Luzon Bolo With Wootz Blade!

Lew · 21st August 2005, 09:47 PM

Hi Guys

Ibeam was over at my house today to have me etch some of his swords. He pulled out an old Luzon bolo which he thought he saw a wootz pattern in the blade. So I did a light etch and to my amazement it was wootz. I figured the bolo must have been reworked from an older sword I don't think the Christian smiths made wootz in the late 1800s.

kai · 22nd August 2005, 12:16 AM

Any chance to get better close-ups?

(I know, wootz is a pain to photograph!

)

Regards,
Kai

nechesh · 22nd August 2005, 12:39 AM

I agree with Kai. I must admit i don't really see Wootz in this photograph.

Lew · 22nd August 2005, 02:31 AM

Hi Guys

I don't have the sword anymore Ibeam will have to post better pics but it is most definately wootz I did a side by side comparison with some of my wootz pieces and his sword showed a nice pattern. It was real hard to photograph the wootz pattern. I tried sharpening the current close up but the file gets too large for the website to take. Nechesh I can email you a sharper pic if you would like. OK here is a link to view a better picture of the wootz pattern.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...tphotos012.jpg

Lew

Ian · 22nd August 2005, 10:12 AM

Hi Lew:

I can sort of see a pattern of something, but the pics are less than convincing. Even so, assuming this is wootz, it is a very unusual finding on a distinctly Filipino sword from Luzon -- I've not seen another example. The sword blade is definitely a Filipino pattern ("matulis"). The hilt and scabbard suggest c. 1900 or a little later, perhaps a Katipunan piece from the symbols on the hilt.

Possibly the most likely source for a wootz ingot might have been via the Muslims in the south of teh Philippines, and their contacts with other Muslims in Malaysia, India and Arabia. Perhaps something brought back from the Haj that found its way into the hands of a Christian Filipino.

Intriguing piece if it does turn out to be wootz.

Ian.

ibeam · 22nd August 2005, 02:58 PM

Thank you All,
I tried to take a close up of the blade and here it is. The clean smooth steel in the bottom of the picture is the blade edge. Most of the patterning happens just above this hardened edge.

Thanks Lew for posting the sword.

21st August 2005, 09:47 PM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Luzon Bolo With Wootz Blade! Hi Guys Ibeam was over at my house today to have me etch some of his swords. He pulled out an old Luzon bolo which he thought he saw a wootz pattern in the blade. So I did a light etch and to my amazement it was wootz. I figured the bolo must have been reworked from an older sword I don't think the Christian smiths made wootz in the late 1800s. Attached Images Last edited by LOUIEBLADES; 21st August 2005 at 10:11 PM.

22nd August 2005, 12:16 AM	#2
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,248	Great find Ibeam! Any chance to get better close-ups? (I know, wootz is a pain to photograph! ) Regards, Kai

22nd August 2005, 02:31 AM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Hi Guys I don't have the sword anymore Ibeam will have to post better pics but it is most definately wootz I did a side by side comparison with some of my wootz pieces and his sword showed a nice pattern. It was real hard to photograph the wootz pattern. I tried sharpening the current close up but the file gets too large for the website to take. Nechesh I can email you a sharper pic if you would like. OK here is a link to view a better picture of the wootz pattern. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...tphotos012.jpg Lew Last edited by LOUIEBLADES; 22nd August 2005 at 02:48 AM.

22nd August 2005, 02:58 PM	#6
ibeam Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 134	Many Thanks Thank you All, I tried to take a close up of the blade and here it is. The clean smooth steel in the bottom of the picture is the blade edge. Most of the patterning happens just above this hardened edge. Thanks Lew for posting the sword. Attached Images

22nd August 2005, 12:39 AM	#3
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	I agree with Kai. I must admit i don't really see Wootz in this photograph.

22nd August 2005, 10:12 AM	#5
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,112	Hi Lew: I can sort of see a pattern of something, but the pics are less than convincing. Even so, assuming this is wootz, it is a very unusual finding on a distinctly Filipino sword from Luzon -- I've not seen another example. The sword blade is definitely a Filipino pattern ("matulis"). The hilt and scabbard suggest c. 1900 or a little later, perhaps a Katipunan piece from the symbols on the hilt. Possibly the most likely source for a wootz ingot might have been via the Muslims in the south of teh Philippines, and their contacts with other Muslims in Malaysia, India and Arabia. Perhaps something brought back from the Haj that found its way into the hands of a Christian Filipino. Intriguing piece if it does turn out to be wootz. Ian.