Massive possible Sumatran Klewang? Info needed!

[Amuk Murugul]

Originally Posted by Atlantia

Hi Amuk,

Sorry, I'm confused. My blade is 'pattern welded' with ripples and lines, a damascene pattern.
It seems to have an existing 'etch' to bring out the pattern in the steel. Do you think it would have been a mild etch? Not enough to make it dark and the pattern high contrast, just enough to show the laminations?

The throat of the scabbard is made of buffalo horn. It seems to have been carved from a single piece as it has no joins and secured with horn pins. There is no metal apart from the blade.
The missing scabbard end seems likely to have been made in a similar way. I'll try and carve one myself as pieces of horn are easy to get.

Have you ever seen a golok of this size? From you comments it seems large, even for a golok of this type?

Forgive my lack of knowledge, do you mean by "Soemedangan", made in Soemedang? (is it a place?)

'Salam Noenggal'/Single Greeting/Greets Once! LOL, I love your description: One only has to be 'nicked' by it to 'kiss Mother Earth: Goodbye'.




Thank you for your help.
Best
Gene

Hullo again Gene,

If the lines are generally slightly jagged and wavy (wanders) like the graph of a recorder, then it's still Soelangkar (as I mentioned previously, history has blurred and today there is a wider definition of the term).
I am assuming that by ripples you mean 'blobs'/'droplets' (even a few concentric ones): as long as the lines are otherwise continuous from base-to-tip of the blade, being only broken in places by these ripples, then it is still a Soelangkar. Only in this case, it's a Soelangkar Toetoel.
Someone may have etched it to ascertain that it was indeed one (usually strong sunlight is enough to do this).

Since the throat is horn, I wouldn't bother with the ferrule.

As for size, have a look at my picture; that's only a five-foot-something standing next to the goloks.

'Soemedangan' means in the style of Soemedang, which is the name of a city, the capital of a Regency of the same name and the name of a previous kingdom, deemed by many as the de facto inheritor of the old Soenda-Galoeh kingdom.

Best,