Post #661240 by coconuttzo on Tue, Dec 11, 2012 4:28 PM

For fear of backlash from posting on the "tiki carving" thread of mines, I've decided to post my non-tiki items here.

Here are 3 small replicas of ancient Hawaiian weapons which I have cut out from a 12" x 2" x 1/4" thick strip of Koa wood. They could be worn as pendants or hung as ornaments on rear-view mirrors yet are still weapon worthy for personal self defense.

First is the Ku'eku'e Pahoa which is a Hawaiian stylized brass knuckles but made of wood & tiger shark teeth. The Pahoa, or dagger is made of ivory over 10,000 yrs. old from the tusk of the Wooly Mammoth. Traditionally, the life size version's dagger is a dried marlin bill but being that this is a small replica, I went with the fossil ivory because the patina seems similar to the dried marlin bill. I sanded the ivory down to 1000 grit and buffed with white rogue. The handle's dimensions are 3 1/2" x 2 1/8" & the dagger's is 3 1/4" x 1/2". It makes for a very unique letter opener, don't you think?

Next one cut was this Leiomano, measuring 5 3/4" x 2 5/8"(146mm x 67mm). This weapon doubled as a shield and a knife. The butt end of the handle was sharpened to a point to add to the weapon's versatility as an impaling spike.

Finishing & rounding out the small piece of the strip left, I could only think of one weapon which could maximize the use of the remaining strip. Measuring 6 1/4" x 2 5/8" & taking advantage of the negative space cut out for the handle of the Leiomano, I was able to create the Maka Lua Pahoa(double point eye dagger), which was arguably one of the most favored weapon among the Koa(warrior) in close combat situations.

The life size version of this weapon is able to block other hand held weapons or enemy limbs and with swift fluid movements of Lua, able to lock or break whatever is trapped in between the two dagger points. The dagger points themselves serves as an exact fit, enabling the Koa to catch the wrist of an attacking opponent and deliver a blinding blow to the eyes in a single move. OUCH!

Traditionally, the Maka Lua had no shark teeth embedded into it. I just added it as an added knife implement, thus increasing it's versatility. Plus it looks way cooler than just a plain slingshot fork.

Here's a short youtube demonstration of the maka lua & other Hawaiian weapons being used. It may look slow to you but in the ancient hands of a well trained Kanaka Koa who lived & breathed the art of Lua as a professional warrior just as the Spartans did in their days, the outcome would've resulted in serious injury or worst, a fatality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhZ8rMBt1SY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8lWdvtxJyw

[ Edited by: coconuttzo 2012-12-11 17:38 ]