Barung; weapon, tool or tourist piece?

[David]

Bill, if you are talking about the barong that the guy all the way on the left is carrying (i assume you are, but it's not actually in his belt, but hung over his shoulder) i would not be willing to pass any judgement on it's age based on this view. It could be new or it might have belonged to his grandfather.
That being said, you are absolutely right. Just because a barong is newly made does not mean that it is not a fully functional weapon. These weapons are still traditionally made in the Philippines. They are not all cheap tourist items.

[Lee]

For when the video disappears from the BBC website...

[Emanuel]

Looks like he's carrying a gayang http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8261

[hideyoshi]

it rather resembles to this newly made barongs, i think....

[Lew]

Looks recent to me also with a small blade. You can sever a head with a 9-12" as long as its sharp and is heavy enough but that blade is recently made looks nothing like the older barungs. Btw an weapon could be a janap and not a barung?

[VVV]

I have seen captured swords, barongs and kris, from a friend in the Force Recon of the Filipino Marines.
All of them seems to be late 20th C.
It´s interesting that the one on the picture is a shorter version.
The ginunting of the Filipino Marines is also shorter than the one that the instructors of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali got in the 90´s.
I was told that the reason why is for it to be easier to carry and that it´s only used for closed quarters.
I still prefer the old one that was individually measured for each instructor.

Michael

[Dimasalang]

Originally Posted by VVV

I have seen captured swords, barongs and kris, from a friend in the Force Recon of the Filipino Marines.
All of them seems to be late 20th C.
It´s interesting that the one on the picture is a shorter version.
The ginunting of the Filipino Marines is also shorter than the one that the instructors of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali got in the 90´s.
I was told that the reason why is for it to be easier to carry and that it´s only used for closed quarters.
I still prefer the old one that was individually measured for each instructor.

Michael

I believe Lorenz brought this up before.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...7&postcount=28

I also bought a modern day ginunting from Buddy, the smith who makes them for the Filipino Marines.

[migueldiaz]

Some more recent blades, as used by the soldiers of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front, from this video ...

[David]

Originally Posted by hideyoshi

it rather resembles to this newly made barongs, i think....

Actually the only similarity i can see is perhaps the color of the wood. The hilt form is definitely not the sam as these. The curve of the hilt looks much more pronounced and the back crest of the kakatau comes right off top of the pommel, not attached to the back of the hilt like the ones you show. The sheath form is also completely different. This is not to say that this isn't a recent blade, just that it is not the same as these ones you show.

[migueldiaz]

"Rambo" (the one with the M-60) seems to be clutching a blade, but with a shorter hilt ...

[migueldiaz]

By the way, the size of that barung looks like about the same size as the contemporary pira below.

I bought the pira from a local FMA blade instructor, who in turn got it from a Phil. military colonel who served in Basilan. Not sure though if the pira was a capture piece.

The pira's overall lt. is 410 mm (16"), and the blade length is 270 mm (10.5") (blade thickness at hilt is 6 mm or 1/4"). The blade's temper line is visible upon close inspection of the pira.

My point is that this small size (whether it's a barong or a pira, etc.) appears to be a good size for secondary and back-up purposes.