Powder-Monkeys Knife

[Robert]

Here are a few photos of what I believe to be a true powder-monkeys knife from the Philippines. The actual age of this piece is unknown to me and the seller had no information on it or its previous owner other than to say that it was purchased from an estate sale. Other than turning the guard to its correct position (the hilt was loose from the blade when it arrived) I have only cleaned and oiled the scabbard and wooden section of the hilt. Later I will replace the small brass band now missing from the tip of the scabbard. There are marks in the wood as evidence that one was originally there to keep the end of the scabbard together and the short nail that was supposed to hold it in place is still in the back half of the scabbard as well. I must also repair a break in the guard where the tang passes through before reattaching the hilt in a more permanent manner. The total length of the knife is 12-3/4 inches, the "copper" blade has a single beveled cutting edge, is 8-1/2 inches in length, 1-1/8 inches wide at the hilt and is 3/8 inch thick. All in all a very heavily built piece. This knife would serve well for cutting open powder bags as well as cutting fuse without the problem of producing sparks. I will be posting more photos of this unusual knife as the work on it progresses. Any comments or information that anyone would like to share on this piece would be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Robert

[Shakethetrees]

So, the blade is non ferrous?

[Robert]

Sorry Shakethetrees , I should have mentioned in my original posting that the blade is made of copper, but I have now added that missing bit of information.

Best,
Robert

[Robert]

Here are a couple of photos of the now replaced missing toe piece. The brass still needs to be patinated to match the other bands better, but that will be taken care of at a later date.

Best,
Robert

[Sajen]

Hello Robert,

a more as nice and interesting dagger which will be a great addition to your Philippine brass/copper bladed dagger collection.
From the style I would guess that it has a very good age, maybe end of 19th/very early 20th century?

Best regards,
Detlef

[Robert]

Detlef, thank you for your kind words and thoughts on this knife. Until now I was starting to wonder if anyone was still interested in Philippine items. This style of knife in particular has a long naval history as well as being used by ground forces during war times. Their use has been discussed here before, but finding a single example (or even a photo of one) that actually fits all the requirements needed to do this task properly has until now proven to be all but impossible, at least for me anyway. Hopefully others will take interest and share any examples or information that they might have on knives made for this task.

Best,
Robert

[Sajen]

Hello Robert,

after a little google search I've only found a few US counterparts of much later date so I hope like you to see other ones from the Philippines.

Best regards,
Detlef

[ausjulius]

Originally Posted by Robert

Here are a few photos of what I believe to be a true powder-monkeys knife from the Philippines. The actual age of this piece is unknown to me and the seller had no information on it or its previous owner other than to say that it was purchased from an estate sale. Other than turning the guard to its correct position (the hilt was loose from the blade when it arrived) I have only cleaned and oiled the scabbard and wooden section of the hilt. Later I will replace the small brass band now missing from the tip of the scabbard. There are marks in the wood as evidence that one was originally there to keep the end of the scabbard together and the short nail that was supposed to hold it in place is still in the back half of the scabbard as well. I must also repair a break in the guard where the tang passes through before reattaching the hilt in a more permanent manner. The total length of the knife is 12-3/4 inches, the "copper" blade has a single beveled cutting edge, is 8-1/2 inches in length, 1-1/8 inches wide at the hilt and is 3/8 inch thick. All in all a very heavily built piece. This knife would serve well for cutting open powder bags as well as cutting fuse without the problem of producing sparks. I will be posting more photos of this unusual knife as the work on it progresses. Any comments or information that anyone would like to share on this piece would be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Robert

hello it is not a powder monkeys knife..

it is a knife with "spiritual qualities" blades of metals copper, nickle silver gold and bronze and considered in these Malay cultures in Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia these are to fight spirits, daemons, phantoms that may come in sleep and persons under the power of magic..

i have very fine moro examples of knives with nickle blades ..

in fact last month i was in lombok in indonesia.. and there still many people carry brass or bronze bladed little kris daggers wrapped in the folds of the sarongs the first guy i met i asked about knvies.. at some isloated dock surrounded by jungle he produced a small kris about 6 inch blade form his sarong it was brass, the friend i was with was totally confused as to why it was not steel.. hahaha.

this is such a knife. theyer not tourist items

[Robert]

Hello Ausjulius, Thank you very much for your interest and thoughts on this knife's intended use. I have heard of knives and daggers with blades made from of non-ferrous metals having "spiritual qualities" and that they were kept for the exact reasons you have mentioned above. I have several in my personal collection that I think were made for just that purpose. This knife however I believe was made for a very different purpose. That being its use by artillery personal AKA "powder-monkeys when working with and around gunpowder. The term "powder-monkey" was unfortunately a rather derogatory name given to those young men and boys (though there were at times women and older men that would do this job as well) that were charged with the transporting of the gunpowder on shipboard or land from the powder-hold or magazine to the guns themselves and then helping the rest of the gun crew with the loading when they arrived. A very dangerous line of work that required speed and dexterity whether on shipboard running below deck in very cramped quarters or on land running up or down stairs or fairly long distances inside a fort delivering the powder to the gun emplacements. All this usually being done while under fire. I totally agree with you that these knives were not meant for tourists.

Best,
Robert

[kino]

Good job on the restoration work Robert and congrats on the very fine knife.

Originally Posted by ausjulius

i have very fine moro examples of knives with nickle blades ..

Hello Ausjulius, could you please share photos of the nickel bladed Moro swords.
I have to say that I have seen quite a few Moro edged weapons, majority via the web, but I can't recall coming across nickel bladed examples.
Perhaps you could start a new thread.

[Robert]

Hello Ausjulius, could you please share photos of the nickel bladed Moro swords. I have to say that I have seen quite a few Moro edged weapons, majority via the web, but I can't recall coming across nickel bladed examples. Perhaps you could start a new thread.

I too would be very interested in seeing these items.

Good job on the restoration work Robert and congrats on the very fine knife.

Thank you Kino.

Best,
Robert