How Strong are Luzon and Visayan Blades

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by ashkenaz

I've been seeing claims around some forums that Luzon and Visayan Blades are so weak, that they are made of incredibly soft iron, that they break after a few uses and that even Aztec wooden weapons are more effective, how accurate is this claim?

Hello ashkenaz,

all Luzon and Visayan blades I have in my collection are very well worked and frankly said I can't remember to have seen many broken blades from this region.
And let me make one remark, when a blade is worked from soft iron it will get bent and when on the other hand you have a "hard" blade there is the danger that it will break.
Do you can show us such claims?

And from me as well, welcome to the forum.

Regards,
Detlef

[ariel]

"Soft" and "weak" are different.
Central Asian knives were always deliberately made soft: that made them unbreakable but easily sharpened : the natives used the bottom of a ceramic "piala", a teacup. Any small rock would do, too.