Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

mross · 26th May 2010, 05:25 PM

I would like to have a discussion on the Allure of the Core. What is it about these blades that we find so alluring? They seem to have true multi-cultural allure, but for the purposes of this thread I want to stick to Philippine weapons. I have referenced some from the list here;
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore

Rather then waste space for a discussion of reasons for twist core, I’ll refer you to Manfred Sachses book “Damascus Steel”.

I have an opinion that the twistcore is somewhat of a contradiction in the Moro’s exhibiting of status.
Here is a interesting point of contradiction; The Moro’s used the handle as the sign of a higher cast persons blade, reference the silver and ivory and other exotic handle material and shapes. The scabbards to some degree showed status too. The underlining theme here is the parts that could be observed without the blade being drawn where how the Moro’s showed status. The question then becomes why so much attention to the blade for twisted core? It would be a very time consuming and expensive task. Even today’s smiths charge quite a bit to do it. I have observed some twisted core that don’t exhibit the status type handle. So again why? It seems unlikely that a lower status person would have the funds to buy a twist core blade, if he was a high status person then the handle would show it. Some possibilities;
1) One observation is that the older archaic type blades with twist core do not seem to have the elaborate status handles. It is possible that these archaic blades regardless of blade types do not have the status handle. Does anyone have information on this? It would be an interesting area of study to see when the status handles came into vogue. If this proves to be the case then that information is helpful in dating blades. It is also possible the status handles where more sedate, status being shown by materials and not elaborate styles.
2) The handle is a rehilt(We have seen this in a thread I started ).
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11599
There can be many reasons for this but first and foremost is probably money.

I have a hypothesis that the twist core billets where an import item and not locally made. Another hypothesis is that there was one region that made them and then traded the billets. Using some what flawed logic, if a local smith had his shop set up to do it why don’t we see more? I think it very unlikely that these where made in a haphazard way. It’s unlikely that a Datu, or other high status person would go to a smith that has never made a twistcore and hence does not have his shop set up for it and say make me one. Lots of question but no answers. Thoughts?

26th May 2010, 05:25 PM	#1
mross Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 478	Allure of the Core I would like to have a discussion on the Allure of the Core. What is it about these blades that we find so alluring? They seem to have true multi-cultural allure, but for the purposes of this thread I want to stick to Philippine weapons. I have referenced some from the list here; http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=twistcore Rather then waste space for a discussion of reasons for twist core, I’ll refer you to Manfred Sachses book “Damascus Steel”. I have an opinion that the twistcore is somewhat of a contradiction in the Moro’s exhibiting of status. Here is a interesting point of contradiction; The Moro’s used the handle as the sign of a higher cast persons blade, reference the silver and ivory and other exotic handle material and shapes. The scabbards to some degree showed status too. The underlining theme here is the parts that could be observed without the blade being drawn where how the Moro’s showed status. The question then becomes why so much attention to the blade for twisted core? It would be a very time consuming and expensive task. Even today’s smiths charge quite a bit to do it. I have observed some twisted core that don’t exhibit the status type handle. So again why? It seems unlikely that a lower status person would have the funds to buy a twist core blade, if he was a high status person then the handle would show it. Some possibilities; 1) One observation is that the older archaic type blades with twist core do not seem to have the elaborate status handles. It is possible that these archaic blades regardless of blade types do not have the status handle. Does anyone have information on this? It would be an interesting area of study to see when the status handles came into vogue. If this proves to be the case then that information is helpful in dating blades. It is also possible the status handles where more sedate, status being shown by materials and not elaborate styles. 2) The handle is a rehilt(We have seen this in a thread I started ). http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11599 There can be many reasons for this but first and foremost is probably money. I have a hypothesis that the twist core billets where an import item and not locally made. Another hypothesis is that there was one region that made them and then traded the billets. Using some what flawed logic, if a local smith had his shop set up to do it why don’t we see more? I think it very unlikely that these where made in a haphazard way. It’s unlikely that a Datu, or other high status person would go to a smith that has never made a twistcore and hence does not have his shop set up for it and say make me one. Lots of question but no answers. Thoughts?