just talk katanss and ginuntings

[jamaljahda]

could those who are familiar and practice with swords give a little insight on the katana and the ginunting. I know that one is a filipino sword and the other is japanese. The curves are in the opposite direction but I wonder since the katana gets all of the mystical hype on television and the movies is the ginunting not a better sword for all practical purposes. The reason I say that is because the filipino people use these blades in the jungles to cut bamboo, wood for the fire slaughter animals and for self defense. The filipino swords seem to get used as machetes or bolos as everyday tools and not specialty items as the katana is. Could those who know more shed more light on the issue

 

[Rich S]

Very simple. The katana is made to be used as a weapon only, while the other is a general utility machete that sometimes is used as a weapon (as any machete could be).

Rich S

 

[SeaxyBeast]

There are more utility oriented machete blades than the ginunting, so the best way to understand it might be to think about how it differs from a more agriculturally or utility oriented bolo in order to increase its effectiveness as a weapon. For one, it sacrifices some forward balance and sweet spot in favor of quickness/liveliness.

As for the comparison with Japanese weapons, here's a thought experiment: what would a Japanese sword look after a century of evolution in which it was primarily used in jungles under canopy and against guerilla tactics (again, strictly for CQC rather than utility*)? What standard features would change to optimize it to this new environment?

*Out of curiosity I did some quick research into the tools used by the Japanese Imperial Army and it seems that they may have used hatchets and kama to clear brush in the jungle rather than machetes. Can anyone confirm, correct or expand on this?

 

[Battlesword]

There is film footage from WW2 in the Pacific, mostly PNG, that shows Japanese soldiers using kama , also wearing tabi.

 

[horseclover]

Pepsi