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Old 10th November 2018, 06:15 PM   #1
xasterix
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Talking Share your Pulahanes Talibong

This sword is hotly debated among my blade expert friends. Did it come from Central Cebu, or Eastern Visayas? Is there still a living traditional smith who can resurrect this blade from obscurity? How many variations are there?

These questions hound this blade, yet for me it's an awesome weapon, one that can dispose of even the thickest of water bottles very cleanly (I can just imagine what it can do one's limbs or head).

In the spirit of other past threads I've read here (Show us your Barung! Show us your Bangkung!, etc) I've thought of starting this thread to give some love to this particular talibong- which I've simply labeled as 'Pulahanes' in memory of those that wielded this particular weapon in my country during the 1900s.

To start it off, here's mine. I found it ignored and rusty in an antique shop without a scabbard (I had one built to accommodate it). Estimated by a blade expert-friend to be pre-WW2. 25-inch blade with heat treatment still intact, 7-inch hilt. Forward-weighted, gathers momentum pretty fast. Got three microcracks near the tip, and heavy patina at the 'action' portion of the blade. Once sharpened, cut like a beast.

Share your talibong/s as well!
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Old 11th November 2018, 01:58 PM   #2
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Hello Xasterix,

there should be a lot in the collections of our members, hope they will post their examples.
Here my ones, the first two pictures show the examples I have here in Germany, a Garab and two Talibon, I guess that the big Talibon is a very rare variant, worked for a left-hander. I am a left-hander so it's my personal weapon!
The next two pictures show another Talibon, one with a horn handle, the handle binding need to get restored.
Next pictures show a rather recent addition to the collection so only seller pictures.

Regards,
Detlef
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Old 11th November 2018, 03:48 PM   #3
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My example is deep in one of my storage chests; but here is a picture from the History of Steel exhibition at the Macao Museum of Art some years back... until I can dig it out and re-photograph it.
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Old 11th November 2018, 03:53 PM   #4
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Talibong/Garab?

I might have a few.

...and also a very curious cat.

Have fun,
Leif
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Old 11th November 2018, 06:50 PM   #5
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Just a couple
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Old 12th November 2018, 06:23 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sajen
Hello Xasterix,

there should be a lot in the collections of our members, hope they will post their examples.
Here my ones, the first two pictures show the examples I have here in Germany, a Garab and two Talibon, I guess that the big Talibon is a very rare variant, worked for a left-hander. I am a left-hander so it's my personal weapon!
The next two pictures show another Talibon, one with a horn handle, the handle binding need to get restored.
Next pictures show a rather recent addition to the collection so only seller pictures.

Regards,
Detlef
Great weapons, and I'm surprised at the belly-width of some of those talibongs! How many inches is the thickest among them?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
My example is deep in one of my storage chests; but here is a picture from the History of Steel exhibition at the Macao Museum of Art some years back... until I can dig it out and re-photograph it.
I've adored your talibong for a long time. Glad it's sleeping well!

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Originally Posted by Rafngard
Talibong/Garab?

I might have a few.

...and also a very curious cat.

Have fun,
Leif
You have an amazing Talibong family- really nice hilts especially!

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Originally Posted by Spunjer
Just a couple
The aesthetic value of your pieces rock!
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Old 12th November 2018, 07:43 AM   #7
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If I may add a rejoinder- any thoughts regarding the varying belly width of talibongs? Which do you think are the older variants- thin ones or the thick ones? Or they coexisted at the same time period?
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Old 12th November 2018, 08:43 AM   #8
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I have a couple of 'villager' garabs and a talibong. all right hand chisel edged. All razor sharp. All from Jun Silva, from the Cebu area, latter half 20thc.
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Old 12th November 2018, 01:37 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kronckew
I have a couple of 'villager' garabs and a talibong. all right hand chisel edged. All razor sharp. All from Jun Silva, from the Cebu area, latter half 20thc.
Thanks for buying from a Filipino artisan sir. The Silvas are still smithing blades nowadays
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Old 12th November 2018, 04:45 PM   #10
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[QUOTE=xasterix]Great weapons, and I'm surprised at the belly-width of some of those talibongs! How many inches is the thickest among them?/QUOTE]

Thank you! The left-hander one with the big belly is 2 1/4" broad at the widest point.

Regards,
Detlef
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Old 12th November 2018, 04:48 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xasterix
If I may add a rejoinder- any thoughts regarding the varying belly width of talibongs? Which do you think are the older variants- thin ones or the thick ones? Or they coexisted at the same time period?
Personally I think they coexisted at the same time period!
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Old 12th November 2018, 05:40 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xasterix
Thanks for buying from a Filipino artisan sir. The Silvas are still smithing blades nowadays
Topic off
(I have a ginunting he made too)
Topic on
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Old 12th November 2018, 07:04 PM   #13
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Here are mine.
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Old 12th November 2018, 07:06 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xasterix
I found it ignored and rusty in an antique shop without a scabbard (I had one built to accommodate it).
That’s a fine replacement scabbard. Did you make it or had it commissioned from someone?
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Old 12th November 2018, 08:33 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kino
Here are mine.
Ayos!
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Old 12th November 2018, 11:15 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kino
That’s a fine replacement scabbard. Did you make it or had it commissioned from someone?
Hi sir, I had it made by Jun Deuna, a traditional smith from Southern Palawan. He mostly does Palawan blades (Badung, Bangkung, etc). You can look him up on Facebook, Blade Jun Traditional Philippine bolo is his Facebook page.
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Old 12th November 2018, 11:22 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kino
Here are mine.
Delectable swords sir, I an most curious about the straight variant. What is its blade length? It reminds me a bit of the Lawihan blade from Cebu.

Also, how is it with regard to handling? Is it forward-tipping as well like the angled hilt variants, or does it just glide along smoothly?

Btw, credits to Filipino Traditional Blades Facebook page for the photos I'm attaching.
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Last edited by xasterix; 13th November 2018 at 06:46 AM.
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Old 13th November 2018, 12:53 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spunjer
Ayos!
Lolz
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Old 24th November 2018, 02:49 AM   #19
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Here is mine. It was captured/turned in on the island of Bohol, July 1901.
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Old 25th November 2018, 03:18 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Battara
Here is mine. It was captured/turned in on the island of Bohol, July 1901.
It seems frozen in time. Great work preserving this one!
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Old 25th November 2018, 08:54 PM   #21
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Thank you. This was I believe use by the "Bolo Men" on Bohol who fought against the Americans during the Philippine-American War. They were formidable in the bush and only after the end of the war did they surrender. Some of the Bolo Men (what the American forces called them) were from Cebu and moved there to fight under Pedro Samson. This was probably a captured piece from fighting in or near the town of Tagbilaran, Bohol.

Some of this information is actually written in fading ink on the scabbard.
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Old 26th November 2018, 06:38 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Battara
Thank you. This was I believe use by the "Bolo Men" on Bohol who fought against the Americans during the Philippine-American War. They were formidable in the bush and only after the end of the war did they surrender. Some of the Bolo Men (what the American forces called them) were from Cebu and moved there to fight under Pedro Samson. This was probably a captured piece from fighting in or near the town of Tagbilaran, Bohol.

Some of this information is actually written in fading ink on the scabbard.
Very interesting. The info written on the scabbard is precious, and may help in locating the true region-of-origin of this elusive blade. It seems long- I'm guessing 23-25 inches blade length- and also a combat-based blade, with little to no utility purpose.
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Old 26th November 2018, 05:26 PM   #23
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Actual blade length is 23 1/2 inches. Good guess range.
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Old 29th March 2019, 04:12 PM   #24
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Hello everyone. Just poking this old thread to ask for assistance from generous forum members. I've been scouring through all available references within reach for more than a month, and I'm thinking I'm finally closer to pinpointing the local name of this weapon (it's not 'garab'; it goes by another name). I would be most grateful if any of you who own a talibong that has any engraving, whether symbolic or in words, can either post a pic or type the contents. This might help me accumulate more clues towards thorough identification of this particular blade.

Maraming salamat in advance!
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Old 29th March 2019, 04:57 PM   #25
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No one which is in my posession show an engraving of any sort on the blade, sorry.
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Old 29th March 2019, 05:23 PM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sajen
No one which is in my posession show an engraving of any sort on the blade, sorry.
ah sorry I was unclear - engraving on the blade, carving on the scabbard, piece of paper as providence, etc. any indicator of the blade's providence
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Old 29th March 2019, 06:33 PM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xasterix
ah sorry I was unclear - engraving on the blade, carving on the scabbard, piece of paper as providence, etc. any indicator of the blade's providence
Only one show on the backside three letters which are initials IMVHO.
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Old 29th March 2019, 06:38 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sajen
Only one show on the backside three letters which are initials IMVHO.
Yup looks like it. Although I'll also run it through the common names of places in the Visayas. Thanks for this!
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Old 29th November 2020, 06:18 PM   #29
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Hi, just reviving this thread in the hope that more people will contribute samples. This was passed on to me by a fellow forum member recently; it's a fine specimen and I'm honored to be entrusted with it.
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Old 26th February 2021, 08:50 PM   #30
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Only have two... but here they are. Always hunting more... but so hard to come by.

Thank you all for sharing your collections and knowledge.
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