[Christopher B Lellis]

I was actually researching Spanish history, particularly early modern to colonial times and was reading about the Spanish in the Philippines and I noticed a sword called "Golok" was mentioned which I have never heard of before. So naturally I start looking for Goloks and shortly after I came across this sword manufacturer that specializes in Philippine swords.

I thought they were worth showing. Their swords are very elegant and well constructed. There have demonstrations via youtube from their website if you want to see more. I think I'm about about to pick the Golok up myself.

http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/product...ne-blades/

[Timo Nieminen]

"Golok" is a generic term, rather than a specific weapon. Usually, it's applied to short machete like weapons, often with broad tips, but there are slender goloks, pointy goloks, etc. The word is Indonesian, and doesn't seem to be common in the Philippines - the same kind of blades will usually be called a "bolo" (similarly generic).

So where you have encountered "golok", "bolo" is probably a good modern synonym. Maybe even "machete", although goloks and bolos aren't like modern sheet metal machetes.

TFW do good blades. Some of their blades are more authentic in detail than others (distal taper, grind, edge geometry). Their golok looks good.

Personally, I would prefer to buy 2 antique Philippine blades to one TFW (considering typical prices, it would be about a 2:1 ratio in how many blades you could buy for the same amount), but the TFW blades are good.

Valiantco does very good goloks. Excellent working blades. Mostly Indonesian blades. http://www.valiantco.com/

[Lafayette C Curtis]

The "golok" in modern Indonesian means a tool (or rather a family of bladed tools) quite akin to the sheet metal machete. And like the machete, it's often made out of hoe blades. The thought of paying over $200 for one honestly feels quite weird to me because I can pick one up for less than $20 at a nearby supermarket.