Cid Titus Cempron. | CDN Digital photo
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – A philosophy professor from Tagbilaran City, Bohol decided to bring his passion for knowledge and the Boholano culture to the another level.
Cid Titus Cempron, 51, quit his teaching profession at the University of Bohol to start a business — Bohol Blades — in 2017.
Since then, Cempron has produced at least 46 different varieties of blades, most of which are customized to fit the needs of his buyers.
Cempron operates a blacksmithing shop in Sikatuna town in Bohol province where he does most of his works while he uses a portion of his home in Brgy. Taloto in Tagbilaran City as display shop and blade hub. His blades are also on display at the Bohol National Museum.
With his work, Cempron hopes to contribute to saving blacksmithing which he said “is a dying industry.”
| CDN Digital photo
He also takes pride in sharing his blades with the younger generation to remind them of their cultural identity.
“Inig uli sa mga Bol-anon sa gawas, mopalit na sila. (Bol-anons buy when they return abroad.) Parents buy for their children to remind them of the Boholano culture,” he said.
The sales for his blades would normally peak in June and July as balikbayans return to the foreign country where they are currently staying after their vacation or after attending fiesta celebrations in their province.
Way of life
The use of blades are part of the way of life of native Boholanos who rely on farming. They also use blades to butcher pigs , goats and chickens.
The Sikatuna Blade, Cempron’s tribute to their ‘brave forefathers.’ | grabbed from the Bohol Blades Fb page
“Blades relate to the way of life of the Boholanos,” Cempron said.
Local heroes like Datu Sikatuna, a chieftain of Bo-ol who made blood compact with Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi; Francisco Sendrijas or Dagohoy, who led the longest revolt against Spain; and Francisco Salazar, the hero of the Battle of Ubujan during the Japanese Occupation, also used blades to defeat their enemies.
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Rare materials
When he started blacksmithing in 2017, Cempron said he produced eight traditional blades.
| CDN Digital photo
He uses solid carabao horn with bronze pin and brass collar for its handle while the blade is made from oil quenched guidebar or primera 5160. The sheath, on the other hand, is made from rosewood.
‘The rare the handle, the more premium it is. Ang carabao horn dili siya dali nga mabuak. (Carabao horn does not easily break.) It is rare and causes envy, for bragging rights,” he said.
He would normally source his carabao horn from Cavite and Lanao “kay sa Bohol ang mga kabaw bata pa, ihawon na. Dili na matiguwang (carabaos in Bohol are slaughtered young. They do not grow old.)” He would also get his steel from a Japan-based supplier.
As time went by, he already produced 46 different blade varieties.
Cempron’s Aris Pinuti. | CDN Digital photo
Expensive
Cempron admits that his blades are somewhat expensive because of the kind of materials that he uses. These are priced between P1,950 for a knife which he named “pangihaway” to P15,000 for his Aris Pinuti, which is his most expensive blade so far.
He made his 30 inches-long Aris Pinuti for Bohol Governor Erico Aris Aumentado shortly after he won his first election in May 2022. It was complete in just one week.
“Sakit-sakit gyud ang presyo. Ang kasagaran mopalit ani mga collectors and farm owners,” he said.
(The price is somewhat expensive. Most of the buyers are collectors and farm owners.)
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As time goes by, the price of his blades appreciate as these are collectors items.
His most in demand blades are knives, Cempron said.
A year after he started Bohol Blades or in 2018, Cempron started to export his products abroad.
He started to ship his blades to buyers in the United States, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain, and Singapore, among others.
Cempron expressed hope that with his blades, he will be able to continue to share knowledge of the Boholano culture to locals who are now abroad and those who wanted to learn about his people.
