Garu Dhaw?

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kukulza28

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Oct 11, 2008
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Has anyone used a Garu Dhaw? Can anyone give a review of its use? I can't seem to find much info about it (nor S. Asian work-blades in general). The description is interesting but I have a hard time feeling it just from text. It looks very intriguing.

GaruDhaw.jpg


"THIS KNIFE IS USUALLY USE IN SOUTH PART OF INDIA IN ASSAM, MEGHALAYA AND NAGALAND. THESE PEOPLE WISH TO USE THIS KNIFE AS IT CUT'S IN MANY WAYS. THE TIP PART OF THIS KNIFE IS TO DIG THE WOOD, BAMBOO ETC. THE SECOND PART WILL HELP TO SLICE SOME THING AND THE ENDING PART WILL USE TO CUT TO PIECES THE WOOD". ​

If I know my geography that means this is mainly a "jungle" blade. And if I know those types of tribal cultures, they tend to have a few knives that they base their survival on. The Kachin - their dao. The Taiwanese Aborigines - their head-hunting knives. The Filipinos - their many different local bolo types.
 
Those were made many years ago and if I recall only a handful. I don't think I have seen any pictures of them other then UBs. Would be interested in pictures if anyone had one in their collection.
 
My wife is Taiwanese. She says she has never used one but farmers use it for everything.
She said the head-hunting thing is a myth
 
Hopefully someone has pictures and comments...
It seems this is one of those old blades that are no longer being made by HI, or rarely, like Bancharos, Hisayas, and Katars (also Indian). Uncommon, similar to the Falcatta (which made a re-appearance recently). That, however, is a lot more well known than the more native stuff.

titus010782 said:
My wife is Taiwanese. She says she has never used one but farmers use it for everything.
She said the head-hunting thing is a myth
Click to expand...
Really, are you sure we're talking about the same knives?? Cause I swear several generations ago they did use them in war and head-hunts. I'm Taiwanese descent, and my ancestry has both Hoklo and Aboriginal blood... the intermixing of which was probably not peaceful. Now Chinese immigrant farmers often used a type of work knife and/or rice knife which did appear during revolts against the Dutch, but was normally strictly agricultural.... but I'm pretty sure the native people had head-hunting going on, and they used their knives as weapons in their wars, alongside bows, spears, and later - guns.
This one is owned by Tim Simmons from the Ethnographic Arms and Armor forum. These are Ian's. Paiwanese blade from the Yang Grevot collection.
 
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