Malaysian Knife
 

Hello All!

I just bought this knife in the swap forum. All that is known for certain is that it is from Malaysia. It has a nice Pamor blade. The blade is about 9 1/2" and about 13 1/2" overall. The handle seems to be a later repalcement because the workmanship does not match the shreath and is quite loose on the blade. The sheath shows better workmanship but might be a lter make too. I would like to know the proper name of this type of knife is and what type of Pamor it is please? The blade is quite sharp and thick so I don't think it is a tourist knife. How old could the knife be?

Mark...

Hello Mark,

this looks like a badek/badik blade to me. My guess would be that it's not antique (20th c.)?

Regards,
Kai

Mark,

I think it is a golok with a pamorblade. Nice one. The hilt is unfortunately a poor replacement, I'm afraid.

This knife may have been obtained in Malaysia, however, that handle form is very common in Central Jawa, and I do not know of it from any part of Malaysia.

The blade appears to be a badik blade, from where I am not prepared to guess, as I have seen blades like this in a variety of dress.

The scabbard, for me, has no distinguishing features that would precisely place it in any specific location.

With weaponry from SE Asia in general,once we move away from high quality examples it is very common to find blades, handles and scabbards from all over SE Asia mixed and matched. It is not only collectors and dealers outside the area who do this mixing and matching, but people who live there as well. I have seen many examples of keris and other wesi aji that have genuine, documented provenance as having been collected in one place, but that are comprised of component parts from a number of places.

In respect of the question of age:- how old does it look?

Anybody's guess is as good as mine.

My guess is 1800 to 1940.

In respect of a "proper name".

In my opinion the only thing it can be called is "knife".

Hello All!

Personally I think it's a Badik blade too. I think the balde is 19th century and the mounts are Mid 20th century. It's interesting how these parts get mixed and matched through out the region.

Mark...

No new comments?

The blade form and size makes me say badek too.

The scabbard looks a lot like early tourist goloks that were made approx 1900-1940. These tourist/souvenir items often had these type scbabbards combined with a simple golok blade or sometimes simple not laminated keris blade. The handle however would than often be a wayang figure.

This handle is very different. is it the same wood as the scabbard ?
It looks more rougher that the scabbard.

Best regards,
Willem

Hello Willem!

The scabbard and hilt are two entirely diffrent woods. the sheath looks newer and is not very well worn but the hilt is softer and battered. I think this might be collection of a tourist scabbard, Javanese hilt and a Badik blade that were just assembled in Malaysia.

Mark....