Stag Hilted Parang For Comment

Lew · 21st August 2005, 11:21 PM

Hi Guys

This parang belongs to a good friend he purchased it from ebay a couple of years ago. The blade was polished and even though I thought it was laminated I couldn't be sure until I had a chance to etch it. Well my friend brought his sword over to his local knife club and their local experts told him it was junk and made from left over scrap steel. I etched the blade for him and a very nice pattern emerged. Here are some photos of the sword.

Lew

Ferguson · 21st August 2005, 11:45 PM

Great story, beautiful pattern, and a very lovely blade!

Steve

Alam Shah · 22nd August 2005, 04:34 AM

The construction of the blade is beautiful.
"Local experts" said it was junk? What a joke.

Maybe they were referring to the blade material...Knife collector,
in general prefers known material like ATS34, CPM-440V, CPM-420V,
D2 Tool Steel, O1 Tool Steel, A2 Tool Steel...etc.
(I'm a knife collector, too. But now I prefer collecting ethnographics pieces.)

As for the broken sheath, it could be repaired accordingly.

Henk · 23rd August 2005, 09:18 AM

Junk???? Sure, call it whatever you like. Guess they hoped your friend left it disapointed behind. The grip and guard are not ariginal and a replacement. But the blade is lovely.

Lew · 23rd August 2005, 12:28 PM

Henk

the guard is carved from horn and there is a tourtise shell butt cap on the end of the stag grip if it was replaced it was done in Indonesia a long time ago.

Lew

Henk · 23rd August 2005, 09:30 PM

Lew,

In my humble opinion it is a hilt that is not often seen in this way. Just raw staghorn (forgive me the expression, i don't know how to put it in another way) is rather uncommon on such a sword. It looks more like a golok. It probably is one and mostly the shape of the hilt is bended at the end with a knob or a carved head. So the staghorn follows that bending good. If the guard is horn it could be very well made in Indonesia. It is a bit hard to see on the pics but it looks like a guard as you see them on an european or american dagger.

I certainly didn't put up that the replacement was not done in Indonesia but the mounting with the guard isn't the original mounting in my opinion. And we all know that wooden parts are often replaced in that area. Just as it happens to the keris it also is not uncommon to other weapons.

Maybe a a pic of the guard from the top or the bottom and the endcap of the hilt?
After all it remains a very nice piece.

Ian · 23rd August 2005, 10:06 PM

Lew:

Very nice piece, and nicely etched blade.

I agree with the comments about a "European" look to this sword which I would also call a golok, or perhaps a pedang. The "European" features in the guard and hilt are reminiscent of the hunting swords of Europe, and these are seen on Dutch Colonial pieces from Indonesia. We tend to forget that the Dutch did influence designs in edged weapons in their Indonesian colony, notably a few centers in Western Java (e.g., Tjikeroeh), and I have one of the TJIKR swords with a stag handle and cross guard with acorn finials that looks very similar to a 19th C. German hunting sword. Most of these Dutch Colonial pieces seem to date from the late 19th C. into the 1920s. I suspect this example is probably of similar age.

The scabbard seems to be a marriage. It seems too plain and utilitarian for this sword, and does not look especially Indonesian (Javanese) IMO -- more likely from Sumatra, Borneo or the Philippines.

Ian.

derek · 23rd August 2005, 10:34 PM

That's some sweet junk.

21st August 2005, 11:21 PM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Stag Hilted Parang For Comment Hi Guys This parang belongs to a good friend he purchased it from ebay a couple of years ago. The blade was polished and even though I thought it was laminated I couldn't be sure until I had a chance to etch it. Well my friend brought his sword over to his local knife club and their local experts told him it was junk and made from left over scrap steel. I etched the blade for him and a very nice pattern emerged. Here are some photos of the sword. Lew Attached Images

23rd August 2005, 10:06 PM	#7
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,200	Lew: Very nice piece, and nicely etched blade. I agree with the comments about a "European" look to this sword which I would also call a golok, or perhaps a pedang. The "European" features in the guard and hilt are reminiscent of the hunting swords of Europe, and these are seen on Dutch Colonial pieces from Indonesia. We tend to forget that the Dutch did influence designs in edged weapons in their Indonesian colony, notably a few centers in Western Java (e.g., Tjikeroeh), and I have one of the TJIKR swords with a stag handle and cross guard with acorn finials that looks very similar to a 19th C. German hunting sword. Most of these Dutch Colonial pieces seem to date from the late 19th C. into the 1920s. I suspect this example is probably of similar age. The scabbard seems to be a marriage. It seems too plain and utilitarian for this sword, and does not look especially Indonesian (Javanese) IMO -- more likely from Sumatra, Borneo or the Philippines. Ian. Last edited by Ian; 24th August 2005 at 09:36 AM.

21st August 2005, 11:45 PM	#2
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Great story, beautiful pattern, and a very lovely blade! Steve

22nd August 2005, 04:34 AM	#3
Alam Shah Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,248	The construction of the blade is beautiful. "Local experts" said it was junk? What a joke. Maybe they were referring to the blade material...Knife collector, in general prefers known material like ATS34, CPM-440V, CPM-420V, D2 Tool Steel, O1 Tool Steel, A2 Tool Steel...etc. (I'm a knife collector, too. But now I prefer collecting ethnographics pieces.) As for the broken sheath, it could be repaired accordingly.

23rd August 2005, 09:18 AM	#4
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Junk???? Sure, call it whatever you like. Guess they hoped your friend left it disapointed behind. The grip and guard are not ariginal and a replacement. But the blade is lovely.

23rd August 2005, 12:28 PM	#5
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Henk the guard is carved from horn and there is a tourtise shell butt cap on the end of the stag grip if it was replaced it was done in Indonesia a long time ago. Lew

23rd August 2005, 09:30 PM	#6
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Lew, In my humble opinion it is a hilt that is not often seen in this way. Just raw staghorn (forgive me the expression, i don't know how to put it in another way) is rather uncommon on such a sword. It looks more like a golok. It probably is one and mostly the shape of the hilt is bended at the end with a knob or a carved head. So the staghorn follows that bending good. If the guard is horn it could be very well made in Indonesia. It is a bit hard to see on the pics but it looks like a guard as you see them on an european or american dagger. I certainly didn't put up that the replacement was not done in Indonesia but the mounting with the guard isn't the original mounting in my opinion. And we all know that wooden parts are often replaced in that area. Just as it happens to the keris it also is not uncommon to other weapons. Maybe a a pic of the guard from the top or the bottom and the endcap of the hilt? After all it remains a very nice piece.

23rd August 2005, 10:34 PM	#8
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	That's some sweet junk.