Classic Talibon Hilt w/Atypical Blade

[xasterix]

Originally Posted by RobT

Xasterix,

You say it’s a really nice sundang. I am happy to agree with you that it is really nice and am glad you like it but could you explain to me why it’s a sundang rather than a talibon. I was basing my ID on the hilt but, if it’s an entirely different piece altogether, then my question as to whether or not it had a ferrule has to be based on what it actually is and whether sundangs always had ferrules (hopefully they didn’t because I would prefer not to have to make one…especially a rattan one).

Sincerely,
RobT

Halloo sir! It's part of the "name game" as others in this forum have noted before.

In the area where that blade came from (Leyte/Samar), "sundang" is a catch-all term for long fighting blades. In other Visayan areas, it's a general term for blades. In Mindanao and Sulu areas, it can refer to various blade species, but in pre-war times the term usually referred to kris or kalis (keris sundang, kris sundang, etc).

"Talibon" was a catch-all term used by the Spanish pre-1900 to refer to long or heavy war blades used by the natives located in Luzon and Visayas. The word has since been absorbed by Visayan-based natives and converted to "talibong," which refers to a fighting blade; the well-polished fighting blades are alternatively called "pinuti."

If I were to be highly specific about your blade, I would label it as a Pulahan "garab" with a tip-belly blade profile (as opposed to the usual ones whose bellies are nearer to the middle).