@@Andrew_Fraser I wish more foreigners would make more videos about the Philippines. It is an amazing country that the world definitely deserves to see so please keep making more high-quality and very-well produced videos like this one. And finally, thank you for the great content. You have earned yourself a new subscriber. 👍
this is not about views pare masyado kang negative sa buhay pasalamat tayo may foreigner na nag documentary sa atin lalo na sa mga product na gawa ng pinoy para makilala sa ibat ibang bansa at tangkilikin . king marami kang ptoblema sa buhay at puro negative ang dumadaloy sa isip mo mas mabuting wag ka nlang mag salita kc di ka nakaka tuwa ha pare . pilipino kpaman din idadamay mo pa kami sa pagiging negative mo
this is not about views pare masyado kang negative sa buhay pasalamat tayo may foreigner na nag documentary sa atin lalo na sa mga product na gawa ng pinoy para makilala sa ibat ibang bansa at tangkilikin . king marami kang ptoblema sa buhay at puro negative ang dumadaloy sa isip mo mas mabuting wag ka nlang mag salita kc di ka nakaka tuwa ha pare . pilipino kpaman din idadamay mo pa kami sa pagiging negative mo
@@Andrew_Fraser being completely candid: society here has a growing problem with xenophobia, and its down to the rise of ugly ultranationalism that became popular during the former president's tenure. No one covers it on the news, but its really palpable nowadays. Hopefully these xenophobes will remain the minority though. What most of the 'foreigner haters' here don't realise is 12% of our population (our own family included) lived or still live in various countries around the world, and work so hard abroad, sacrificing our happiness and good years to give our relatives here the opportunity to even afford the devices they use on the net. then we see some people using these same devices to make those xenophobic comments and have these 'foreigners are bad' crap. please remember that most of us are grateful to the wider world and don't hate non-filipinos. you're doing an absolutely amazing job here! keep going, even if the minority are hateful, the majority appreciate your efforts! x
In the Philippines, the most common material for blade is what we call "molye" (spring steel), almost all knives/swords made by local blacksmiths are forged from these. If not molye, they usually forge blades out of bearing or chainsaw guide bar. In my collection, my favorite was made from a rail bar from a train track. What's interesting is that each region and ethnic group have their own styles, they differ in materials, form and blade profiles. So, any traditional blade enthusiast can easily determine from which ethnic group or region the blade came from, sometimes they can even determine who forged it. In my region which is also in Luzon, traditional blades often have carabao horn hilts (the albino horns are prettier, but rare), then the ferrules and pommels are made of brass or aluminum, usually with engravings. Thanks for featuring this often-overlooked tradition! Even Filipinos don't know much about them.
I heard out about that years ago when we sold our old truck's leaf spring 'molye' that were flattened after decades of use to junk shops. A few years later, we bought some 'bolos' from knife sellers for use in farms. Bolo users prefer knives made from 'molye' because they last longer, and are resistant to chipping when used to chop wood.
@@Andrew_Fraser When the Moros took their Kris and sailed north to invade Luzon, they were stopped cold in their tracks every time by the Bicolanos and their Minasbad sword. When the Spanish arrived, they noted that the Bicolanos had more words for warfare in their language than any other group the Spanish had ever encountered. It's a fascinating history and it's always odd that the Bicolanos and the Minasbad are never mentioned when the Moros and the Kris are.
@@Andrew_Frasernah it just looks like a regular water buffalo horn so it doesn't really matter if you have one. it's funny that our itaks had those and I never even knew it until my Dad told me that that's very common in our town. It's one of those things that you'd only know if you saw it while it was being taken from the animal or if the handle maker, the market vendor told you.
we have 2 bolos in our house use for self-defense. one is in the master's bedroom and the other is somewhere in our sala. in my office i have 2 rattan sticks under my table. again for defense.
Pinoy here. This is cool. Now go to Batangas so you can also create a video on one of - if not the - iconic blades that is known globally as Filipino - the Balisong. Add that to your collection.
Awesome video! I’ve been a long time blade enthusiast, from my time in the scouts and grew exponentially during my military service. I recently just moved to the Philippines from the US and my love for blades have expanded. I’ve recently been invited to learn sword making by a renowned bladesmith and military martial arts instructor and I’m very excited for this journey.
I noticed that a question you asked wasn't really answered. "Why the Philippines has so many different types of swords/blades.". Once upon a time, the Philippines wasn't one cohesive country, but instead was made up of multiple tribes, each with its own traditions, religion and language (upwards of 700 distinct languages - incorrectly labeled "dialects"). Some parts of the country are close to China, others Indonesia, etc. This led to each tribe, or region, coming up with blade styles and shapes that mimicked that of the blades of their trading partners. Some blade designs though were totally original, by virtue of the job the blade was used for. Some tribes were warlike and so they mostly made weapons, while others were agrarian societies and made utilitarian blades for hacking and clearing brush to turn jungles into fields. As the tribes were unified over the generations and got to be known collectively as "Filipinos" each region still preferred their own blade designs hence the rich diversity of blades that come from one small country.
I really appreciate your comment except for one. "One small country" Do you realize we are the 21st largest in Asia? Or 73rd world wide out of almost 300 nations? And that's "small" to you?
@@dailyviewstv5323I am Bicolano, and I grew up using what most of the world knows as a Tabak and prefer the big heavy belly and full tang. Locally we just called it a bolo, but I'm sure every province called their local machete design, or blade, a bolo.
Thank you for the feature of the Philippines. There is a resurgence of blade making in the Philippines do to interest abroad and local government pushes. I'm an English teacher in the south Philippines and I mainly do woodwork and foamcraft for theater and cosplay props. The weapons they make are more like tools and decorations for us in the country. Preserving the blademaking craft is both for pride and for the tourist economy niche. Also, I love Toni's cutting form, a true craftsman and not a swordsman. 😂
awesome craftsmanship, not everyone can be a blacksmith love this guys. i think mostly the swords used from the movie braveheart is made in the Philippines.
I have one. My brother brought it back with him when he was stationed in the Marines in the Philippines back in the seventies. It also has a wood sheath.
Cheers to you, Andrew! I'm Filipino and have been collecting Filipino blades since childhood. What they made for you would be commonly called the "Itak Tagalog" or Machete or Bolo of the Tagalog. The Tagalog are an ethnolinguistic group residing in Southern Luzon, including Manila. The sword that Bonifacio carried varied depends on who you ask. Some would say he carried a "Pinuti" sword or some other blade that originates in Southern Luzon. In either case, that blade you have might have served as a suspension of some trashed vehicle and will now serve you and your descendants. I also have an Itak Tagalog, and all I can say is, it looks freaking great. I would suggest trying to give attention to the blades made by the Igorot people from the Philippine highlands in Northern Luzon. Their blades don't get much attention, but I can assure you they're worth the trouble. Another I would recommend to get is a traditional balisong that you can get in a village in Batangas Province called, Barrio Balisong. Barrio roughly translating to village. I hope your collection never ceases to grow. I'm looking forward to you having every famous historical blade there is.
I always love foreigners who creates historical and cultural content especially if its about the Philippines. I am not just learning but more appreciative of my motherland because of the foreign perspective and experiences while in the Philippines. Mr. Fraser, Maraming Maraming Salamat and Mabuhay!
....... Sir! Good and bLessed day from here in Manila Philippines!....... Thank You so much for featuring in your blogg content our own sword making heritage!....... Again Sir! Thanks and more content and subscribers to your blogg sites!....... God bLess and protect you in your travels while making more relevant blogg content!.......
seriously this is so cool.. if they ever offer a class how to be a blacksmith i would attend.. and also nice content Andrew, this is really interesting
Not only is making those awesome blades considered as a "recycling" (well, Filipinos just don't want to waste a good material, if it ain't broke, we'll just fix it), the creation is also cheap and a very wonderful craft. We just had one shop crop up in our local neighborhood, where customers give the "panday" (local smiths) the material (usually a molye or just about any long metal that was once part of a jeep) and were forged into a new blade. Cost just about 20 dollars, even less if you more materials.
if anyone is interested. i contacted these guys and asked there quench medium as its not stated. its motor oil. if anyone knows anything about blade smith, they will know as fact that motor oil is too thick and leaves whats called a "cold spots", meaning there will be soft spots that run the edge. there is no manual technique to stop the oil reacting with the heat as it will. it also doesn't have the correct mineral content. i asked if water could because instead. yes, water would make the over all build less tough, but its hardness would be right up. so, keep that in mind. what your getting isnt anything like a quality piece, beautiful and well crafted but let down badly in the quench.
Hi, I too am interested in contacting the shop featured here, so would appreciate if you could please let me know address and/or contact number of the shop. Thanks
My mom bought me a knife in Denmark but it broke after 2 weeks... We have a knife for years now (local one Philippine made) and we use it from cooking to gardening 😅 it's still alive lol
Try visiting Carigara, Leyte next time. It's a town full of blacksmiths. And they go wayyyy wayyy back. They have mostly their own signature designs, native to Leyte.
@@jdtexas5281 just go along the national highway, and they are there (near Gov Enage street corner to be specific). Hard to miss because their forges and shops are road side. With big racks displaying their blades to passersby.
AS EXPERIENCED SOLDIER, WE LOVE A BLEADED WEAPON (BOLO, DAGGER) AND WE KNEW WHAT IS DURABLE ONE OR NOT, MINE HAVE A DAMAGE BECAUSE BULLET HIT IT IN ENCOUNTER. I STARTED AMAZED WHEN I WAS A BOY 9YRS OLD THEN, I SAW MY UNCLE PLAYING HIS BOLO AFTER LONG DAY WORKING ON OUR RICE FARM. WHO HAPPEN HE WAS A PHILIPPINE ARMY AND A PEPTOK VETERAN, I ADMIRED HIM AND ASPIRE TO BE LIKE HIM, MY DREAM CAME TRUE. FOR MORE THAN A TWO DECADE MY BLADE IS ALWAYS WITH ME. I LIKE WHAT THE GUY SAID, " IF YOU MADE IT WITH YOUR HEART, YOU WILL FINISHED WITH A GOOD QUALITY " FOR ME, IF YOU LOVE IT, KEEP IT PRACTICING YOUR STRIKES AND PUT IT IN A SAFE PLACE, WHEN IT IS READY TO USE, USE IT IN REASONABLE SITUATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEO AND ADVERTICING OUR CULTURE OF BLEADED WEAPON. MABUHAY KA!
I am going to be in Mindanao in a little bit. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any good sword/blade makers in the area. Last time I was there I saw a really nice Bolo at the house of someone we were visiting. Unfortunately they told me the guy that made it had died recently and no one had taken his place. It is sad to see traditional crafts disappearing. I am glad the people in this video are keeping their traditions alive.
You got a better deal than I did at a Mindanao blacksmith Andrew. And wow, we arrived back in QLD on Saturday 13th Jan, all I had made was a shabby cleaver and a bowie knife, I have to say, although ABP wanted to take a closer look at the customs, I was embarrassed to tell him how much I paid for such subordinate quality.
Would like to see Filipino 45 cal in Danao, Balisong blades in Batangas, Kalayaan island Municipality, Palawan and Bangkarera outrigger racing. Keep up the great work!
Filipinos have different design of Blades weaponry as the Filipinos are of diverse Cultures in Itself. It's a Regional type of Blades weaponry. Tagalog, Cebuanos, Islam Mindanaos, Sulu, Ilocanos and more. Filipinos are very fond of Blades...😊
Happy to see your videos ...i live in the Philippines but still had few knowledge about my culture and the diversity of country. I added your channel to my favorite list... More videos pls...❤
Nice video! Well researched and very professionally done. I didn't know we still have sword-makers around the country and it makes me want to have one built by those experts. A blade either from the Lord of the Rings, ASOIAF (Game of Thrones), The Witcher or just a plain old bolo knife. This made me proud to be a Filipino, thanks for sharing this. Keep it up!
As someone who loves blades i can say it was well made. Bolo is pretty much the jack of all trades if we are talking about usefulness in Philippines since it's easy to carry, lightweight, sturdy, has good handle, easy to maintain (almost no maintenance needed), and can pretty much take anything you do with it.
Before i watch you in best ever food review by sonny. Now I'm watching your own channel. Goodluck and more videos to come. Proud Filipino here mabuhay ❤
So proud that filipinos known as a warriors using a own blade and the best Sword or bolo makers. Thats a treasure how filipinos stand during those spaniard invasion using their super Bolo as andres using too👌
I love your every documentary there's a lot of lesson that we need to learn the historical of your topic is very awesome you deserve a million subscribers ❤
Filipino is one of the best quality swords maker, as a matter of fact the Film Lord of the Rings all the swords are made in the Philippines and I’m Proud of it ❤ watching from Chicago 🇵🇭🇺🇸
I'm a Filipino bro, that's awsome, just bougt two sword earlier. A sumurai from Batangas, but as I look the sword in the house I,m not fully satisfied, maybe go for real Katana, spicifically the Riajin Katana in Giesha store in Mandaluyong Philippines, the first real katana store in the Philippines.
Hi Andrew! Thank you for sharing our culture with the world. I'm a new subscriber, and the first video I saw was when you were with the Badjao and Tausug tribes. I do hope to see more of this kind of documentary in the future. More power!
Filipino OG blacksmith. No gloves, no safety goggles, makeshift aprons and only wear tanktops while working. Not even annoyed with those burning sparks flying all over the place. 😂😂
@@Andrew_FraserBorneo's not in Burma, fyi. Burma's another name for Myanmar -& currently in a state of civil war. So it's best you wait til things cool down.
@@Andrew_Fraser I kid you not -Myammar's not a fun place to be right now. That said, I wish the Burmese people luck in ousting the junta regime. And thanks for posting this video, btw -I'd like to reach out to Pao for some work.
In the north of Vietnam there are Hmong knife is one of the most exciting and useful knife ever made. May you visit and reviews Hmong knife to the world!
Lucky you, not running into trouble with immigration concerning with carrying bladed weapons, i haven't experienced it myself but my uncles used to tell stories like they have to purchase these blades blunt and then took it to a blacksmith once they went back to the US.
That's not trash it's a lorry leaf spring, good carbon steel. I used to teach students how to forge a machete from these back in the 90s in Indonesia. And also in Uganda in the 80s, nothing new
Andres Bonefacio's bolo is the MOST COMMON bolo in the entire Philippines. We mostly used it in Mindanao to cut tall grass, nipa, coconut opener and making ladder of the coconut tree, etc... Smaller version of that is for stabbing cows/pigs/carabao for preperation for feastivities.
Hey Andrew, if you can have time to visit Ifugao north of my homeland Baguio City as well. We got a blade-smiths there too. You will learn more of the hidden history there too. Undefeated and unconquered by Foreigners.
One of the famous Dagger or knife in the Philippines is the Balisong or Butterfly Knife Originated in Batangas. They also use it in a Hollywood Movies.
The sword variety has a simple reason: every ethnic group had different blacksmiths, and every one of them had different designs. Just a reminder: there are over 170 different ethnic groups in the Philippines. In the pre-colonial period, all of them would be different "nations". Neighboring ethnic groups would tend to have similar swords, but not always. And they would have different names in different languages. Add to that the differences in the caste system. Swords like the bolo are everyday swords, mainly tools, rarely used in combat. They are very different from warrior swords carried by actual warriors and nobility which are more showy, like the kalis (btw kalis is NOT a keris, a keris is a dagger and is Indonesian, a kalis is a sword and is Filipino).
Mga foreigner.. target nila pinoy.. para makakuha ng marami views
How dare we provide free entertainment to Filipinos. Pure evil really.
This is barely Filipino- baiting. All the content was it is historic, and we get to see the side of Filipino artisans in an entertaining manner.
@@Andrew_Fraser I wish more foreigners would make more videos about the Philippines. It is an amazing country that the world definitely deserves to see so please keep making more high-quality and very-well produced videos like this one. And finally, thank you for the great content. You have earned yourself a new subscriber. 👍
this is not about views pare masyado kang negative sa buhay pasalamat tayo may foreigner na nag documentary sa atin lalo na sa mga product na gawa ng pinoy para makilala sa ibat ibang bansa at tangkilikin . king marami kang ptoblema sa buhay at puro negative ang dumadaloy sa isip mo mas mabuting wag ka nlang mag salita kc di ka nakaka tuwa ha pare . pilipino kpaman din idadamay mo pa kami sa pagiging negative mo
this is not about views pare masyado kang negative sa buhay pasalamat tayo may foreigner na nag documentary sa atin lalo na sa mga product na gawa ng pinoy para makilala sa ibat ibang bansa at tangkilikin . king marami kang ptoblema sa buhay at puro negative ang dumadaloy sa isip mo mas mabuting wag ka nlang mag salita kc di ka nakaka tuwa ha pare . pilipino kpaman din idadamay mo pa kami sa pagiging negative mo
I am a Filipino and a Blade Smith in Canada. It is awesome that you covered this topic!
I love this kind of thing hopefully I’ll cover it more. It is nice to film content that is not strictly food.
Hi I'm here in canada start collecting blade I would like to know you.
Saan ang shop mo?😊
@@Andrew_Fraser being completely candid: society here has a growing problem with xenophobia, and its down to the rise of ugly ultranationalism that became popular during the former president's tenure. No one covers it on the news, but its really palpable nowadays. Hopefully these xenophobes will remain the minority though. What most of the 'foreigner haters' here don't realise is 12% of our population (our own family included) lived or still live in various countries around the world, and work so hard abroad, sacrificing our happiness and good years to give our relatives here the opportunity to even afford the devices they use on the net. then we see some people using these same devices to make those xenophobic comments and have these 'foreigners are bad' crap. please remember that most of us are grateful to the wider world and don't hate non-filipinos. you're doing an absolutely amazing job here! keep going, even if the minority are hateful, the majority appreciate your efforts! x
You should go on "Forged in Fire"
In the Philippines, the most common material for blade is what we call "molye" (spring steel), almost all knives/swords made by local blacksmiths are forged from these. If not molye, they usually forge blades out of bearing or chainsaw guide bar. In my collection, my favorite was made from a rail bar from a train track.
What's interesting is that each region and ethnic group have their own styles, they differ in materials, form and blade profiles. So, any traditional blade enthusiast can easily determine from which ethnic group or region the blade came from, sometimes they can even determine who forged it. In my region which is also in Luzon, traditional blades often have carabao horn hilts (the albino horns are prettier, but rare), then the ferrules and pommels are made of brass or aluminum, usually with engravings.
Thanks for featuring this often-overlooked tradition! Even Filipinos don't know much about them.
Albino horn sounds amazing. Next time.
I heard out about that years ago when we sold our old truck's leaf spring 'molye' that were flattened after decades of use to junk shops. A few years later, we bought some 'bolos' from knife sellers for use in farms. Bolo users prefer knives made from 'molye' because they last longer, and are resistant to chipping when used to chop wood.
@@Andrew_Fraser When the Moros took their Kris and sailed north to invade Luzon, they were stopped cold in their tracks every time by the Bicolanos and their Minasbad sword. When the Spanish arrived, they noted that the Bicolanos had more words for warfare in their language than any other group the Spanish had ever encountered. It's a fascinating history and it's always odd that the Bicolanos and the Minasbad are never mentioned when the Moros and the Kris are.
The steel "molye" leaf springs from old 70's and 80's trucks are AISI 5160 (chromium-silicon) and AISI 6150 (chromium-vanadium), says Mr. GPT
@@Andrew_Frasernah it just looks like a regular water buffalo horn so it doesn't really matter if you have one. it's funny that our itaks had those and I never even knew it until my Dad told me that that's very common in our town. It's one of those things that you'd only know if you saw it while it was being taken from the animal or if the handle maker, the market vendor told you.
That bolo is incredibly beautiful!!
As someone who grew up farming, bolo is almost as important as slippers when going out to farm or up the mountain.
we have 2 bolos in our house use for self-defense. one is in the master's bedroom and the other is somewhere in our sala. in my office i have 2 rattan sticks under my table. again for defense.
Pinoy here. This is cool. Now go to Batangas so you can also create a video on one of - if not the - iconic blades that is known globally as Filipino - the Balisong. Add that to your collection.
My editor Alex was basically begging me to do this. So I think it has got to happen next trip.
@@Andrew_Fraser If you make it there, ask around for Mang Ono.
Go to Batangas Armory too
@@Andrew_Fraseryeah do it pleas
Awesome video! I’ve been a long time blade enthusiast, from my time in the scouts and grew exponentially during my military service. I recently just moved to the Philippines from the US and my love for blades have expanded. I’ve recently been invited to learn sword making by a renowned bladesmith and military martial arts instructor and I’m very excited for this journey.
Please document that journey....would love to see what you will make...
The best documentary style videos on youtube!
appreciate the kind words 🙏
I totally agree!
I noticed that a question you asked wasn't really answered. "Why the Philippines has so many different types of swords/blades.". Once upon a time, the Philippines wasn't one cohesive country, but instead was made up of multiple tribes, each with its own traditions, religion and language (upwards of 700 distinct languages - incorrectly labeled "dialects"). Some parts of the country are close to China, others Indonesia, etc. This led to each tribe, or region, coming up with blade styles and shapes that mimicked that of the blades of their trading partners. Some blade designs though were totally original, by virtue of the job the blade was used for. Some tribes were warlike and so they mostly made weapons, while others were agrarian societies and made utilitarian blades for hacking and clearing brush to turn jungles into fields.
As the tribes were unified over the generations and got to be known collectively as "Filipinos" each region still preferred their own blade designs hence the rich diversity of blades that come from one small country.
Just getting into the History of the Philippines it is quite amazing and so rich there really needs to be more videos about the past history
I really appreciate your comment except for one.
"One small country"
Do you realize we are the 21st largest in Asia? Or 73rd world wide out of almost 300 nations? And that's "small" to you?
As ifugao, I prefer the design of our bolo.. The handle is steel/iron from the blade...
@@dailyviewstv5323I am Bicolano, and I grew up using what most of the world knows as a Tabak and prefer the big heavy belly and full tang. Locally we just called it a bolo, but I'm sure every province called their local machete design, or blade, a bolo.
@@michaelsemenchuk3056 , you have your own and we have our own bolos, each of us proud of our own design.
I was stationed in the PI for two years 89-91. Bladesmithing is merely one of many crafts they are masters of.
Thank you for the feature of the Philippines.
There is a resurgence of blade making in the Philippines do to interest abroad and local government pushes.
I'm an English teacher in the south Philippines and I mainly do woodwork and foamcraft for theater and cosplay props.
The weapons they make are more like tools and decorations for us in the country.
Preserving the blademaking craft is both for pride and for the tourist economy niche.
Also, I love Toni's cutting form, a true craftsman and not a swordsman. 😂
awesome craftsmanship, not everyone can be a blacksmith love this guys. i think mostly the swords used from the movie braveheart is made in the Philippines.
Great video! Love the effort put into the historical aspect and the helpful animations! ❤
Impressive
Thanks bro !! Proud to be Pinoy !! ❤🎉
I love these videos. The expertise and the simple materials make it like art.
I have one. My brother brought it back with him when he was stationed in the Marines in the Philippines back in the seventies.
It also has a wood sheath.
What's it's current condition
@@ike1820 It is in fair condition. It has a ding in the blade.
Cheers to you, Andrew! I'm Filipino and have been collecting Filipino blades since childhood. What they made for you would be commonly called the "Itak Tagalog" or Machete or Bolo of the Tagalog. The Tagalog are an ethnolinguistic group residing in Southern Luzon, including Manila. The sword that Bonifacio carried varied depends on who you ask. Some would say he carried a "Pinuti" sword or some other blade that originates in Southern Luzon. In either case, that blade you have might have served as a suspension of some trashed vehicle and will now serve you and your descendants.
I also have an Itak Tagalog, and all I can say is, it looks freaking great. I would suggest trying to give attention to the blades made by the Igorot people from the Philippine highlands in Northern Luzon. Their blades don't get much attention, but I can assure you they're worth the trouble. Another I would recommend to get is a traditional balisong that you can get in a village in Batangas Province called, Barrio Balisong. Barrio roughly translating to village.
I hope your collection never ceases to grow. I'm looking forward to you having every famous historical blade there is.
I always love foreigners who creates historical and cultural content especially if its about the Philippines. I am not just learning but more appreciative of my motherland because of the foreign perspective and experiences while in the Philippines.
Mr. Fraser, Maraming Maraming Salamat and Mabuhay!
....... Sir! Good and bLessed day from here in Manila Philippines!....... Thank You so much for featuring in your blogg content our own sword making heritage!....... Again Sir! Thanks and more content and subscribers to your blogg sites!....... God bLess and protect you in your travels while making more relevant blogg content!.......
Awesome craftsmanship. These folks deserve ear protection!
Nice content my friend, and thank you for featuring our Filipino culture 🙏❤👍
seriously this is so cool.. if they ever offer a class how to be a blacksmith i would attend.. and also nice content Andrew, this is really interesting
Not only is making those awesome blades considered as a "recycling" (well, Filipinos just don't want to waste a good material, if it ain't broke, we'll just fix it), the creation is also cheap and a very wonderful craft. We just had one shop crop up in our local neighborhood, where customers give the "panday" (local smiths) the material (usually a molye or just about any long metal that was once part of a jeep) and were forged into a new blade. Cost just about 20 dollars, even less if you more materials.
Like what the famous Filipino weapon blade specialist says
*IT WILL KEEEEEL!!!*
- _Doug Marcaida_
Ty for taking this beautiful culture of swords as Filipino
if anyone is interested.
i contacted these guys and asked there quench medium as its not stated. its motor oil. if anyone knows anything about blade smith, they will know as fact that motor oil is too thick and leaves whats called a "cold spots", meaning there will be soft spots that run the edge.
there is no manual technique to stop the oil reacting with the heat as it will. it also doesn't have the correct mineral content. i asked if water could because instead. yes, water would make the over all build less tough, but its hardness would be right up. so, keep that in mind. what your getting isnt anything like a quality piece, beautiful and well crafted but let down badly in the quench.
Hi, I too am interested in contacting the shop featured here, so would appreciate if you could please let me know address and/or contact number of the shop. Thanks
My mom bought me a knife in Denmark but it broke after 2 weeks... We have a knife for years now (local one Philippine made) and we use it from cooking to gardening 😅 it's still alive lol
Ok Charlotte,.stop... come back to Philippines and marry me..we travel beaches ,waterfalls here
@@joklang9505lol simp
Legit filipino home when filipino-made knives are used in the kitchen and in gardening
ty for this kind featuring my fil bros .. love how u explained every how they do blades .. ❤
Try visiting Carigara, Leyte next time. It's a town full of blacksmiths. And they go wayyyy wayyy back. They have mostly their own signature designs, native to Leyte.
Maraot man iyo sundang intoy
tell me more, where in carigara and the name of some of the best shops??
@@jdtexas5281 just go along the national highway, and they are there (near Gov Enage street corner to be specific). Hard to miss because their forges and shops are road side. With big racks displaying their blades to passersby.
@@bons244 thank you so much
Thanks for promoting the artistic blacksmith of Philippines. i wish they use this weapons in games and movies.
AS EXPERIENCED SOLDIER, WE LOVE A BLEADED WEAPON (BOLO, DAGGER) AND WE KNEW WHAT IS DURABLE ONE OR NOT, MINE HAVE A DAMAGE BECAUSE BULLET HIT IT IN ENCOUNTER. I STARTED AMAZED WHEN I WAS A BOY 9YRS OLD THEN, I SAW MY UNCLE PLAYING HIS BOLO AFTER LONG DAY WORKING ON OUR RICE FARM. WHO HAPPEN HE WAS A PHILIPPINE ARMY AND A PEPTOK VETERAN, I ADMIRED HIM AND ASPIRE TO BE LIKE HIM, MY DREAM CAME TRUE. FOR MORE THAN A TWO DECADE MY BLADE IS ALWAYS WITH ME. I LIKE WHAT THE GUY SAID, " IF YOU MADE IT WITH YOUR HEART, YOU WILL FINISHED WITH A GOOD QUALITY " FOR ME, IF YOU LOVE IT, KEEP IT PRACTICING YOUR STRIKES AND PUT IT IN A SAFE PLACE, WHEN IT IS READY TO USE, USE IT IN REASONABLE SITUATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEO AND ADVERTICING OUR CULTURE OF BLEADED WEAPON. MABUHAY KA!
this channel should have more subscribers
Thank you for sharing our heritage
Thats so cool, thank you for show casing filipino blades, Im honestly happy seeimg our blades get some attention since its underrated
I am going to be in Mindanao in a little bit. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any good sword/blade makers in the area. Last time I was there I saw a really nice Bolo at the house of someone we were visiting. Unfortunately they told me the guy that made it had died recently and no one had taken his place. It is sad to see traditional crafts disappearing.
I am glad the people in this video are keeping their traditions alive.
You got a better deal than I did at a Mindanao blacksmith Andrew. And wow, we arrived back in QLD on Saturday 13th Jan, all I had made was a shabby cleaver and a bowie knife, I have to say, although ABP wanted to take a closer look at the customs, I was embarrassed to tell him how much I paid for such subordinate quality.
Absolutely beautiful. I would love to own a Filipino sword made by these skilled blacksmiths. Thank you for sharing and god bless 😌🙏
Would like to see Filipino 45 cal in Danao, Balisong blades in Batangas, Kalayaan island Municipality, Palawan and Bangkarera outrigger racing. Keep up the great work!
Filipinos have different design of Blades weaponry as the Filipinos are of diverse Cultures in Itself. It's a Regional type of Blades weaponry. Tagalog, Cebuanos, Islam Mindanaos, Sulu, Ilocanos and more. Filipinos are very fond of Blades...😊
Happy to see your videos ...i live in the Philippines but still had few knowledge about my culture and the diversity of country. I added your channel to my favorite list... More videos pls...❤
Rizal is the national hero but Boni is pretty badass too
Nice video! Well researched and very professionally done. I didn't know we still have sword-makers around the country and it makes me want to have one built by those experts. A blade either from the Lord of the Rings, ASOIAF (Game of Thrones), The Witcher or just a plain old bolo knife. This made me proud to be a Filipino, thanks for sharing this. Keep it up!
As someone who loves blades i can say it was well made. Bolo is pretty much the jack of all trades if we are talking about usefulness in Philippines since it's easy to carry, lightweight, sturdy, has good handle, easy to maintain (almost no maintenance needed), and can pretty much take anything you do with it.
In the Philippines we usually call a "KATANA" a Samurai. where in fact A Samurai is a Japanese warrior who used a sword called Katana...
I love this type of vlog. Simple , Direct, Cultural and with Sensible content. Thanks Mate 😎🇳🇿🇵🇭❤- New Subscriber
Before i watch you in best ever food review by sonny. Now I'm watching your own channel. Goodluck and more videos to come. Proud Filipino here mabuhay ❤
Dope! I love your channel. Your production value keeps getting better ❤ Happy New Years Andrew!
Happy new year!
So proud that filipinos known as a warriors using a own blade and the best Sword or bolo makers. Thats a treasure how filipinos stand during those spaniard invasion using their super Bolo as andres using too👌
Very entertaining and highly educational video. Looking forward for more from you.
I love your every documentary there's a lot of lesson that we need to learn the historical of your topic is very awesome you deserve a million subscribers ❤
Of all the hammering, grinding and sharpening, I never saw a safety glasses. Amazing!
I'm amazed at how a non-native Filipino, can create such meticulous content.
Great video as usual, I'm glad i found you through Sonny while you were launching this channel, amazing content! You'll make it big!
We also make sword but it's called to Cebu a sundang we called panday thank you for visiting the Philippines bro you represent our culture
Best content. Im a filipino ...now i know why pilipino to many style of swords keep it up
Filipino is one of the best quality swords maker, as a matter of fact the Film Lord of the Rings all the swords are made in the Philippines and I’m Proud of it ❤ watching from Chicago 🇵🇭🇺🇸
is that a fact? if so pretty cool fun fact
I like the grip angle on the handle and how it encourages comfortable wrist movement during extension.
Wow, great presentation. Seldom to see this kind of vlogs. Hope the staffs are given good bonus for this. Well done! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
That blade is beautiful. Deadly beautiful
Thank you for featuring PH blacksmith❤
I'm a Filipino bro, that's awsome, just bougt two sword earlier. A sumurai from Batangas, but as I look the sword in the house I,m not fully satisfied, maybe go for real Katana, spicifically the Riajin Katana in Giesha store in Mandaluyong Philippines, the first real katana store in the Philippines.
Great storytelling and documentary! Looking forward for more of these!
That is awesome!!!! Thank you for sharing the history!!!
We had a bolo from my late grandfather but we lost it. 😢 It was such a beauty. Legit horn handle. Perfect heft. And blade was just razor sharp
Your documentaries are entertaining.
as a pilipino and once a helper on making bolo. yes we always used scrap metal as long as its a high tensile steel.
Hi Andrew! Thank you for sharing our culture with the world. I'm a new subscriber, and the first video I saw was when you were with the Badjao and Tausug tribes. I do hope to see more of this kind of documentary in the future. More power!
I would love to own that bolo!!!!!!
I keep coming back, you made Great documentary brother.
That's PINOY👍👍🗡️
I used them for farmwork for days on end. They rust like crazy. An Indonesian one I have never rusts!
Nice sr god bless Philippines
the video quality is amazing. great video :))
great video! don't mind the pessimists and negative commenters in here..
wow, 1st time seeing this video, I never knew there is a shop like this in Tondo.
you got my subscription sir, thanks for showcasing this.😊
Fantastic feature on the Itak and the pandays of the Philippines
That is history you got there from Philippines Bolo
next episode, Filipino Master Makes Colt 45 from Literal Trash :) ....reminded me of the Vice documentaries :)
New subs from Dumaguete City 🇵🇭🇵🇭
Every Filipino and AFP should have a Bolo with Kali's Skills as part of the Filipino Army training. Dang! 😊
those are beautiful blades..
Filipino OG blacksmith. No gloves, no safety goggles, makeshift aprons and only wear tanktops while working. Not even annoyed with those burning sparks flying all over the place. 😂😂
Thanks Andrew. The Burmese were also very versatile and similar to the PH Spirit. Shame you are not in Burma
It’s definitely on the list. Would love to visit Borneo.
@@Andrew_FraserBorneo's not in Burma, fyi. Burma's another name for Myanmar -& currently in a state of civil war. So it's best you wait til things cool down.
@@sigma2.093sounds like a challenge 👀
@@Andrew_Fraser I kid you not -Myammar's not a fun place to be right now. That said, I wish the Burmese people luck in ousting the junta regime. And thanks for posting this video, btw -I'd like to reach out to Pao for some work.
@@sigma2.093 Thanks. Sure, Pao's facebook is in the description.
Thats a beautiful bolo sword for daily grind
salamat sa pag kilala sa talento ng pinoy.💖💖💖💖💖💪💪💪💪
In the north of Vietnam there are Hmong knife is one of the most exciting and useful knife ever made. May you visit and reviews Hmong knife to the world!
Love your work, Andrew.
Lucky you, not running into trouble with immigration concerning with carrying bladed weapons, i haven't experienced it myself but my uncles used to tell stories like they have to purchase these blades blunt and then took it to a blacksmith once they went back to the US.
Who said I had no trouble with immigration?
@@Andrew_Fraser wait fr? Is it because of that blade or for diff reason? 🤣
@@dangerlovesong6932 I am sworn to secrecy
Nice content. My favorite material is the metal came from bulalakaw
That's not trash it's a lorry leaf spring, good carbon steel. I used to teach students how to forge a machete from these back in the 90s in Indonesia. And also in Uganda in the 80s, nothing new
Andres Bonefacio's bolo is the MOST COMMON bolo in the entire Philippines. We mostly used it in Mindanao to cut tall grass, nipa, coconut opener and making ladder of the coconut tree, etc... Smaller version of that is for stabbing cows/pigs/carabao for preperation for feastivities.
Nice video, Andrew. If I don't see you with Sonny, I'll watch your channel for good contents.
Hey Andrew, if you can have time to visit Ifugao north of my homeland Baguio City as well. We got a blade-smiths there too. You will learn more of the hidden history there too. Undefeated and unconquered by Foreigners.
crafting the bolo while smoking got me hooked.
We Filipinos ❤ up cycling and recycling just about everything. We hate being wasteful!
One of the famous Dagger or knife in the Philippines is the Balisong or Butterfly Knife Originated in Batangas. They also use it in a Hollywood Movies.
I love how Andres Bonifacio and Jose Rizal were trying to be depicted as blacksmiths in that small caricature/cartoon.
I hope you also get to visit the more traditional smiths in other provinces. Definitely lots more spread across the archipelago.
The sword variety has a simple reason: every ethnic group had different blacksmiths, and every one of them had different designs. Just a reminder: there are over 170 different ethnic groups in the Philippines. In the pre-colonial period, all of them would be different "nations". Neighboring ethnic groups would tend to have similar swords, but not always. And they would have different names in different languages. Add to that the differences in the caste system. Swords like the bolo are everyday swords, mainly tools, rarely used in combat. They are very different from warrior swords carried by actual warriors and nobility which are more showy, like the kalis (btw kalis is NOT a keris, a keris is a dagger and is Indonesian, a kalis is a sword and is Filipino).
Pag gumawa ka ng espada, kelangan nasa puso mo at isip mo, para mabuo mo siya ng maayos.
-Tony
More of these kind of contents pls.😊
No problem at all! This was easily one of the most fun videos to film.