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Old 18th October 2012, 07:22 PM   #30
Bangkaya
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Hello,
Though are a number of variations of blade style in Bicol, there are basically 4 prevalent types:

Minasbad
Dinahong-palay
Ginunting
Sinampalok

This was all explained to me by a panday from Tabaco, Albay in Bicol. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take photos since I left my camera at my friends house (we were in search of pili nuts and just happened to run into the panday.) Most of the swords pictured on this thread are sinampalok or dinahong-palay (dahon palay in tagalog=rice leaf.) The minasbad is the long sword sometimes with an elaborate guard. The ginunting has a blade that is recurved but not hooked down like the modern Ilonggo or Marine Recon ginunting. The dinahong-palay and sinampalok are similar, however, the blade on the sinampalok tapers towards the hilt where the dinahong-palay maintains a constant width then abrubtly tapers usually with a hook like projection or goosenecks to the ricasso (much like a tinamban sansibar from Leyte.) As for the figural carving, he described this type seen on this thread as inaso or aso (dog) faced carving. The other figural style is called sawa which I believe is more of a crocodile or naga form.

Regards,
Bankaya
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