IF THE BLADE HAS A CHINESE STAMP AND CAME COMPLETE AND WAS ALREADY A FINISHED BLADE PERHAPS A COMPLETE WEAPON. IN SUCH A CASE NO FORGEING WOULD BE REQUIRED LOCALLY AND IT WOULD GO STRAIGHT TO RETAIL.
IF A SHEET OF FINISHED STEEL WAS READY TO CUT TO SHAPE AND PUT ON EDGES AND FINISH THIS CAN BE DONE BY STOCK REMOVAL, AGAIN FORGEING IS NOT NECESSARY.
PERHAPS NAILS, BALL BEARINGS OR CAR PARTS WERE USED OR THE TRADERS BROUGHT THE LOCAL SMITH SOME BILLITS THEN LOCALS WOULD DO THE FORGEING AND IF THERE WERE ANY MAGICAL OR SPIRITUAL CEREMONIES THEY COULD BE PERFORMED PROPERLY.
I FEEL ITS DIFFERENT IF THESE CEREMONIES ARE PREFORMED DURING FORGEING PERHAPS ADDING A SPIDER OR SNAKE POISON OR SOME OTHER MATERIAL WITH MAGICAL PROPERTIES. I SUPPOSE A SHAMAN OR PRIEST COULD BLESS A WEAPON IMPORTED FROM CHINA OR ELSEWHERE BUT IT WOULD NOT FOLLOW THE OLD TRADITIONS.
I AM NOT SAYING A FACTORY MONO STEEL BLADE IS NOT BETTER BUT THAT OF THE TWO I WOULD PREFER A TRADITIONALLY MADE BLADE.
A DATU MIGHT HAVE WANTED A LARGE SUPPLY OF WEAPONS FOR HIS WARRIORS AND LOCAL SMITHS COULD NOT SUPPLY THEM AS QUICKLY OR AS CHEAP AS TRADERS. IT IS LIKELY A DATU OR MORO WARRIOR COULD GET A GOOD BLADE CHEAPER FROM CHINA OR OTHER PLACES BECAUSE THEY BROUGHT THEM IN BY THE BOAT LOAD JUST LIKE TODAY IN AMERICA. I HAVE NOT FOUND PHILIPPINE BLADES WITH CHINESE MARKS TO BE COMMON AND HAVE SEEN MANY MORE WITH NO MARKS.
THATS THE BEST I CAN DO AT EXPLAINING MY THOUGHTS I AM NOT REALLY TRYING TO MAKE A POINT JUST EXPRESSING MY THINKING ON IT.
