Chromed Bagobo datu kampilan

xasterix · 6th July 2020, 03:45 AM

Here's a recent acquisition of mine, a chromed Lumad blade, pre-WW2. I only partially restored it as I was advised to leave the chrome alone. As you can see, parts of it have flaked off; I'm assuming that the dark part is the nickel underneath the chrome. Luckily the fittings are tight, the blade only had one major chip and a couple of minor chips, I'm almost done restoring the edge to cutting condition. The scabbard isn't as flamboyant as other samples, but functionally speaking, it looks ready to hold out for another century.

Thoughts and feedback are welcome. Also, I'm curious if anyone else has a chromed Lumad blade like mine, and if other samples also have what seems to be like twigs secured underneath the scabbard throat textile.

Battara · 6th July 2020, 04:48 AM

Interesting piece. The hilt and pommel seem somewhat "recent". The mounts also look like white metal and not the traditional bronze.

xasterix · 6th July 2020, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Interesting piece. The hilt and pommel seem somewhat "recent". The mounts also look like white metal and not the traditional bronze.

Thanks for the input sir, I'm not knowledgeable in Lumad stuff so I appreciate any and all info I can get. The piece was bought in the 1970s, so by your estimate- what date would it probably have been made?

As far as I can tell- the scabbard fittings seem to be made of either brass or bronze (I can't tell the difference between the two yet, but when I cleaned the area with lemon juice the fittings turned copper-ish in color). However I can't make heads nor tails of the hilt ferrule material (the one with the inscriptions), it does seem like some sort of white metal.

David · 7th July 2020, 12:57 AM

Interesting blade. But i am curious what you call it a kampilan and what aspects of this piece distinguish it as a datu weapon?

xasterix · 7th July 2020, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Interesting blade. But i am curious what you call it a kampilan and what aspects of this piece distinguish it as a datu weapon?

Greetings,

The Lumad people whom such weapons are associated call this a 'kampilan.' 'Campilan' is actually a general term way back pre-1900 (as far back as 1600s, if my memory is correct) to describe just about any long bladed weapon (and not specific to Maguindanao/Maranano kampilan).

As evidenced in pictures both past and present, only Lumad datu wear that kind of weapon with similar features. Hence it's a datu-exclusive traditional blade.

Ian · 7th July 2020, 06:31 AM

Hi Xas,

I've been thinking about this one a bit before replying to your post. I've not seen chromium plating before on a Lumad piece. I have seen a nickel-plated kris blade, but not chromium. So that's a pretty unusual piece. The darker surface areas look like oxidized iron or steel to me--in other words rust--perhaps old and stabilized, or perhaps the reason why the blade was plated in the first place. Metal plating is an electrolytic process, and chromium plating usually requires a cyanide bath. Both of those features are fairly sophisticated (and dangerous) operations, not something you would find readily outside a major city or industrial area. I expect today you would find a chrome plating workshop in Davao City or perhaps Zamboanga, but going back to the 1970s or earlier I'm not sure. If you have a biker friend he might be able to tell you.

The form of the blade is one of the traditional fat-belly bolo shapes used by the Bagobo, and I think the shape goes back well over a hundred years and into the 19th C. As you note, it has a "distinguished" hilt with a decorative metal ferrule and a characteristic pommel with chains for hawk bells and perhaps a tiger bell, all of which indicate Bagobo datu status. The white metal could be aluminum (of WWII or later vintage), tin from biscuit containers or other similar sources, or various alloys of nickel, zinc and copper (white brass, a.k.a. nickel silver or German silver, is 60:20:20 of copper:nickel:zinc). I have found tin strips on the scabbards of both Bagobo and T'boli swords. These tribes are resourceful and waste nothing.

As to age, that's really hard to judge. The blade could be antique, but I think the scabbard and hilt may be WWII era, perhaps a little earlier or later. You know the piece was in its present form in the 1970s, so the ensemble predates then.

6th July 2020, 03:45 AM	#1
xasterix Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 653	Chromed Bagobo datu kampilan Here's a recent acquisition of mine, a chromed Lumad blade, pre-WW2. I only partially restored it as I was advised to leave the chrome alone. As you can see, parts of it have flaked off; I'm assuming that the dark part is the nickel underneath the chrome. Luckily the fittings are tight, the blade only had one major chip and a couple of minor chips, I'm almost done restoring the edge to cutting condition. The scabbard isn't as flamboyant as other samples, but functionally speaking, it looks ready to hold out for another century. Thoughts and feedback are welcome. Also, I'm curious if anyone else has a chromed Lumad blade like mine, and if other samples also have what seems to be like twigs secured underneath the scabbard throat textile. Attached Images

6th July 2020, 04:48 AM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Interesting piece. The hilt and pommel seem somewhat "recent". The mounts also look like white metal and not the traditional bronze.

7th July 2020, 12:57 AM	#4
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,123	Interesting blade. But i am curious what you call it a kampilan and what aspects of this piece distinguish it as a datu weapon?

7th July 2020, 06:31 AM	#6
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,198	Hi Xas, I've been thinking about this one a bit before replying to your post. I've not seen chromium plating before on a Lumad piece. I have seen a nickel-plated kris blade, but not chromium. So that's a pretty unusual piece. The darker surface areas look like oxidized iron or steel to me--in other words rust--perhaps old and stabilized, or perhaps the reason why the blade was plated in the first place. Metal plating is an electrolytic process, and chromium plating usually requires a cyanide bath. Both of those features are fairly sophisticated (and dangerous) operations, not something you would find readily outside a major city or industrial area. I expect today you would find a chrome plating workshop in Davao City or perhaps Zamboanga, but going back to the 1970s or earlier I'm not sure. If you have a biker friend he might be able to tell you. The form of the blade is one of the traditional fat-belly bolo shapes used by the Bagobo, and I think the shape goes back well over a hundred years and into the 19th C. As you note, it has a "distinguished" hilt with a decorative metal ferrule and a characteristic pommel with chains for hawk bells and perhaps a tiger bell, all of which indicate Bagobo datu status. The white metal could be aluminum (of WWII or later vintage), tin from biscuit containers or other similar sources, or various alloys of nickel, zinc and copper (white brass, a.k.a. nickel silver or German silver, is 60:20:20 of copper:nickel:zinc). I have found tin strips on the scabbards of both Bagobo and T'boli swords. These tribes are resourceful and waste nothing. As to age, that's really hard to judge. The blade could be antique, but I think the scabbard and hilt may be WWII era, perhaps a little earlier or later. You know the piece was in its present form in the 1970s, so the ensemble predates then.