Modern made Atayal knives
 

Hey guys. I'm in Taiwan and I found a smith who makes traditional Atayal knives. In fact many of his customers, aside from collectors, are countryside folks and Atayal who put these blade to good use.

In the Squliq dialect they are laraw like "la rao" or "larow" with the "-ow" as in "cow"

They come in two main styles, the fat cleaver type (top) and the slimmer slasher (bottom). The cleaver or barong looking type is called a laraw topuw and the slasher is a laraw behuw. The cleaver looking style is good for cutting meat, household chores, general utility, and when hafted, a good spear. The slasher is a good machete for the outdoors and survival (and combat). These are medium sized ones, at about 10" and 12" blade lengths. Very small ones are used for carving and cutting rattan, and large ones for machete-work and well, in the old days, headhunting and warfare.

Like many Taiwanese Aboriginal blades, they can come with wooden handles or with metal socket handles. The former is more comfortable and the latter more durable. Either can be wrapped in rattan or some sort of cordage for better grip. This is reminiscent of Cordilleran blades from northern Luzon.

Usually folks in the countryside buy the blade, and carve their own sheath if they want one... but this guy can make the sheath himself.

:) Hope ya'll like 'em.

IT IS GOOD TO SEE SOMEONE IS CARRING ON THE TRADITION AND FORM IN MAKEING THESE. IT IS ALSO GOOD TO KNOW THE LOCAL PEOPLE STILL LIKE TO USE THE TRADITIONAL FORM AS WELL. NOT FANCY BUT WELL MADE AND LOOK TO BE VERY SERVICABLE KNIVES. I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED THE OPTION OF TURNING A KNIFE INTO A SPEAR OR POLEARM. :cool:

I think durability and versatility is key with these blades. Not quite as an effective glaive or spear as a real glaive or spear... A little oversized to be a kitchen cleaver... Somewhat hefty for a jungle machete... Not ideally balanced as a wood chopper... and not as long nor well-balanced as a proper sowrd or saber... But it can fulfill all those roles..

And I feel that's the name of the game with many ethnic blades that fulfill both machete and sword roles.

Taiwanese Aborigines, Taiwanese Han settlers, and Luzon Cordillerans seem to all like socket handles for their work blades though.. which didn't seem to really catch on elsewhere.

from the examples I've seen from you, Vin, I'd say that the laraw made today are a load nicer than the N. Luzon cordilleran stuff produced when compared.

I'm definitely impressed! These bad boys don't get enough attention here I think, but they're great!

Thanks man, they don't get too much love, but maybe they don't have the same allure or fan-base as other, more popularly collected blades.

I'm currently trying to sell these... if it's within the rules to lock this thread for the meantime, could a moderator please do that for me? Thanks, much appreciated.