Questions on Filipino sword designs

Discussion in 'Filipino Martial Arts' started by callsignfuzzy, Nov 21, 2013.

  1. callsignfuzzy

    callsignfuzzy Is not a number!

    So I was watching this video-

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f49EPdTN_nI"]Moro Swords of Traditional Filipino Weapons - YouTube[/ame]

    I haven't the faintest idea as to whether the weapons being presented are "authentic", but since I've seen similar weapons before, I thought it was useful as a point of reference. Anyway, two questions-

    1) Is it just me, or is there a noticeable lack of hand guard? My understanding (not really being a weapons guy myself) is that most swords have some sort of "guard" between the blade and the hilt/handle if for no other reason than to prevent the hand from sliding down onto the blade once sweat, blood, and otehr factors have entered the equation. For Filipino weapons, it would seem that some of the triangular-ish blades make this unnecessary, ad the blade is wider than the hilt, but for most of the weapons shown here, the blade was about the same width at the hilt AS the hilt. I see a small, circular guard on a few of them, but with some it looks non-existent. Could just be I wasn't paying attention, though. Anyway, if there's no guard, why is that?

    2) What do the designs on the pommel (butt) signify? Were they personal/group identifiers? Simply decorative? Were some of the "spikier" ones used as one more hurtin' part of the weapon?

    Thanks in advance for any insight, and please pardon my ignorance.
     
  2. blindside

    blindside Valued Member

    Many of the Moro blades were dual purpose, both for utility and fighting. Just like current machetes, blades not specifically designed for fighting generally do not have guards. Blades that were entirely for fighting, like the keris (the one you are referring to with the "triangular" blade) or kampilan both feature guards.

    I am not that knowledgable about Moro blades, but certainly in the northern Philippines you see historical fighting blades that did not have a guard, and also see a similar design with a guard. Linking to a nice collection of historical sandata so you can see the variation of guard types:
    http://www.arscives.com/historysteel/phil.contributors.htm

    The hilt designs vary, one of the ones you may be referring to is the cockatoo head, named after the bird.
     
  3. shootodog

    shootodog restless native

    Traditionally, there are no handguards. Most of these weapons were evolved from bolos and itaks that were both utility and weapon. The evolution made it more weapon but the basic design remains as testament to it's lineage. These were made for the citizen warriors.

    There were handguards on some bolos and itaks during the revolution but this was more due to the Spanish influence of the military sabers. Those were military weapons.


    Yes, the ends have evolved to be decorative and distinct for each ethnic tribe wielding them but they are "sharp" for close quarters where you cannot swing your blade and you have to use the pommel to strike your opponent. Punyo is a very effective strike.
     
  4. Pat OMalley

    Pat OMalley Valued Member

    Not all military swords have a pronounced hand guard. Take the Gladius for instance.

    You will also notice particularly with the Filipino swords that they tend to be shorter. Now that is not because the people are shorter. It's because of the environment they are fighting in which causes the nature of the fight. Larger swords that have more need for a hand guard because of the largo range / long range dominant fighting skills. Where as the Filipino's fighting more often in the jungle or on the deck of a ship would need a shorter sword and a corto or close range dominant method of fighting not so reliant on a hand guard.

    Try fighting in a jungle with say a hand and a half sword or even a katana. Swap those for a Barong or boil and see how much easier it is. The same goes for the deck of a ship where a long sword was just as dangerous to your friends around you as it was to your enemy. Why do you think ships crew used a cutlass which is a short sabre as opposed to the longer full length sabres.
     
  5. blindside

    blindside Valued Member

    But virtually every cutlass has at least a D-guard, many have much more extensive hand protection.
     
  6. Pat OMalley

    Pat OMalley Valued Member

    yes because it was designed specifically for combat and based on sabre type blades. A lot of earlier European swords did not have as much hand protection and a large portion of the Filipino blades where either based on or doubled up as utility blades. So duel purpose or not it's original use would play a major role in that too.
     
  7. callsignfuzzy

    callsignfuzzy Is not a number!

    But they did have a distinct stopper between the hilt and blade. I'm not expecting every guard to look like a European great sword, but a complete lack of an obvious, distinct cross-guard, even one as comparatively small as the tsuba found on Japanese swords, seems unusual.

    I promise that if I'm ever in a jungle with a variety of swords, I'll do as you say. You could, of course, speed up the process by flying me to Thailand, the PI, or Brazil, and sending me said swords.:p
     

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