Bolo: edges, DVDs & other stuff

[Dan Anderson]

Hi All,

Here's a post of interest to all of us Modern Arnis guys and gals:

Well I think I found a small niche to work in..
and of course it involves sharp things..
The Presas JUNGLE BOLO...
CAS Iberia the Historic Sword manufactureres are interested in doing a remake of the Presas Bolo. The Presas Bolo is a true fighting Bolo..a JUNGLE BOLO...
I have been negotiating-talking with CAS Iberia to do the following and I'd endorse the Blade as well as Guru Roland Dantes
CAS Iberia would:
1) Renowned Sword maker-Paul Chen would make a custom version
made like samurai sword-....laminated & forged
2) CAS Iberia would have a regular version made in the Philippines
plain steel and very sharp...
3) there would be a matching trainer with red handles
4) set up a Student educational fund- foundation for Filipinos with some of the profits
5) Use my book & DVDs to teach the use of said Bolo

I have already shot Volumes #1-#2 of the Bolo DVDs this past weekend and I have started on the Bolo Book to accompany it..
I take statements that Prof made about Bolo & cutting and apply it to the actual Bolo usage not stick posing as a blade..
Thanks to George for filming and Ms Amy for helping with the actual Bolo usage...

See you all in Vancouver, Spokane and then in Baton Bouge.

be safe
Bram

I'm getting a preview copy of the DVD sometime next week and I'll be posting a preview.

Bram had done a ton of work getting the Presas family bolo system out of Prof. Presas back in the day. RP never liked teaching the knife very much and a lot of us never pestered him for it. I liked the stick work, myself. Bram's research got validated by one of RP's oldest students, Roland Dantes, as being legitimate. This will cover a piece of the "Modern Arnis pie" that few of us got. Those of who know Prof. PResas' early history knows that he was initially taught by his grandfather and uncle, both bolo men. This should be good stuff, folks.

Yours,
Dan Anderson

[mcjon77]

AWESOME!!

I've been interested in seeing some bolo/longer blade applications in Modern Arnis, as well as getting a quality bolo myself. And the idea of selling a trainer as well makes it that much more appealing.

Jon

[Cruentus]

Wow..sounds like a great niche for Bram! I was impressed with his blade applications at the symposium. He truely knows how to apply Modern Arnis to the blade. I'll be looking forward to his new stuff thats coming out.

Yours,

Paul

[arnisandyz]

I'm looking forward to seeing this! Modern Arnis has a rep for being a "stick" art mainly for the reasons noted above (Professor was selective to who he showed blade to) it would be good to see this part of its origins! Any pictures of the bolo? I've looked at CAS blades before and they look pretty good. I think right now they have 2 different bolos, a kampilan, kris, barong, etc.

[Dan Anderson]

Go to this link, y'all, if youwant to see the original Presas bolo.
http://www.gunting-museum.com/CSSD-S...c_weapons.html
Sweet!

Yours,
Dan Anderson

[Cruentus]

I have one myself! Got mine in, like, 95 or something.

[arnisandyz]

Originally Posted by Dan Anderson

Go to this link, y'all, if youwant to see the original Presas bolo.
http://www.gunting-museum.com/CSSD-S...c_weapons.html
Sweet!

Yours,
Dan Anderson

Very Nice! Thanks. I have one similar to that- but not exactly. Mine has a stupid sailors head on the handle. The shape and build quality of the blade, carabao handle and brass fittings look about the same though. The tapered point is better for thrusting and it is much faster than the tip heavy bolo (for chopping). If I were to guess its probably around 20" in length?

In tghe philippines it was always stressed hat the cane was a sword. Even here though only some of Remy's senior students recieved a lot of training in knife and bolo techniques.

[OULobo]

Originally Posted by arnisandyz

Very Nice! Thanks. I have one similar to that- but not exactly. Mine has a stupid sailors head on the handle. The shape and build quality of the blade, carabao handle and brass fittings look about the same though. The tapered point is better for thrusting and it is much faster than the tip heavy bolo (for chopping). If I were to guess its probably around 20" in length?

The bolo handles of the PIs are pretty varied over the years. The ones that I see on Bram's site are sometimes call the "hoof" style and are supposedly modeled after the bolo of the PI hero Bonifacio. The sailors and MacArthur hilts are generally novelty blades made for tourists (especially Subic Bay sailors). If you go back even farther you can find "fist" hilts and my personal favorite, hilts that are carved with a fist holding a Spaniard's head. The oldest of the non-blades that are generally called bolos are usually carved with croc heads or demon heads. These are sometimes called tenegres or binangons

[Rich Parsons]

Originally Posted by mike dizon

In tghe philippines it was always stressed hat the cane was a sword. Even here though only some of Remy's senior students recieved a lot of training in knife and bolo techniques.

Mike,

For Modern Arnis via GM Remy Presas, I would have to say yes. If it was Balintawak, I would have to disagree. Therefor, not all arts from the PI always stressed that the cane is the sowrd. Yes, you can translate the stick technique to the blade technique, yet, with stick techinque you can manage and monitor the cane, which gives less feedback to the opponent, then monitoring or managing the hand. Now obviously, if the opponent has a blade then you would monitor and manage the hand. No disrespect.

[Dan Anderson]

Originally Posted by mike dizon

In the philippines it was always stressed hat the cane was a sword. Even here though only some of Remy's senior students recieved a lot of training in knife and bolo techniques.

Prof. Presas often stated that the cane and the sword were "the same" but seldom taught techniques of the sword. It was guys like Bram win the US who really pestered him to teach them the blade.

Yours,
Dan Anderson

[arnisandyz]

Originally Posted by Dan Anderson

Prof. Presas often stated that the cane and the sword were "the same" but seldom taught techniques of the sword. It was guys like Bram win the US who really pestered him to teach them the blade.

Yours,
Dan Anderson

Besides the obvious slashing/cutting actions would the stick to blade modifications be similar to other styles like Bahala Na or Bakbakan? Using the flat or back of the blade for parrys to save the edge, etc?

[Dan Anderson]

Originally Posted by arnisandyz

Using the flat or back of the blade for parrys to save the edge, etc?

Andy,
That's one. You one smart cookie. Edge orientation is another.

Yours,
Dan Anderson

[Cruentus]

Originally Posted by arnisandyz

Besides the obvious slashing/cutting actions would the stick to blade modifications be similar to other styles like Bahala Na or Bakbakan? Using the flat or back of the blade for parrys to save the edge, etc?

Also look at the traditionals (banda y banda, rompida, up & down, etc..)...especially Ocho-Ocho. Look at the "stick forms," and there are all sorts of blade translations within those. "Palis-Palis" I find to be a lot more blade friendly then stick friendly...and there are endless blade applications in those. The abiniko is useful for deflections and cuts as well. 6-count (also 5, 8, and 10 counts) are great templetates to work on blade translations, as well as the flow drill.

There are all sorts of cuts "hidden" within the movements, such as "the back cut." Little cuts that go unoticed unless you understand your tool.

btw...I bugged Professor for Blade translations too....What I got was very cryptic... "You can do this, and he is cut...you can do that, and he is cut already! Now...go do dat!" I got some stuff.... I am still decifering what I was told to this day. I think sometimes (not all times) learning Martial Arts can be more like peeling an Onion then building a house...as you get better and improve, you get deeper and deeper insight into what your instructor has told you...even many years later.

That is why I like looking at Brams work, and I am excited about this new series. It helps me to decifer more what I was told, and perhaps learn something that I wasn't.

Yours,

Paul

[Dan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Tulisan

That is why I like looking at Brams work, and I am excited about this new series. It helps me to decipher more what I was told, and perhaps learn something that I wasn't.

Yours,

Paul

Ditto.

Yours,
Dan Anderson