two philippine (?) swords for I.D., please!

Montino Bourbon · 13th March 2005, 09:43 PM

Just found these today at a garage sale- I think they're Philippine, but I need your expert opinions.

The one in the leather scabbard looks to have had the point broken off, or do they come that way?

The one in the wooden scabbard has a really burly blade that has a bevel only on one side.

What would you recommend in the way of restoration?

tom hyle · 13th March 2005, 10:45 PM

Yep, both PI. The wood sheath one is a talibon/garab of the Visayan Islands, and I think the other one is from Luzon. I have a garab of very similar type; perhaps someone knows what island they are from, etc?

LabanTayo · 14th March 2005, 12:58 AM

tom,
the Garab you speak of is actually a Talibon.
Talibon, we think, just means "short sword"
the Garab is the one the Pulajan used.
they are from Samar and Leyte.

the other bolo is from Luzon, possibly Illokano.

tom hyle · 14th March 2005, 11:32 AM

Are you sure this is a valid/native distinction? What's the difference? Structural, tribal, purpose-defined? What's the source of this concept? (Seems like I've been asking these questions for a while; last answer I recieved was talibon doesn't seem to be a native word for blades, and garab is a native term for the type? Disagreement? Further developments?)

tom hyle · 14th March 2005, 12:31 PM

In further comment, yes, the tip is broken off, but I wouldn't sweat it. This often happens to needly tips. If you do want to fix it, be advised that both these swords are probably differentially hardened, with hard steel in only a narrow strip along the cutting edge. Both the butt cap and (especially) the top ferule are nice features on the Luzon piece; by no means always seen; are they silver? They look different from the bottom ferule, which looks like brass? Very good chance also that both swords are folded steel. Inlaid edges are not likely on items of these types/vintage, though they were formerly known in the regions of course (I currently have a 19th talibon/garab/whatever they're called that seems to have a scarf-welded edge); solid steel blades with differential hardening seems to be the norm, with the occasional spring tempered piece interspersed.

13th March 2005, 09:43 PM	#1
Montino Bourbon Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Santa Barbara, California Posts: 301	two philippine (?) swords for I.D., please! Just found these today at a garage sale- I think they're Philippine, but I need your expert opinions. The one in the leather scabbard looks to have had the point broken off, or do they come that way? The one in the wooden scabbard has a really burly blade that has a bevel only on one side. What would you recommend in the way of restoration? Attached Images

13th March 2005, 10:45 PM	#2
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Yep, both PI. The wood sheath one is a talibon/garab of the Visayan Islands, and I think the other one is from Luzon. I have a garab of very similar type; perhaps someone knows what island they are from, etc?

14th March 2005, 12:58 AM	#3
LabanTayo Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kansas City Posts: 177	tom, the Garab you speak of is actually a Talibon. Talibon, we think, just means "short sword" the Garab is the one the Pulajan used. they are from Samar and Leyte. the other bolo is from Luzon, possibly Illokano.

14th March 2005, 11:32 AM	#4
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Are you sure this is a valid/native distinction? What's the difference? Structural, tribal, purpose-defined? What's the source of this concept? (Seems like I've been asking these questions for a while; last answer I recieved was talibon doesn't seem to be a native word for blades, and garab is a native term for the type? Disagreement? Further developments?)

14th March 2005, 12:31 PM	#5
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	In further comment, yes, the tip is broken off, but I wouldn't sweat it. This often happens to needly tips. If you do want to fix it, be advised that both these swords are probably differentially hardened, with hard steel in only a narrow strip along the cutting edge. Both the butt cap and (especially) the top ferule are nice features on the Luzon piece; by no means always seen; are they silver? They look different from the bottom ferule, which looks like brass? Very good chance also that both swords are folded steel. Inlaid edges are not likely on items of these types/vintage, though they were formerly known in the regions of course (I currently have a 19th talibon/garab/whatever they're called that seems to have a scarf-welded edge); solid steel blades with differential hardening seems to be the norm, with the occasional spring tempered piece interspersed.