My First Kampilan
 

a recently acquired kampilan from an antiques shop here in manila.

to my newbie eye, i think that the handle and scabbard are recent manufacture, am i correct?

but what got my eye was the apparent random folding patterns on the blade. im guessing its an older blade with refitted handle.

i cleaned it up a bit with 360 grit sandpaper and and oil. i am yet to etch it, maybe i will try citrus etching because its a long blade (around 41inches overall)

your comments are most welcome.

I don't know much about kampilans but I'm looking forward to seeing the blade after etching. :)

Fernando

I don't know much either, but I'll bet it's all new. :(

Yes, blade and fittings are typical examples of contemporary Maranao craftsmanship (maybe a bit above average, I suppose).

The blade seems to be forged well with good thickness and distal tapering; so, not a bad piece. However, the tip features are not perfect and possibly a bit weak for real action.

It's very, very tough to obtain genuine antique pieces in pretty much all countries of origin nowadays. I know it is a pain to import stuff from overseas but even if you loose a shipment once in while, your odds are far better when sourcing from the US (and also total cost can be lower if you are patient enough to wait for good offers). Still, caveat emptor needs to be kept in mind with any acquisition (modern pieces can pop up anywhere and not all sellers are trustworthy).

Regards,
Kai

Thank you for your insights. The seller actually told me that it was not an antique.

I was thinking before of getting a new reproduction Kampilan (sharp, battle ready like TFW or BCI) to have in my moro blades collection. Then i saw this, i think it is still capable of cutting (i would opt for softer targets like banana trees or straw mats).

good thing the price was not really high. if it breaks, i wont cry too long. hahaha