Could anyone 'enlighten' me ?

Freddy · 21st March 2006, 08:30 PM

This is my third Indonesian find I made this month. It's a small curved dagger. The blade has two sharp edges. The handle is made of wood. I have no sheath. If you put the handle on a table, the height of this piece is 14, 5 cm.

I tried to find the correct name for this knife, but I'm a bit confused. I found the following names : korambit, korambi, lawi ayam.

All these knives look a bit alike.

Could anyone 'enlighten' me ?

mmontoro · 21st March 2006, 08:56 PM

There is an example with a very similar hilt in Van Zonneveld on page 33 referred to as a Beladau. Very nice piece - I like it.

Freddy · 21st March 2006, 09:03 PM

AAARGHHH !

I knew I missed something in that book.

Now I'm even more confused.

You're right, the handle looks very similar. But my knife has a blade which is more curved than the one in the picture in Zonneveld's book.

It's also quite a bit smaller. It's too small to fit in my hand. Perhaps it's a woman's weapon.

Thanks for the tip

mmontoro · 21st March 2006, 10:13 PM

My pleasure.

VVV · 21st March 2006, 10:31 PM

A nice one!

I think it's a Lawi Ayam, Korambi etc...
Some of them have an open "half ring", like yours, as a finger rest.
Most of them have closed/full rings at the top of the hilt for fully inserting a finger.
My Silat teacher's wife is very good with them and they can be a very nasty surprise and are difficult to disarm.
The reason it looks like a Beladau is because it's local variations of the same weapon - the Jambiya.
But the size of yours, as well as the blade shape, indicates a Kerambit, Kuku Ayam, Kuku Rimau etc...

Actually I think it's many names for the same knife but maybe someone else can enlighten me if there is a difference?

Michael

LabanTayo · 21st March 2006, 10:48 PM

if i remember correctly,
lawi ayam is longer and has a straighter blade. korambit is smaller and more curving with the finger hole. beladaw has the open toe hole.

VVV · 21st March 2006, 11:19 PM

Looking closer at the Beladau in van Z makes me even more insecure even if I think the size must matter?

Michael

21st March 2006, 08:30 PM	#1
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Could anyone 'enlighten' me ? This is my third Indonesian find I made this month. It's a small curved dagger. The blade has two sharp edges. The handle is made of wood. I have no sheath. If you put the handle on a table, the height of this piece is 14, 5 cm. I tried to find the correct name for this knife, but I'm a bit confused. I found the following names : korambit, korambi, lawi ayam. All these knives look a bit alike. Could anyone 'enlighten' me ?

21st March 2006, 10:13 PM	#4
mmontoro Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 91	Here's the picture from V Z My pleasure.

21st March 2006, 08:56 PM	#2
mmontoro Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 91	There is an example with a very similar hilt in Van Zonneveld on page 33 referred to as a Beladau. Very nice piece - I like it.

21st March 2006, 09:03 PM	#3
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	AAARGHHH ! I knew I missed something in that book. Now I'm even more confused. You're right, the handle looks very similar. But my knife has a blade which is more curved than the one in the picture in Zonneveld's book. It's also quite a bit smaller. It's too small to fit in my hand. Perhaps it's a woman's weapon. Thanks for the tip

21st March 2006, 10:31 PM	#5
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	A nice one! I think it's a Lawi Ayam, Korambi etc... Some of them have an open "half ring", like yours, as a finger rest. Most of them have closed/full rings at the top of the hilt for fully inserting a finger. My Silat teacher's wife is very good with them and they can be a very nasty surprise and are difficult to disarm. The reason it looks like a Beladau is because it's local variations of the same weapon - the Jambiya. But the size of yours, as well as the blade shape, indicates a Kerambit, Kuku Ayam, Kuku Rimau etc... Actually I think it's many names for the same knife but maybe someone else can enlighten me if there is a difference? Michael

21st March 2006, 10:48 PM	#6
LabanTayo Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kansas City Posts: 177	if i remember correctly, lawi ayam is longer and has a straighter blade. korambit is smaller and more curving with the finger hole. beladaw has the open toe hole.

21st March 2006, 11:19 PM	#7
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Looking closer at the Beladau in van Z makes me even more insecure even if I think the size must matter? Michael