Barung from Baltimore

Spunjer · 11th April 2016, 12:31 AM

for years, i've been looking for a barung similar to this. not only are they hard to find, but when they do pop up, it's normally four figures...
well, my search is over. picked one up in Baltimore among European sabers. since it wasn't in the best condition, mr. seller decided to sell it for a song. whoever tried to fix it decided to use gorilla glue, and for some reason, decided to shave the ukkil at the bottom. fortunately whoever did it decided to leave a small part of the ukkil design intact.

Spunjer · 11th April 2016, 12:53 AM

so first order of the day was to etch it....
blade is high quality, most likely chinese made. it has a real faint chopmark on side.
pleasantly surprised to see patterns pop out. what got me is the somewhat similar to a katana's hamon.

Spunjer · 11th April 2016, 01:01 AM

so finally it's back to it's former glory. ivory fixed, blade etched and metal shined. even found an extra scabbard that fit. it's just a matter re-wrapping it with rattan binds. as a plus, i found out using Weiman Silver Polish on ivory brings out the luster...

David · 11th April 2016, 01:35 AM

Very nice Ron, congrats.
Nice restoration as well...

iskender · 11th April 2016, 01:49 AM

good evening, in mind that till now every barongblade i encounterd in its original condition it was polished like hell. i have read that by certain weapons as barongs, kamilans and the moro-keris it was the pride of the maker to polish them up so highly as possible. in thirty years looking at barongs in the netherlands not one was etched.I do not understand where this idee comes from to treat these barongblades with acids?they are not kerisblades which where washed in a ritual with a purpose. in my opinion they where always clean, sturdy and glittering in the sun. Maybe someone knows more details. thanks iskender

Spunjer · 11th April 2016, 02:30 AM

thanks. normally, i'm not a big proponent of making up an ukkil just to make it complete. luckily, a set was left off close to the pommel and it's just a matter of repeating the pattern.

Spunjer · 11th April 2016, 02:52 AM

iskender, not necessarily. in the jungle, it's counter-intuitive to have a shiny blade. on some of the blades, they even have patterns, much like an indonesian keris. i'm posting one as an example. as far as barungs, kris and such, they weren't washed like the keris, although back in the old day, i was told that coconut oil was used to these blades. over time it etches the blade, bringing out the pattern. nowadays the most common acid that's used to bring out the pattern is your household vinegar...

iskender · 11th April 2016, 04:49 AM

thanks , it gives sense , that cleaning a patternwelded blade in coconutsapp will show the pattern over time . as for the aspect living in the jungle these people had a very highstanding culture with agriculture,fishing gold and ironwork, trade , the larger fightingknives and swords ,parang, piras.ect. where manly for war and robbery in large groups or families in a clanwar.It was surly also a big showoff item when these guys went to drink and gamble in the lokal hangoutplaces. i think , there was no intention of the moros to darken a blade for camouflage in the night.for so far a nice barong is always a enjoyment to the eye. thanks for showing your outstanding repair on a interesting nice piece ,complements for your skill iskender

Maurice · 11th April 2016, 11:38 AM

Congrats with your find Ron!
For sure an amazing barong, and a very good restoration job!

I'm sure it is in good hands now! :-)

Kind regards,
Maurice

CharlesS · 11th April 2016, 01:19 PM

Great restoration Ron....back to its former glory is right! Terrific piece! I am amazed not only by the quality of the restoration, but the speed with which it was done.

harrywagner · 11th April 2016, 01:36 PM

Wow. Nice piece and excellent restoration. Congrats!

What did you use to etch the blade? I am guessing you did not use a resist?

Battara · 12th April 2016, 12:12 AM

Well Ron, this turned out to be a really nice piece!

Much better than when I saw it in Baltimore!

And Iskender, there are pictures of Moros brandishing kris and other weapons, with dark etched blades.

Spunjer · 12th April 2016, 02:22 AM

Harry, i used my wife's vinegar, lol. micro it for a minute, then add a couple drops of dishwashing soap. no harsh chemicals were used.

thanks Jose! i saw a lot of potential with this barung

Robert · 12th April 2016, 05:45 AM

What a fine score and addition to your collection Ron, especially after the wonderful restoration work. You did a great job of carving and replacing the missing ukkil as well as bringing out the pattern in the blade.

Best,
Robert

Ian · 12th April 2016, 04:00 PM

Very nice, Ron. Your collection continues to grow with more and more fine pieces.

Ian.

VANDOO · 12th April 2016, 05:24 PM

CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT FIND AND KUDOS FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT RESTORATION FEW COULD HAVE DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE PIECES OF IVORY AND TWO PIECES OF HORN OR IF THE HORN WAS APPLIED AS STRIPS IN GROOVES IN THE IVORY.? ITS UNUSUAL IN EITHER CASE. NOW YOU GUYS WITH IVORY HANDLED MORO WEAPONS CAN WEAR THEM AT LOUISVILLE SHOW AND PLAY DATU

PERHAPS I WILL JOIN YOU ONE OF THESE DAYS AS I HAVE A IVORY HANDLED KRIS.

Sajen · 12th April 2016, 07:06 PM

Hello Ron,

like all others have said already, very nice barong and great restoration at the ivory pommel. Would you willing to tell us how it was done? Which glue, reclacement piece ivory also, details of the new done carving and so on.

I personally would have polished the blade a little bit more but that is a matter of opinion. Great luck to find a matching scabbard. Congrats for this nice find and great job!

Regards,
Detlef

Oliver Pinchot · 12th April 2016, 07:26 PM

Hey Ron,

Yes, as Charles said, it looks great. Beautiful restoration, glad to see it brought back... and in appreciative, informed hands!

Well done!

Oliver

David · 13th April 2016, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iskender

good evening, in mind that till now every barongblade i encounterd in its original condition it was polished like hell. i have read that by certain weapons as barongs, kamilans and the moro-keris it was the pride of the maker to polish them up so highly as possible. in thirty years looking at barongs in the netherlands not one was etched.I do not understand where this idee comes from to treat these barongblades with acids?

Iskender, this has been a question amongst collectors for a long time now. I am not sure if you have travelled to the Philippines or not, but it is difficult to tell exactly what is "original condition" of blades once they have left their native lands. Western collectors often polish blades because it is the way THEY think they should be treated. So i am personally uncertain what the general rule of thumb was for the Moro. If you search there are, unfortunately, very few photographs that show Moro warriors with their blades exposed. This is one of the few images i can find online and while the quality of the image is not that good it does seem apparent that this datu is not holding a kris that is in high polish.

CharlesS · 13th April 2016, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Iskender, this has been a question amongst collectors for a long time now. I am not sure if you have travelled to the Philippines or not, but it is difficult to tell exactly what is "original condition" of blades once they have left their native lands. Western collectors often polish blades because it is the way THEY think they should be treated. So i am personally uncertain what the general rule of thumb was for the Moro. If you search there are, unfortunately, very few photographs that show Moro warriors with their blades exposed. This is one of the few images i can find online and while the quality of the image is not that good it does seem apparent that this datu is not holding a kris that is in high polish.

This kriss has clearly been (heavily) etched. The etching has exposed the tempered edges and the silver inlay towards the forte(and perhaps down the blade...hard to tell). Certainly a fuller has become more obvious. Also note that the baca-baca have been heavily polished to accentuate them against the dark etch. This photo has intrigued me for some time because it shows a blade that is far more heavily etched than we may consider the Moro norm. It's really almost more in line with an Indonesian etch, but no doubt done to highlight its other embellishments. It really makes me wonder if Moro blades might encompass the spectrum of bright to dark, depending on the bladesmith or the owner's desires.

kino · 14th April 2016, 04:54 AM

Ho Spunjer, Amazing work, job well done all around!
Pretty gutsy using silver polish on Ivory, I've never heard of it.
Thanks for sharing.

11th April 2016, 12:31 AM	#1
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	Barung from Baltimore for years, i've been looking for a barung similar to this. not only are they hard to find, but when they do pop up, it's normally four figures... well, my search is over. picked one up in Baltimore among European sabers. since it wasn't in the best condition, mr. seller decided to sell it for a song. whoever tried to fix it decided to use gorilla glue, and for some reason, decided to shave the ukkil at the bottom. fortunately whoever did it decided to leave a small part of the ukkil design intact. Attached Images

11th April 2016, 12:53 AM	#2
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	so first order of the day was to etch it.... blade is high quality, most likely chinese made. it has a real faint chopmark on side. pleasantly surprised to see patterns pop out. what got me is the somewhat similar to a katana's hamon. Attached Images

11th April 2016, 01:01 AM	#3
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	so finally it's back to it's former glory. ivory fixed, blade etched and metal shined. even found an extra scabbard that fit. it's just a matter re-wrapping it with rattan binds. as a plus, i found out using Weiman Silver Polish on ivory brings out the luster... Attached Images

11th April 2016, 01:49 AM	#5
iskender Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 60	polished blades good evening, in mind that till now every barongblade i encounterd in its original condition it was polished like hell. i have read that by certain weapons as barongs, kamilans and the moro-keris it was the pride of the maker to polish them up so highly as possible. in thirty years looking at barongs in the netherlands not one was etched.I do not understand where this idee comes from to treat these barongblades with acids?they are not kerisblades which where washed in a ritual with a purpose. in my opinion they where always clean, sturdy and glittering in the sun. Maybe someone knows more details. thanks iskender

11th April 2016, 02:52 AM	#7
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	iskender, not necessarily. in the jungle, it's counter-intuitive to have a shiny blade. on some of the blades, they even have patterns, much like an indonesian keris. i'm posting one as an example. as far as barungs, kris and such, they weren't washed like the keris, although back in the old day, i was told that coconut oil was used to these blades. over time it etches the blade, bringing out the pattern. nowadays the most common acid that's used to bring out the pattern is your household vinegar... Attached Images

11th April 2016, 01:35 AM	#4
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,123	Very nice Ron, congrats. Nice restoration as well...

11th April 2016, 02:30 AM	#6
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	thanks. normally, i'm not a big proponent of making up an ukkil just to make it complete. luckily, a set was left off close to the pommel and it's just a matter of repeating the pattern.

11th April 2016, 04:49 AM	#8
iskender Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 60	patina of the bladestructure thanks , it gives sense , that cleaning a patternwelded blade in coconutsapp will show the pattern over time . as for the aspect living in the jungle these people had a very highstanding culture with agriculture,fishing gold and ironwork, trade , the larger fightingknives and swords ,parang, piras.ect. where manly for war and robbery in large groups or families in a clanwar.It was surly also a big showoff item when these guys went to drink and gamble in the lokal hangoutplaces. i think , there was no intention of the moros to darken a blade for camouflage in the night.for so far a nice barong is always a enjoyment to the eye. thanks for showing your outstanding repair on a interesting nice piece ,complements for your skill iskender

11th April 2016, 11:38 AM	#9
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,346	Congrats with your find Ron! For sure an amazing barong, and a very good restoration job! I'm sure it is in good hands now! :-) Kind regards, Maurice

11th April 2016, 01:19 PM	#10
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	Great restoration Ron....back to its former glory is right! Terrific piece! I am amazed not only by the quality of the restoration, but the speed with which it was done.

11th April 2016, 01:36 PM	#11
harrywagner Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 373	Wow. Nice piece and excellent restoration. Congrats! What did you use to etch the blade? I am guessing you did not use a resist?

12th April 2016, 12:12 AM	#12
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Well Ron, this turned out to be a really nice piece! Much better than when I saw it in Baltimore! And Iskender, there are pictures of Moros brandishing kris and other weapons, with dark etched blades.

12th April 2016, 02:22 AM	#13
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	Harry, i used my wife's vinegar, lol. micro it for a minute, then add a couple drops of dishwashing soap. no harsh chemicals were used. thanks Jose! i saw a lot of potential with this barung

12th April 2016, 05:45 AM	#14
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	What a fine score and addition to your collection Ron, especially after the wonderful restoration work. You did a great job of carving and replacing the missing ukkil as well as bringing out the pattern in the blade. Best, Robert

12th April 2016, 04:00 PM	#15
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,198	Very nice, Ron. Your collection continues to grow with more and more fine pieces. Ian.

12th April 2016, 05:24 PM	#16
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT FIND AND KUDOS FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT RESTORATION FEW COULD HAVE DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE PIECES OF IVORY AND TWO PIECES OF HORN OR IF THE HORN WAS APPLIED AS STRIPS IN GROOVES IN THE IVORY.? ITS UNUSUAL IN EITHER CASE. NOW YOU GUYS WITH IVORY HANDLED MORO WEAPONS CAN WEAR THEM AT LOUISVILLE SHOW AND PLAY DATU PERHAPS I WILL JOIN YOU ONE OF THESE DAYS AS I HAVE A IVORY HANDLED KRIS.

12th April 2016, 07:06 PM	#17
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,779	Hello Ron, like all others have said already, very nice barong and great restoration at the ivory pommel. Would you willing to tell us how it was done? Which glue, reclacement piece ivory also, details of the new done carving and so on. I personally would have polished the blade a little bit more but that is a matter of opinion. Great luck to find a matching scabbard. Congrats for this nice find and great job! Regards, Detlef

12th April 2016, 07:26 PM	#18
Oliver Pinchot Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 457	Hey Ron, Yes, as Charles said, it looks great. Beautiful restoration, glad to see it brought back... and in appreciative, informed hands! Well done! Oliver

14th April 2016, 04:54 AM	#21
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,002	Ho Spunjer, Amazing work, job well done all around! Pretty gutsy using silver polish on Ivory, I've never heard of it. Thanks for sharing.