question mark (known as tabas elsewhere), bangkung (agri type), many bolos.

in the mix, there were plain jane barongs, bekoko piras (for home use piras), a lapu-lapu type pira, a locally made katana.

i have a theory on the bangkung but i'll post it next time. have to go now.

Personelly I am not impressed with the Katana but all those other knives are something else. Are they made for domestic aggricultural use? how long a life do they have when in use? Is it cottage industry in town or in the country? Are the hilts and scabbards made by a different hand to the blades? Tim

Hi Tim,

These are for domestic agri use. Lifespan of the blades depend on their use. The sangguts, when used frequently, are replaced after several years use. The bangkungs, which are intentionally made thicker (cracking coconuts with the back edge), can last a lifetime.

It is a cottage industry in our town with the blades having separate makers from the hilts and scabbards.

As to the bangkung theory, Cato and many others here agree that it is a rare form of moro weapon. I was given a tip that if i were to look for old bangkungs in zamboanga, i should look for it in old christian homes and not in moro homes.

In due time I might get my hands on one.

Thanks for the pics, good to see blades still being made and used. Dont keep us in suspense too long on the Bangkung mystery.

zamboanga twin bombings
 

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam...anga.city.html

to date, 30 civilians were injured.

one of the bombs went off near the blades stall pictured here.

The b------s!! :mad:

mag-ingat ka, pare. hope your family are safe...