Hembrug Klewang - original or a good fake?

[Jussi M.]

Greetings,

so gentleman, what do you think of this piece?

[Rick]

I guess my first question would be ; are these currently valuable enough to make them worth faking ?

Refurbished blade ??

[kronckew]

scabbard looks a bit odd compared to mine.


note the sheet brass tip and the brass staples that hold it on, and the black steel throat piece wrapped partially around the throat and double riveted both sides. on mine the leather seam is sewn along the spine rather than the rear flat. note also the button-holed strap for attaching to the belt frog (sadly missing). could yours be a replacement? mine does not have any unit markings or issue/serial numbers. it does have a small (proof?) stamp on the right side similar to yours, and the mfg. stamp opposite on the left side of the ricasso.

'cold steel' made a recent copy of the milsco version that the USN used, as well as a longer 'sabre' variant of the same basic design: CS called it the '1917 cutlass'


note the slight difference in the scabbard tip and the single riveted brass throat piece. also note the slotted grip rivets (or screws).

while i would not try this with my original, the CS copy in the following video shows it's designs cutting effectiveness.

Youtube video CS 1917 Cutlass

[trenchwarfare]

Jussi, your Klewang looks great to me. Excellent piece. No fakes that I know of, other than the one previously mentioned. Your scabbard is an earlier version, that had the steel tip, inside the leather, with only the ball finial showing. Looks like the leather was pealing back, and the soldier had a local repair it with brass wire. Or repaired it himself. Or, the last owner was a local, or...

[Jussi M.]

Hello,

thanks for the comments so far. This weapon aint actually mine but one that has raised my curiosity.

J

[Jim McDougall]

Fakes dont usually carry issuance or arsenal type stamps.