Kampilan

[kai]

Hello Robert,

The blade it 5/16 inch thick at the hilt. Taking that into consideration, what would be your opinion as to the age of this piece?

8mm is not thick for a kampilan - many old ones are half an inch or more. However, there are also thinner ones from the 19th c. (some may be worn but one wouldn't expect a lot of wear at the base of these blades). I'd prefer to feel the balance and examine the kampilan up close and personal to get a better idea but short of that I think I'll stick with the late 19th c. guess.

An interesting feature is the kinked carving at the base of the pommel; would be interesting to see more exmples like this.

Regards,
Kai