Puzzling Filipino (?) bolo

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Edster

Could the "inlay" be a piece of torn tape varnished over? Looks like a "shadow" on the blade where the removed tape may have been? Or is it just my old eyes?

Ed,

You may be right. When I run a finger over the area it is slightly raised and smooth. Scratching the surface with a finger nail does not remove anything, but the blade appears to have been finished with a hard wax, probably silicone-based, which has hardened the surface and may be obscuring what is happening underneath.

Ian