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Old 1st February 2019, 01:22 AM   #16
xasterix
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David
No worries Xasterix, and nice to have an identifier on the blade type. Can you tell us where your information is referenced from. I have never seen such specifics of these type of blades before.
Yes, i suppose this blade my have seen some use before the war. One thing for certain is that it is a very serious blade, not made cheaply or just for show and it does show some wear, though in what context it is hard to say.
Hi David, I'm attaching here the reference pic from Filipino Traditional Blades, I just added the numbers. The persons on the ground (with some native to Iloilo), are a mix of mountaineers and speleologists who have made it their life's work to rediscover modern traditional blades, with an occasional benchmarking against available vintage and antique samples both in PH and abroad.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kai
1. I'd tend to refer to this 17" blade as ginunting even if it exhibits a false edge & slight belly and leans forward a tad; hilt Bakunawa (= Binukay?). Ilonggo, I'd guess?
Hi Kai, yes that is indeed a ginunting according to the FilTradBlades classification; regarding the hilt, I'll ask around what it's called. And yep, it must be Ilonggo; as far as I can tell, the metal accents on the scabbard and the hilt seem to be consistent among Iloilo blades.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kai
2. A basically straight 19" blade - IMHO it seems tough to call this a clip point; with such slender & straight blades the separation between bakutan and linamay seem to blur... BTW, what is the name of this traditional hilt style? Does the distinct scabbard style allow to narrow down its origin?
As stated in the FilTradBlades page, they classify that basic hilt style as "utility". You're right there is some blurring of blade profile classification. Here are my takes on the different blade profiles:

1. Linamay- starts narrow from the tang, then straight spine, bulges near the tip, no false edge.

2. Bakutan- May be narrow all throughout or progresses in the same way as Linamay; a clip point starts from the last 1/5th or even 1/7th of the blade; the underside (blade edge) is round. May have a false edge.

The main confusion, even among locals, is focused on the kinampit and ginunting, reason being that smiths from different areas in Panay may classify them about the same, or interchange the terms. With regard to FilTradBlade's classification, I believe they classify it as such:

3. Ginunting- Resembles an upside-down linamay.

4. Kinampit- Resembles the usual ginunting blade profile found in many modern blades.

That being said...I use the 'kinampit' term more often, as the locals of Libacao, Aklan (the highlands) prefer use that as a catch-both term. There are several sources in Panay Island of modern talibong, I believe these may be the same sources for the vintage and antique ones [proceeds from municipality, province] :

1. Estancia, Iloilo
2. Sibalom, Antique
3. Culasi, Antique
4. Tapaz, Capiz
5. Libacao, Aklan

Quote:
Originally Posted by kai
BTW, what language did you utilize as lingua franca for the given names (Panay pieces)? Any chance to assemble a table specifying the equivalent terms for all ethnic (sub)groups?
I have to double-check this, but I believe the main dialect used for classification was Hiligaynon, the major dialect in Panay Island. It has many similarities with Cebuano. Kai, great idea on the language and classification table; I'll suggest this to the guys on the ground. Regading Negros Island, they have a very similar blade to the Talibong-Linamay which they call "Tiyanan".

I'm including here additional pics of vintage Iloilo talibongs; also from the same source as mine. They haven't been restored yet, straight out of storage I think.
Attached Images
    

Last edited by xasterix; 1st February 2019 at 02:03 AM.
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