Quality Barong?

Mitchell Knives

Mitchell Knives

Knifemaker
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
May 21, 2000
Messages
6,214
I've been looking around for a quality barong; mostly just to practice with and to keep lying around the house for SD.

The two main choices seem to be the Cold Steel version or the CAS Iberia offerings. Both look nice, but I seem to remember reading that many thought the Cold Steel barong to be too heavy. I haven't handled either one, so I'm not sure.

Any suggestions on what to get? Any good retailers to buy these from? Thanks.
 
Are the CAS Iberia ones any good? These are the easiest to find in stock.
 
No experience with Cas stuff only the cold steel one. Cold steels barong is very well but togeather with quality materials, but you are right, it is very heavy for its size. Its like a large axe head with a point on a small stick. im not sure about the casiberia barong, casiberias cheaper stuff from experince is pretty low quality stuff. However i have never handled any of their barongs so you migh get lucky.

The best online store in my experince has been www.bladematrix.tv

Cutlass
 
This is the most extensive discussion of Barongs that I can recall. The Cold Steel is heavier than a traditional barong, but it may be sturdy. It sounds like the Kris Cutlery versions use epoxy for securing the blades which would avoid the risk of the traditional type of glue degrading with time and dehydration.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207128
 
While I've never handled any of his barongs, I recently ordered a ginunting from Ron Kosakowski at psdtc. The ginunting is definitely first rate, regarding the materials , the handling and workmanship. Can't see why the barong would be anything less. Just my $.02...

http://www.psdtc.com/Filipino.Barong.htm
 
electriczombie - barongs in my country are utilitarian tool used for EDC in the provinces. I suggest you go to a retail outlet and try the samples if possible the handle should fit your hand as precisely as posible also the forward balance and feel are critical. dont skimp and buy cheap imitations. the cold steel barong i have handled and I find a bit too heavy but well balanced and well made. Heavy in this case aids in chopping will affect the speed in which you can wield it. I wouldnt commit to anything until ive tried it out with my own two hands. If its the correct barong for you it will feel right in this case your hands are the best judges.

Either way I hope you enjoy your acquisition when you get it

Good day
 
I just got a barong from Kris Cutlery and like it very much. It seems to be well made and the blade came shaving-sharp (a few passes over a steel made it scary-sharp). It feels quite good in my hand.

The only thing I'm not wild about is that the tang appears to be glued/epoxied in place. It makes me a little nervous that a blade that heavy isn't pinned into the handle. I'm also not sure how long the tang itself is. If the tang goes the length of the handle, then fine, but if its only an inch or two, then it seems to me that it may fail. Does anyone out there have any info about this?
 
I've got a KC barong and it is a great blade. Mine is whatever they were selling in 1999 since their models change from time to time.

Regarding the tangs, most Filipino blades have stick tangs that are not pinned. That is traditional. From what I've read, KC uses epoxy that is much stronger than whatever is used on traditional blades.
 
Thanks Benjamin. If yours is still in one piece after 6 years, then I expect there's little to worry about with mine. Also, it turns out that a co-worker of mine, who is an electronics hobbiest has an x-ray setup at home. He's going to x-ray the handle of my barong, just for curiosity's sake, to see how long the tang is.
 
Well, I've not been chopping things with it, since I was told by the owner of Kris Cutlery that it was not for utility work. I've since heard from others that some do use it as a tool. I have used it for practice and also cut 2-liter bottles with it. The reason I mentioned the date was that I'm pretty sure it is not the same one they are selling now.

What I have used a lot is my Bonifacio Bolo, and it performed very well.

My dad had three large knives when I was growing up in Illinois, a machete (not sure which brand, not Ontario though,) a sangut, and a binakoko. He used them for years and even left them outside with other garden tools. Then they got rusty he'd brush the rust off. The one that had a problem with the blade coming out was the sangut, and that was because someone, I'm guessing my brother (I had my own machete :D , ) left it in the woods over the winter. :eek: The handle was really messed up and the blade came out. This was in the spring of 1984. My dad made an expedient handle by cutting a thich sapeling, cutting a handle-lenth segment, drilling a hole in it, heating the tang, and puching the blade in. Years later after we moved to Arizona, I found the sangut and binakoko and cleaned the rust off and used them occasionally for yardwork and weapons practice. The binakoko is fine today but the sangut's blade came loose again last summer, so not it's my turn to rehandle it. :D

Another issue with imports from the Philippines is the effects of humidity on the handles. My cheap decorator kris swords' handles cracked very badly only a few days after I broght them to Arizona. A barong handle (not KC) started to crack so I treated all my handles with polyurethane and they've been fine since.
 
So, my co-worker x-rayed the barong handle and the tang looks to be about 3.5 inches long. Basically, it extends to the end of the cord wrapping that is closest to the butt end of the handle.

Seems to me that, unless the handle becomes cracked, the blade will stay safe and snug in the handle, especially if a good epoxy is used.

Just thought you folks might like to know.
 
Has anyone every compared a Kris Cutlery to a CAS Iberia?
 
I haven't. Just did a quick jump over to their website to see what the difference is. I'll say this, the gunong and kriss set is insulting. That's a Cebauno
Espada y Daga scabard design used for Bangsamoro weapons. Our Muslim brothers never practiced Espada y Daga and it insults them to use a classical Spanish sword method with their weapons. Plus the scabard is actually taken from the KrisCutlery Espada y Daga set.

But pretty much every single Espada y Daga set on the market is a copy of KrisCutlery's, so..what can you do?

Happy Holidays guys.
 
slow said:
While I've never handled any of his barongs, I recently ordered a ginunting from Ron Kosakowski at psdtc. The ginunting is definitely first rate, regarding the materials , the handling and workmanship. Can't see why the barong would be anything less. Just my $.02...

http://www.psdtc.com/Filipino.Barong.htm
Click to expand...

I don't suppose you've tested the how strong the blade is...
You might be surprised.
 
Dagatan said:
I don't suppose you've tested the how strong the blade is...
You might be surprised.
Click to expand...
You're right, I've only done a few practice cuts on fairly soft materials with it so far. But, I mostly use it for solo drills anyway so I don't foresee any upcoming occasions where I would have to use the ginunting as a crowbar.

I'd love to hear your experiences. :)
 
I have a barong that I found in the barn a few years back.
It was browned with age.
I just oiled it and knocked off the scale.
My great Uncle brought it back from the war.
It is heavy with weight forward.
I use it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top