Threaded full length tang on a Moro kris
 

This is a rather nice 19th C Moro kris (probably Maguindanao) that has had an interesting repair at some time. The pommel has a section cut out on the top and a large screw nut is visible. This suggested a threaded tang underneath, so I persuaded my friendly veterinarian to allow me to use his X-ray machine again to get a better look at the tang.

Tha attached pictures show the sword and an X-ray of the hilt. The X-ray reveals a full length tang and a threaded end to which the nut has been attached. Only about 3 cm of the original tang seems to remain. On top of it has been welded an iron rod, bent to conform to the hilt's shape, and threaded in its last few centimetres. An unusual repair for a broken tang on a kris.

At one time the sword had two asang asang, but only the support strips on either side of the hilt remain. Perhaps the stirrups were lost during the repair of the tang.
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"Necessity is the Mother of Invention."I guess if the threads are Standard, it might be an older repair, due to the long affiliation the United States has had with the Philpipines;JIS threads could indicate it was done during the Japanese Occupation of the Islands, and Metric threads might point to a newer repair........,or not.

Drac, thanks for your thoughts. Also, I would not rule out a repair in the late 19th C Spanish colonial period. The overlying plaited cord grip shows that it continued to be used after the repair.

Would the threads be hand made during the early 20c or machine made? 19c threads were usually hand made, meaning some slight imperfections.

Jose, given the "customized" job done on the tang, I think the threads were likely hand cut with a tap and die rather than machined.

Odd Nut
 

an,

Not the typical nut. It’s not the same but it looks something like the nut used to fasten a Japanese model 95 (AKA: NCO Shin Gunto) hilt to the tang.

Sincerely,
RobT

A similar mount is found on Russian shashkas, but the nut is completely screwed into the handle.

Cavalry shashka for enlisted men and junior officers, M1927

Sincerely,
Yuri

Thanks Pertinax. A very similar nut. Can you tell me the outer diameter of that nut and the diameter of the threaded tang?


Regards, Ian.

Nut - 12 mm diameter, 5-6 mm shank
Glad to help.

Best regards,
Yuri