Identifying this kampilan
 

Having just joined this forum, I hope that I may post a picture of my kampilan and ask if anyone can tell me more about it. In previous searches elswhere, I have been the impression that the blade was obviously from the Filipines but that the handle might be from Borneo or Sulawesi.

I can post more detailed pictures if it would help.

Thank you.

Welcome to the forum Jubilado. I'd would guess the dress on this blade is actually Sumatran and it looks like fairly nice dress. Are the fittings actually silver? The blade does resemble a kampilan and i don't recall seeing blades like this coming from Sumatra so that's a mystery to me. How long is the blade alone?

Nechesh - thank you for the welcome.

The blade is 91 cm long and has been identified as a kampilan blade but it might have been traded or captured at some time in its history. I attach a scan of the blade tip.

The decoration of the grip and scabbard is silver; fairly pure I think, by the way it responds to cleaning.

Hello, I also have a puzzling knife which although small has a very similar scabbard and handle form, the blade however is quite different. In Albert G. Van Zonneveld's 'Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago' the hilt is known after a pepper grinder, he calls 'tombok lada' which he says has origins in Sumatra and the Malayan peninsular. I know little about these things and post this once before but the knife was unassigned an origin. Total length in the scabbard 28cm, the blade is laminated, just possible to see, which seems to excite some people. People with more knowledge might be able to be more precise. Tim

I agree. The first piece certainly seems to be Bogobo type kampillon blade with Sumatran mounts. It's nicely done, but an odd marriage.

I agree that the first one looks to be a small kampilan blade in Sumatran dress. The second is perhaps from Borneo or Sumatra.

Attached are pictures of an old B'laan or Bagobo kampilan. I originally posted these on the old EEWRS web site and they are not very good quality. Note that the shape of the end of the hilt is somewhat similar to the second example.

Ian.

Very nice scabbard. Are the decorative dots metal or shell? Any idea as to whether that is goat or human hair? Tim

Back To The Sword Under Discussion
 

When considering this blade and hilt combination one may wish to factor in the Moro / Sumatran connection .
With a blade length of approximately three feet I think it is larger than your typical Bagobo kampilan .

As an observation I'd like to comment that the kampilan blade looks quite old .

The blade does appear to be quite old. Looking at books the blade could also be from Timor. I may sound like a blasphemer but many blades from the Indonesian archipelago all seem largely variations on a few basic themes and being sure of there origin {and true names} :o may hinge on the scabbards and handles but even that has its problems. Tim

Tim:

The "dots" are small metal pins driven into the wood. The hair is probably from a horse.

Ian.