Bolo knife

Bolo

Top: A typical bolo from Luzon;
Bottom: Lumad bolos with sheaths from Mindanao in the National Museum of Anthropology
TypeKnife or sword
Place of originPhilippines
Service history
Wars
Specifications
Blade typeSingle-edged, convex blade
Hilt typehardwood, carabao horn
Scabbard/sheathhardwood, carabao horn

A bolo (Tagalog: iták/gulok, Ilocano: bunéng, Ibanag: badáng/aliwa, Pangasinan: baráng, Kapampangan: paláng, Bikol: tabák/minasbad, Cebuano: súndang/kampilan, Waray: sansibar, Hiligaynon: sandúko/binangon, Aklan: talibong) is a general term for traditional pre-colonial small- to medium-sized single-edged swords or large knives of the Philippines that function both as tools and weapons. Bolos are characterized by a wide curved blade that narrows down to the hilt, and that comes with a pointed or a blunt tip. Bolos are used as tools in the Philippines and are sometimes compared to machetes.