I SAW THE UNUSUAL AX QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO IN SANTA FE NEW MEXICO. IT WAS VERY WELL MADE AND HAD GOOD AGE AND PATINA THRU-OUT AND WAS A SERVICABLE WEAPON. UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS PRICED VERY HIGH END SO I DIDN'T BUY IT. I HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT OF THIS FORM AS BONTOK BECAUSE THEY USUALLY SEEM TO HAVE SHORT HANDLES AND WIDE BLADES LACKING THE WELL CURVED EDGE OF THE KALINGA AX AND HAVING A MORE EVEN EDGE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY AX LIKE IT AND THE DESIGN CUT INTO THE BLADE WAS VERY WELL DONE ALMOST LOOKING LIKE A DAYAK TATOO.
ARE ANY OF THESE AXES STILL IN USE FOR WORK OR CEREMONY IN THE PHILIPPINES?
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