Measurements.
Overall length: 27 ¾ inches
Blade length: 20 ¾ inches
Maximum blade thickness at the spine
a little over 3/16 inch
Balance point 4 ¼ inches from finger-guard
A little history lesson.
Minasbad Sword – The Minasbad is a very good example of a sword that you would see from Bicol due to the unique carvings on the sword and knife handles. You will see on the TFW Minasbad sword handle, something that looks like a carving of a head. So many people say it represents something different. Some say a bat, a dog or a horse. Maybe it is a unusual combination of all 3? There is really no clear answer that can be found thus far. The Minasbad Sword is one of the few Philippine swords still around that dates back to Philippine pre-history, which is way before the arrival of the Spanish. The Bicolanos’ goal was to manufacture a bladed weapon with a slight technological advantage against the Moro Swords. The Minasbad was manufactured in large numbers and was looked up to as a good match against the Moro Kris. It acquired a reputation as “one bad-ass-sword!”
Another fact that has been well known throughout ancient Philippines was the Bicol warriors had a long history of winning various battles. Bicolanos were also known to have the most number of words and terms within their ancient language relating to warfare. That gives us an obvious clue to what their ancestors have been through for so many generations. The Spaniards took note on how the Bicolanos were the ones possessing the best, most complete armor and weapons in the Philippines. It is thought by historians that centuries of Moro threat could have had a hand in the progression of the Bicolano martial spirit and weapons technology.
The popular curve in the belly of the blade is similar to that of a cross between the Pinute and the Dan Dao. The handle is made of Kamagong, an iron wood from the Philippines. The head carving is made of aluminum. This Minasbad is full tang where it goes right through the head so that handle is very solid. To make the full tang hold even better and that much stronger, not to mention, much nicer looking – a steel coupling with a very strong finger guard is added.
Our sword steel is the same as in all of the other TFW bladed collectables – steel blends of 5160 and D2 with a sodium nitrate heat treatment. It is light, right around a pound and a half but yet you can feel how this can hack anything that gets in the way. The Minasbad Sword is perfectly engineered to do the job for you. Once you feel it, you will back that claim up yourself and you will be amazed.
