Mandau with twist core

[Maurice]

This is no made up piece imo.

The more I look at it the more I intend to believe the blade could be made for this mandau (by a Tausug smith what seem to be most likely)
I still need to see a (moro) blade with such twistcore this broad as on Michaels piece which could be a good candidate to turn it in the blade on Michael's.

I've seen several kampilans with twistcore blades, but the twistcore seem to be narrower as it's the case here!

Maybe it could be made for this mandau afterall???
Very interesting and I hope a forummember could post an image of a moroblade which "could be" turned into Michael's blade.

Maurice

[VVV]

Here is my twist core kampilan. I haven't seen that many???
The reason why I don't think it's just a reshaped kampilan blade is that it's much thinner than a mandau blade.

And here is a parang pedang with twist core. That's the only one I have seen.
So if it's reshaped it most probably have been made out of a sulu kris.

Michael

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by VVV

Here is my twist core kampilan. I haven't seen that many???
The reason why I don't think it's just a reshaped kampilan blade is that it's much thinner than a mandau blade.

And here is a parang pedang with twist core. That's the only one I have seen.
So if it's reshaped it most probably have been made out of a sulu kris.

Michael

With "I've seen several" I meant on images (your kampilan with twistcore included).
PS your parang pedang I've handled a while ago and is breathtaking!

Is a Sulu kris long enough to transform it to your mandaublade? (You might measure them next to your mandaublade, see if they would be long enough to reshape them?)


Maurice

[asomotif]

Hello Michael,

Odd one. I have never seen any mandau blade with a deliberately forged pattern. I can only think this is a trade blade reshaped into a mandaublade.

Measurements and a picture of the spine would be helpfull to the forumites.

Nice handle on this mandau BTW

Best regards,
Willem

[Spunjer]

here's a picture of a mandau (bottom row) among other moro weapons in a guardhouse. not common, but mandaus were used in sulu

[Maurice]

Originally Posted by Spunjer

here's a picture of a mandau (bottom row) among other moro weapons in a guardhouse. not common, but mandaus were used in sulu

Ron, that would also be an option......
Cool picture!

[Spunjer]

another Mandau that was presented to an american officer from Datu Pantog (?) of Tawi-Tawi...