Kampilan Measurements

[imas560]

Hello all,
can someone point me in the right direction to get a nice side profile picture of a kampilan with an overall measurement and a weight. From this I can work out how to make a trainer and I'll be able to figure out blade length (usually looks like 2/3rds of the total) etc. Want this trainer to help round out my bio-stick practice, 42" rattan feels very light and an axe is too top heavy.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks

[imas560]

Found some photos, have got a template setup, a nice long strip of 6mm mild steel and the cutting equipment. Now all I need is a free weekend, oh and a weight, so if anyone knows the rough weight of a 42" kampilan would be much appreciated.

[The Oracle]

http://sbgswordforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=swordreviews&thread=13045&page=1

http://wapedia.mobi/en/Kampilan

The above may help.  The 1st link gives dimensions and weight of a Kampilan made by Kris Cutlery.

A good barong should weigh around 1 pound in weight (or even less depending on the quality/mix of steel), so the weight used be KC seems very reasonable for what is a much bigger sword.  Comparing to 2 handed Indian swords of the size, the weight also adds up.

Today we have a lot of cheap rubbish on the market, people using cheap steel, unbalanced swords which weigh stupid amounts i.e. 2.5 pound barongs!

The traditional swords were made of a unique mix of iron/steel/carbon and the blades were much lighter.

[imas560]

Very nice, looks like all the info I needed, many thanks.

[Admin]

Hi All.

Just recovering from a nationwide power-cut. Ours lasted 20 hours

Anyway, I will see if I can add some pics to this great thread, most notably from "Moro Swords" as that is a good reference and some of the trainers that GM Yuli has stopped making.

Regarding the weight I would be more concerned with "Balance" and the diameter of the handle. We went with GM Yuli to a well-known panday in Northern Luzon. His work was very bulky and despite having 15 guys or so working for him he did not know the correct way to hold a sansibar! His metal, kamagong handles and string work were really good though.

As a rough "rule of thumb" for the kampilan it should go up to your belly button. from memory (and I'm in a rush) the book quoted a 6 inch or so range of sizes.

Bye for now.

Simon.

[Admin]

[imas560]

The "Moro Swords" by Robert Cato is very nice. Am using a picture from it to make the template. Was trying to find a copy online, stopped looking when I could only find 1 that was going for more than US$500.

[imas560]

Some nice examples here

http://www.morolandhistory.com/

[imas560]

Thought I'd post a picture of my latest project as it is almost done. Just awaiting some brass rod and washers to fashion some rivets for the handle and then I can apply the finish. It's 42" long and weighs just over 2 kg.

[Propaganda]

Very nice work B, very impressive.mum i want one lol.
Just have to make a scabbard. Just joking.lol
But i was reading somewhere that they would make two halves of a scabbard, lash them together and when running in to the battle they would just hit someone with the scabbard and the sword would just break through the scabbard lashings. i think that big.lol

[Admin]

Looks great!

 It weighs over 2kg 

It shouldn't be a problem as the Kampilan practice is great for getting your whole body moving and powering the blade. I will weigh the live one I've got outside. That one has a Kamagong Scabbard. When you try and take it out and put it back in again you can see how cumbersome it would be on a battlefield.

The animal skins are talked about in "Moro Swords". Much the same way that Soldiers put a piece of tape and just fire through it on contact.

Simon.

[imas560]

Finished it on the weekend, well as much as I want to finish it. Had a drama fitting the handles. Found some chicago screws (bookbinding screws) so I didn't need to peen brass rivets and washers. So I spent a couple of hours shaping the handles and then coating with Shellac. Then I decided to superglue the handles to the steel tang, everything was going swimmingly until I realised that the handles were slightly misaligned (the holes were centered though) and hurriedly removed the handles from the tang. The glue only took under a minute to set (wood on wood), I couldn't prize the handle halves apart. Then I dropped the handle and part of the crossguard (which had had a hairline crack) just about broke off (a blessing really as I applied the superglue and it is now rock solid). So I spent a couple of hours on Sunday night furiously sanding off the Shellac and then sanding the whole handle again to reshape. And then re-applying three coats of Shellac before glueing (carefully) the handle to the tang before fitting the chicago screws.
Anyways, pictures are as follows.

[Admin]

Wow - cool pics 

Sorry to hear about the handle. When talking about making the Kampilan GM Yuli used to say that the handle was the most difficult bit and that's why he stopped making them.

The length / cost of the aluminum too was a factor.

When I used to sell them a couple of years back there was only one other company selling Training Kampilans like this. So I think you have created something very unique.

What kind of wood is it and it looks to be aluminum?

I do notice that quite a few Master's "pose" with the Kampilan for photographs, or have it as a logo but as yet I am still waiting to see videos from them using it.........

Simon.

[imas560]

Thanks Simon.
The wood is Rimu and when Shellac is applied shows a nice honey golden hue. I cut the handles with a jigsaw, used a plunge router to rebate the handle to accept the tang, a sander for most of the heavy sanding and a detail sander to shape the handle and rounding of edges. I read that sometimes the crossguard and handle were made seperately and then fitted but mine were one piece.
The metal is 6mm grade 250 mild carbon steel, I have a few offcuts at home. I wanted the weight of the steel as the bio-stick was light and I could feel where the body mechanics were coming into play but I needed more feedback/resistance. When I was watching the videos and moving with the bio-stick it was like one click of a combination lock.
The steel was marked with a template and a stanley knife. The 4 no. tang holes were drilled first and then the blank cut with a grinder with a cut-off wheel. Changed out to a grinding wheel to shape, round and clean up. Change out to a emery flap disc for de-burring and then rough polish with a couple of polishing wheels and compunds. Then a couple of layers of lacquer.
Was my first training blade so am quite chuffed. I got heaps of pointers from friends and my friendly gunsmith pointed me in the direction of the chicago screws. Also a friend lent me the greenpeter knife making dvd which was great. Am going to start trawling through the demo/wreckers yards for some old kauri floorboards/timber for my next project.

[imas560]

Just realised some of the pics got cropped when transferring via photobucket.
Simon if you could check your kampilan for overall weight and possibly let me point of balance would be greatly appreciated. Am thinking I have the other blank left over and wouldn't mind trying to make a live companion for the trainer.