ROBERT GOT THE ID RIGHT ON. THE TALIBON WAS BOTH A KNIFE EVERYONE CARRIED FOR EVERDAY USE AND FOR PROTECTION. THE SMALLER EXAMPLES WERE USUALLY IN THE ABOVE CATEGORY BUT THERE WERE LARGER EXAMPLES CARRIED BY WARRIORS THAT WERE USED MOSTLY FOR FIGHTING.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THESE SMALLER PERSONEL TALIBON IS THEY WERE OFTEN PERSONILIZED BY THEIR OWNERS SO THERE IS A WIDE VARIATION IN DESIGNS AND THE SKILLS OF THE CARVERS. THERE WERE NO DOUBT PROFESIONAL CARVERS WHO MAY ALSO HAVE MADE THE BLADES AND PUT THE ENTIRE KNIFE TOGETHER BUT OFTEN IT APPEARS THAT THE NEW OWNER MAY HAVE JUST TRADED FOR THE BLADE OR PERHAPS ONE WITH A SIMPLE HANDLE AND SCABBARD AND MODIFIED THE HANDLE AND SCABBARD HIMSELF CHOOSING HIS OWN DESIGNS. HE COULD ALSO HAVE CARVED HIS OWN REPLACEMENT HANDLE AND GRIP AFTER HE BOUGHT THE KNIFE OR WHEN THE ORIGINALS NEEDED REPLACED.
THE EXAMPLE YOU POSTED (TOP PHOTO) WITH A FISH TAIL SHAPED SCABBARD IS ONE I HAD NOT SEEN SO EVEN THOUGH THE WORKMANSHIP ,CARVING WISE IS NOT THAT GREAT THE CARVER DID DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN HIS DESIGN. THATS THE SORT OF THING THAT MAKES THEM INTERESTING AND GOOD TO COLLECT. YOU CAN FIND A LOT MORE INFORMATION ON THEM USING THE SEARCH FUNCTION IN THE CURRENT FORUM AND IN THE FORUM ARCHIVES. GOOD LUCK
