Kampilan for comment
 

I'm overwhelmed by the welcome!!!

Now, for my first post on a blade ... comments appreciated. But sorry, this ain't mine anymore. The one who got it maybe would want to come forward later, but I'm sure he's afraid that his wife will catch him talking about it. :D

Thanks!

Bobby T.

WOW! the infamous whalebone kampilan. that's a beautiful piece, bobby. been drooling on that since i saw it on your now defunct website...

are the trimmings silver???

hahaha!

you're a funny man! tagalanao!
i'll get even with you some day. . . .

i agree with spunjer, it is indeed a gorgeous kampilan.

Wow very nice kampilan tagalanao. Its good you joined this forum. yolac1891

Congrats, Punal! :D

http://www.morokris.com/ is still there but Bob is currently working on expanding it again if I understand correctly. ;)

Yup. What silver quality did the tests show, Bob?


I like those snakes!

Regards,
Kai

Coz Kai is urging me to work on it. Hehehe...

I brought the kampilan scabbard (along with a gunong with ivory hilt/scabbard + some gold parts) to Maranao gold buyers in downtown Iligan. They tested only the scabbard, and said it was silver, although one said it wasn't high grade. I don't know what he meant exactly. He didn't get to test the snakes in the handle, though, coz I left the blade in the car. But back home, I cleaned up the scabbard with metal polish coz of the discoloration as a result of the acid used to test. To my surprise, the scabbard cleaned up really nice, no sign left of the acid test.

Bob

Thanks, Caloy! Hope to see you one of these days. I visit Davao often, coz our small news agency's (mindanews.com) office is based there in GSIS Village in Matina. I suppose you're from Wadab?

Hey, man, where do you get all your blades! As if all those old blades all over Mindanao always end up in your hands. :)

BobT

Kaw nga marami dyan Bob eh! :) Do we have the same sources? I have runners in Cotabato. I don't get much from Marawi or Lanao nowadays coz nakuha mo na ata lahat. :D Yep I'm from Davao. Just message me when you happen to pass by.

Very-very nice... the looks-quality compensate for the lack of that little hook I love. And I prefer slimmer and longer hilts. Hm, I'm far from an expert, but you wanted comments... :D

Have anyone ever tried out that "hook" on mail BTW? I did with the one I made on riveted mail, and the result was creepy... 16ga riveted flat "iron" links are torn in a HUGE area with a single-hand, but strong, slash. I wouldn't want to meet a kampilan-wielder if I were in a moro brass m&p suit with butted links... :eek:

Bob, sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper as an alloy. Coin silver is 80% silver and the rest usually copper. I would expect that "low grade silver" may really be considered anywhere from 80%-75% pure silver (or less) with copper making up the rest. In this range, this is the reason why many silver fittings on old Moro/PI stuff have a pinkish hue to them - it's the copper content.

One day when I grow up (and have money :rolleyes: ) I'll have one of these too. :D

I remember that kampilan a few years ago from an antique shop in Marawi, I would've needed a shipping container and much more cash for everything I wanted to bring back, so settled on stuff that I could fit in a backpack.

You must be referring to this shop owned by Haji Ali Abedin, my "suki." He's got the most old items; the rest of the shops have those newly made blades. That's his wife in the picture.

BobT

:D I am now the proud owner of this wonderful puppy! :D

The previous owner was kind enough to let me have it for what I could afford (maraming salamat!). :o

My question: I may try to restore it with whalebone (I may have access to again from previous owner). The whalebone guard it broken in half and there is evidence of holes for a metal guard. The 2 other whalebone kampilans previously shown on this forum have brass ones. I thought of this but with all of the silver work on this (I tested it all - it is all solid silver ) I wonder if the original metal guard was also silver. What do you think?

PS - the eyes on the naga on the mouth of the bone hilt are swaasa! (I tested them too). The scabbard that Bob tested is less than sterling but more than coin silver - really nice!

Congratulations Jose!!!! This is a very wonderful piece!!! You have all the abilities to restore the guard with an excellent result!!!! :)

CONGRADULATIONS JOSE I HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE TO EAT BEANS AND RICE FOR TOO LONG :D

I WOULD DEFINITELY GO WITH A SILVER SNAKE GAURD LIKE THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE, PERHAPS EVEN A DOUBBLE ENTWINED SNAKE GAURD. I SUSPECT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT IT HAD ORIGINALLY. GOOD LUCK

I NOTICED THERE IS ONE OF THE GIANT MORO KRIS IN THE PICTURE OF THE SHOP, LOOKS LIKE AN INTERESTING PLACE.

Regarding the beans and rice....well :o .....I grew up on rice, but I will be giving more time I suspect toward restoration since I am job hunting now....still I saved up all my pennies all year for something like this. :D

Regarding the suggestion of a snake like guard - I too was considering that, with a double loop.....when great minds think a like... ;)

Thank you both. I'm pleased as punch. :D

Well folks, I did it - I finished the restoration of the guard of this puppy!
The bottom half is made of seacow bone sent to me from the previous owner (and I colored to better match the rest of the whalebone). Had to use silver pins since the whalebone was too porous for glue. The looped guard is silver in the form of 2 naga/snakes and the heads coming out of the other side facing each other with copper eyes (did my best on the heads :shrug: ). Here are the pictures as promised.

Enjoy -

simply incredible, jose! i really like the guard, in the form of snakes; but isn't that against Islamic belief, imitating the real animal? but i have to say tho; that's one heck of a kampy you got..

In the PI, the custom of no graven images has some laxity about it. I did this to match the silver ring of double headed snakes that holds the cloth mansala to the hilt (which was already present before I got it). A good point though, especially since okir has been used to do images stylistically.