A working bolo for your comments

tom hyle · 9th April 2005, 06:36 AM

What challenges me is getting the stuff to keep laying flat, and that's where knot patterns learned from cord don't help, I guess. I guess it's partly a matter of wetted/green pliability, and maybe narrower strips may be easier to keep flat through the side-winding than would wide ones. What of basket books? I haven't checked; just some thoughts.

Ferguson · 9th April 2005, 11:14 AM

Searching the old forum came up with the book "Creative Ropecraft". I've ordered a used copy from Amazon.com. Also ordered some 11/64" flat/oval reed from here: http://www.royalwoodltd.com/cat05-06r.htm

We'll see how it goes. Thanks for all of your help guys.

Steve

Rick · 9th April 2005, 04:17 PM

It might be helpful when using the wet method to tightly bind the wrapping itself during the drying process so that as it dries and shrinks it is kept flat .

I would guess that this weaving was originally done with green rattan strips and I don't know if the same effect could be obtained by using re-wetted rattan .

tom hyle · 10th April 2005, 05:03 AM

A layer of some kind of temporary over-binding to make it lay flat while drying may be a good idea; I use it sometimes when leather-binding a wooden sheath. There's something about rattan not reacting to water as leather does; it seems real important, but I can't remember what it is.....

zelbone · 11th April 2005, 02:09 AM

Steve, here's a couple more for you to compare. These are NOT "matulis" bolos that have been chopped but forged specifically into this blade form. Included is a close-up of the tips to show that they actually flare up at the end.

Ferguson · 11th April 2005, 10:23 AM

Very nice Zelbone. Thanks!

Steve

tom hyle · 11th April 2005, 05:37 PM

Zelbone is quite correct. Be aware that neither I, nor AFAIK, anyone has said that any of these examples actually had had a point cut off them, but that they were a variation on a style AS IF the point were "cut off" ie blunt (this was indeed sometimes done to "demilitarize"/etc. an existant sword). As you say, the slightly flared end is there, and not only that, but their length in relation to the curvature (more striking to my artist's eye, I guess) is the same; the curved tip (the part analagous to the actual cutting blade, rather than the "shaft" of a talibon) is just as long, and similarly curved, but just with a different end. One does, from time to time, especially with caribean/Southern N American machetes, and on small knives carried by soldiers and/or sailors (etc.) see both blades whose points have actually been cut/snapped for "safety", and "Safe point/cut point" ones that have been reground or otherwise reshaped to be thrustable. Also, be aware that a differently shaped point does have some different cutting capabilities. A wide tip is less vibratory, so more solid for cutting to the very tip, so in affect, for cutting, longer, and has been preferred by some workers and warriors for some purposes, and this is certainly a native concept that's been seen in SE Asian swords for a long time. I think we're seeing more the Spanish "blunted" idea here, but that's certainly an alternate line of thought that could have a lot of validity.

11th April 2005, 02:09 AM	#5
zelbone Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: VISAYAS and MINDANAO Posts: 169	Steve, here's a couple more for you to compare. These are NOT "matulis" bolos that have been chopped but forged specifically into this blade form. Included is a close-up of the tips to show that they actually flare up at the end. Attached Images

9th April 2005, 06:36 AM	#1
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	What challenges me is getting the stuff to keep laying flat, and that's where knot patterns learned from cord don't help, I guess. I guess it's partly a matter of wetted/green pliability, and maybe narrower strips may be easier to keep flat through the side-winding than would wide ones. What of basket books? I haven't checked; just some thoughts.

9th April 2005, 11:14 AM	#2
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Searching the old forum came up with the book "Creative Ropecraft". I've ordered a used copy from Amazon.com. Also ordered some 11/64" flat/oval reed from here: http://www.royalwoodltd.com/cat05-06r.htm We'll see how it goes. Thanks for all of your help guys. Steve

9th April 2005, 04:17 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	It might be helpful when using the wet method to tightly bind the wrapping itself during the drying process so that as it dries and shrinks it is kept flat . I would guess that this weaving was originally done with green rattan strips and I don't know if the same effect could be obtained by using re-wetted rattan .

10th April 2005, 05:03 AM	#4
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	A layer of some kind of temporary over-binding to make it lay flat while drying may be a good idea; I use it sometimes when leather-binding a wooden sheath. There's something about rattan not reacting to water as leather does; it seems real important, but I can't remember what it is.....

11th April 2005, 10:23 AM	#6
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Very nice Zelbone. Thanks! Steve

11th April 2005, 05:37 PM	#7
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Zelbone is quite correct. Be aware that neither I, nor AFAIK, anyone has said that any of these examples actually had had a point cut off them, but that they were a variation on a style AS IF the point were "cut off" ie blunt (this was indeed sometimes done to "demilitarize"/etc. an existant sword). As you say, the slightly flared end is there, and not only that, but their length in relation to the curvature (more striking to my artist's eye, I guess) is the same; the curved tip (the part analagous to the actual cutting blade, rather than the "shaft" of a talibon) is just as long, and similarly curved, but just with a different end. One does, from time to time, especially with caribean/Southern N American machetes, and on small knives carried by soldiers and/or sailors (etc.) see both blades whose points have actually been cut/snapped for "safety", and "Safe point/cut point" ones that have been reground or otherwise reshaped to be thrustable. Also, be aware that a differently shaped point does have some different cutting capabilities. A wide tip is less vibratory, so more solid for cutting to the very tip, so in affect, for cutting, longer, and has been preferred by some workers and warriors for some purposes, and this is certainly a native concept that's been seen in SE Asian swords for a long time. I think we're seeing more the Spanish "blunted" idea here, but that's certainly an alternate line of thought that could have a lot of validity.