My first kris :)

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by Spunjer

hi miguel

welcome, pare..
at the base of the handle, the brass looking thingy; it reminds me of the bagung lipunan singko centavo coin. or is it?

also, between the handle and the pommel, there appears to be a clear, milky substance. is just a reflection from the cam, or is it glue?
if you can remove the blade from the handle (with heat) you should be able to tell if the wood is fairly new or old.

Hi Spunjer,

Thanks for the welcome, pare ko!

On the brass thingy between the hilt and the gangya, I compared the number of luks on that old Phil. coin (below) vs. the one in the kris ... hence, it's not that coin that was used (or any other coin for that matter I think).

On the white thing beneath the pommel, I checked and yes, it looks like it's glue. So it looks like the pommel is a recent addition?

On removing the blade, let me gather some more courage first, hehe.

Thanks and mabuhay [cheers]!

[kai]

Hello Miguel,

Thanks, I'll gladly let you know when I make it to Manila (didn't realized you being from the Philippines) - always nice to meet up with forumites! I'm afraid having to admit that I prefer food which can be tackled with chop sticks rather than swords though...

On the white thing beneath the pommel, I checked and yes, it looks like it's glue. So it looks like the pommel is a recent addition?

I still think that it's most likely the middle section (grip) which got replaced or pimped up. As Bill mentioned, done fairly nicely for this type but it does look later than blade and pommel; the "brass looking thingy"/"ferrule" is certainly "over the edge" and not needed IMHO.

On removing the blade, let me gather some more courage first, hehe.

Just heat the blade with a candle (or other weak flame) for a while; make sure you don't cut yourself! If the blade got also attached by the modern glue, it will be very difficult to remove it though.

Regards,
Kai

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by kai

Hello Miguel,

Thanks, I'll gladly let you know when I make it to Manila (didn't realized you being from the Philippines) - always nice to meet up with forumites! I'm afraid having to admit that I prefer food which can be tackled with chop sticks rather than swords though...

Kai (et al.), yes just let me know when you'll be in town.

To make it more equitable, all those forumites who commented on this post of mine when they get to Manila will get a full course dinner ... while those who didn't comment will still be welcome ... but they will just get a mug of beer or any drink of their choice

If your prefer to go "arnis" (chopsticks) instead of swords, there's a lot of good Chinese and Japanese restaurants here also

Originally Posted by kai

I still think that it's most likely the middle section (grip) which got replaced or pimped up. As Bill mentioned, done fairly nicely for this type but it does look later than blade and pommel; the "brass looking thingy"/"ferrule" is certainly "over the edge" and not needed IMHO.

Ok, thanks for the additional comments.

Originally Posted by kai

Just heat the blade with a candle (or other weak flame) for a while; make sure you don't cut yourself! If the blade got also attached by the modern glue, it will be very difficult to remove it though. Regards, Kai

Copy ... and I think I should definitely do this one of these days.

Thanks again for the comments!!

[migueldiaz]

Talking about Moro weapons, Krieger [Bulletin 137 of The Smithsonian Institution: The Collection of Primitive Weapons and Armor of the Philippine Islands in the United States National Museum by Herbert W. Krieger, 1926] identified 64 types, as follows:

1. cabil
2. ompac
3. tanculo
4. paruar
5. capipis
6. pamale
7. sia
8. corang
9. agong
10. togo
11. togoiran
12. cotlong
13. pamarang
14. sayap
15. sayapi
16. colingtan
17. pauli
18. busoc
19. tunot
20. lantaca
21. dantunot
22. sabilulan
23. dampig
24. yrong
25. moro mindanos
26. taming
27. calasac
28. lunar
29. mimpil
30. duyar agong
31. duyar colingtan
32. duyar sabilulan
33. lugay cotlong
34. tombag
35. dilo
36. tinagoo
37. budiar
38. pisao
39. pangogam
40. kilapris
41. alina
42. compay
43. saganab
44. kris
45. talibong
46. lanti
47. badong
48. zayang
49. ligua
50. sipul
51. puro
52. tinamban
53. aguial
54. kris [another type apparently]
55. tabas [same as panabas?]
56. campilan
57. datupani
58. singari
59. badao
60. balasion
61. narani
62. sandata
63. carimay
64. tupat

Given that for instance the bangkung and the barung were not listed, then certainly they must have been called by other names in the above.

The other inference that may be surmised from the list is that perhaps some of them must be closely related to each other, such that there are not really 64 major weapon types.

Anyway, would anybody know whether there is a particular item in the above that is a class on its own, as in it is not a variant of the others?

Thanks.