Help! Advice on Repairs

vinny · 12th January 2005, 10:03 AM

Hi

I am a newbie on this forum. Hello to all.

I have a Rencong from Aceh, however, the hilt and sheath are made of a very brittle material and have broken (while in my training bag)

Does anyone have any advice on repairs? Is it best to find a good wood worker to make me a new hilt and sheath?

Regards
Vinny

Michel · 12th January 2005, 05:59 PM

Hi Winny,
welcome to the forum,
I love Rencong Aceh although most of my blades are keris. Achenese weapons have very specials forms and can be extreemly sophisticated. As you have not shown us what your Rencong was looking like it is a bit difficult to give you advice on how to repair its sheath and hilt. If you have the skill, why not try yourself at making a new sheath and a new hilt ?
As rencong are not really current where I live now, I did just that: forge a blade and then work the wood for the sheat and the hilt. I join a picture , just to show that it is possible even for a layman. It obvioulsy looks new and not really made in Aceh. This because, we do not have here the equivalent materials, in particular the wood.
Now your rencong may be worth repairing its sheath and hilt. Show us the rencong with decent photos and we may be in position to give a piece of advice.
Regards
Michel

capt.smash · 12th January 2005, 06:14 PM

Nice work michel

id say above layman skill there.

Battara · 12th January 2005, 09:19 PM

Michel is right, we need pictures. I can do the work, or with the nice work Michel has done with this rencong (way to go

), he can as well. But pics would help.

rahman · 13th January 2005, 02:16 AM

If your "hilt and sheath are made of a very brittle material", it may not be wood but buffalo horn. Are they black in color? Do a search on the old forums about caring for horn and ivory.

vinny · 13th January 2005, 10:02 AM

Hi Guys

Thank you all for you help. I will put some photos on, but I am away on a course at the moment, so will do at the weekend. Unfortunately I do not have any before photos.

I thought that the material was some kind of tropical hard wood at first, because it is dark brown with some kind ot grain pattern. But now it has broken, I can see it is yellow on the inside, and it is very hard. I will put some photos on at the weekend you can see.

Michael,

You workmanship looks fantastic.

Regards
Vinny

12th January 2005, 10:03 AM	#1
vinny Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: England Posts: 31	Help! Advice on Repairs Hi I am a newbie on this forum. Hello to all. I have a Rencong from Aceh, however, the hilt and sheath are made of a very brittle material and have broken (while in my training bag) Does anyone have any advice on repairs? Is it best to find a good wood worker to make me a new hilt and sheath? Regards Vinny

12th January 2005, 05:59 PM	#2
Michel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Switzerland Posts: 139	Hi Winny, welcome to the forum, I love Rencong Aceh although most of my blades are keris. Achenese weapons have very specials forms and can be extreemly sophisticated. As you have not shown us what your Rencong was looking like it is a bit difficult to give you advice on how to repair its sheath and hilt. If you have the skill, why not try yourself at making a new sheath and a new hilt ? As rencong are not really current where I live now, I did just that: forge a blade and then work the wood for the sheat and the hilt. I join a picture , just to show that it is possible even for a layman. It obvioulsy looks new and not really made in Aceh. This because, we do not have here the equivalent materials, in particular the wood. Now your rencong may be worth repairing its sheath and hilt. Show us the rencong with decent photos and we may be in position to give a piece of advice. Regards Michel Attached Images

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12th January 2005, 06:14 PM	#3
capt.smash Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Devon ,England Posts: 80	Nice work michel id say above layman skill there.

12th January 2005, 09:19 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,221	Michel is right, we need pictures. I can do the work, or with the nice work Michel has done with this rencong (way to go ), he can as well. But pics would help.

13th January 2005, 02:16 AM	#5
rahman Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 84	If your "hilt and sheath are made of a very brittle material", it may not be wood but buffalo horn. Are they black in color? Do a search on the old forums about caring for horn and ivory.

13th January 2005, 10:02 AM	#6
vinny Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: England Posts: 31	Hi Guys Thank you all for you help. I will put some photos on, but I am away on a course at the moment, so will do at the weekend. Unfortunately I do not have any before photos. I thought that the material was some kind of tropical hard wood at first, because it is dark brown with some kind ot grain pattern. But now it has broken, I can see it is yellow on the inside, and it is very hard. I will put some photos on at the weekend you can see. Michael, You workmanship looks fantastic. Regards Vinny