I first used this weapon in the Philippines at the 1998 Pekiti-Tirsia training camp. Many people who attended had ordered either a gununting or a pinuti
made for them and so took one home. But I arrived several days late,
missed my chance to choose and brought back an undersized pinuti.
However, while I was there Grand Tuhon Gaje jr. loaned me his gununting
whenever I trained with him.
What impressed me immediately was that this particular blade form
lent itself so well to the edge-oriented techniques of Pekiti-Tirsia.
The Seguidas, the Alphabito, all those subtle counter-cutting
moves in the Contra-Tirsia, they suddenly came alive with the
gununting. Using a stick, those same movements sometimes felt mechanical
and, on occasion, even unlikely. This blade changed all that for me.
Luckily Bob Burgee of EDGES2 Inc. had an opportunity to handle the
gununting that Guro Dan Inosanto received. He was inspired to include it,
as well as the pinuti,
in his ever-expanding line of safety training weapons. And I am very
glad he did.
With a slightly concave blade face, it's hawkish profile speaks
a dialect not unlike the kukri. The leading point
arrives at its destination early and feels eager to get there.
It almost seems to seek its target when striking from below and feels very
comfortable jabbing. On the other hand, the witik (or abaniko)
is one of the few strikes that isn't as immediately accessible.
I received the basic version of the EDGES2 gununting
with the nylon paracord wrapped handle; the deluxe version includes a hilt
made from mikarta. The blade
is designed overthick to give the lighter aluminum more heft and durability
- it comes
close to the original weight but seems a little light. The use of aircraft
aluminum means that it can even be used to spar with some contact.
With only the additional thickness of the cording, the hilts
were a little narrow for the hand.
The cord itself is tight though and
attractively wrapped. The simulated edge is hollow
ground with all points and edges well dulled. And the satin finish
on the aluminum looks good, giving a convincing impression of steel.
Having trained with it for several weeks, two things were
very apparent:
- The cord wrapped handle doesn't fit the hand as well as it could
- the narrowness compromises the grip while the knots chafe somewhat;
- the quality in this safety blade is otherwise excellent and the
EDGES2 gununting is almost as good as the real thing.
So I would consider paying the extra bucks to get the deluxe version with
the mikarta handle - or maybe consider refitting it myself.
But either way, the final product will cut the air as sweetly.
While I think that most Filipino martial artists would enjoy this blade,
I strongly
recommend that Pekiti-Tirsia practioners consider getting a gununting -
it fits the system like a glove. Of course, getting
a real one would be best. But for regular training the aluminum blade offers
the benefit of keeping all your fingers attached to your hand while looking
just as good as steel.
Loki Jorgenson
FMA Database Editor
