Barong with Odd Blade?

Battara · 6th July 2011, 10:44 PM

Greetings folks! This was on ebay and abruptly ended. IT is listed as a barong with an early blade. I'm not sure about the blade being early - never saw one like this. Thought I'd post this for our archives. Enjoy.

mross · 6th July 2011, 10:49 PM

I'm guessing a barong handle fitted to another blade.

Lew · 6th July 2011, 10:51 PM

Jose

It looks like a composite piece to me .

Battara · 6th July 2011, 11:00 PM

Yeah Lew I was thinking the same thing......

CharlesS · 7th July 2011, 04:34 AM

Yes, looks composite, and the blade is certainly not well forged. Wonder if this was some sort of crude "utility" blade "married" to a barung hilt.

Maurice · 7th July 2011, 08:24 AM

But I like the nicely carved handle!

ThePepperSkull · 7th July 2011, 08:30 AM

could the handle be an indication of its origin as a whole or was this blade most likely recycled from somewhere else?

I bring it up because the hilt looks Yakan to me?

tom hyle · 7th July 2011, 02:09 PM

I've seen this blade type; but from where?
Obviously oceanic SE Asian.
What's not to like about the forging? I agree that the surface is not entirely finely ground, as usually seen on barong, but that has nothing to do with the forging. The slight hollowing of the flats at the base is typical of narrowed ricassoes formed by upsetting the billet. See Visayan swords for an easily available comparison.

Battara · 8th July 2011, 12:14 AM

The hilt is not Yakan - their tails are much longer.

ThePepperSkull · 8th July 2011, 04:50 AM

^ I bow to the master.

I saw a longer-than-usual crest and thought "yakan" right away, so my instincts are far from fine-tuned. Gonna go look at the archives here to see some Yakan Barung for comparison. Would this hilt just be Sulu, then?

Battara · 8th July 2011, 07:19 AM

Yes this would be a variation of Sulu. If you find something to the contrary, please let us know. We are all still learning (my wife says I have a lot to learn

).

ThePepperSkull · 8th July 2011, 07:47 AM

^ Not at all! Most of what I know, aside from Cato's Moro Swords, comes from your old posts as a resource as well as other members like Kai, Bill Marsh, Zelbone, and many others.

Any opportunity to be corrected by any number of people on this forum is something I value as a learning experience and brings me closer to a more in-depth knowledge about the blades I find so fascinating.

6th July 2011, 10:44 PM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Barong with Odd Blade? Greetings folks! This was on ebay and abruptly ended. IT is listed as a barong with an early blade. I'm not sure about the blade being early - never saw one like this. Thought I'd post this for our archives. Enjoy. Attached Images

7th July 2011, 08:30 AM	#7
ThePepperSkull Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 338	could the handle be an indication of its origin as a whole or was this blade most likely recycled from somewhere else? I bring it up because the hilt looks Yakan to me? Last edited by ThePepperSkull; 7th July 2011 at 06:35 PM.

6th July 2011, 10:49 PM	#2
mross Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 478	I'm guessing a barong handle fitted to another blade.

6th July 2011, 10:51 PM	#3
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Jose It looks like a composite piece to me .

6th July 2011, 11:00 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Yeah Lew I was thinking the same thing......

7th July 2011, 04:34 AM	#5
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	Yes, looks composite, and the blade is certainly not well forged. Wonder if this was some sort of crude "utility" blade "married" to a barung hilt.

7th July 2011, 08:24 AM	#6
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,346	But I like the nicely carved handle!

7th July 2011, 02:09 PM	#8
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	I've seen this blade type; but from where? Obviously oceanic SE Asian. What's not to like about the forging? I agree that the surface is not entirely finely ground, as usually seen on barong, but that has nothing to do with the forging. The slight hollowing of the flats at the base is typical of narrowed ricassoes formed by upsetting the billet. See Visayan swords for an easily available comparison.

8th July 2011, 12:14 AM	#9
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	The hilt is not Yakan - their tails are much longer.

8th July 2011, 04:50 AM	#10
ThePepperSkull Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 338	^ I bow to the master. I saw a longer-than-usual crest and thought "yakan" right away, so my instincts are far from fine-tuned. Gonna go look at the archives here to see some Yakan Barung for comparison. Would this hilt just be Sulu, then?

8th July 2011, 07:19 AM	#11
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Yes this would be a variation of Sulu. If you find something to the contrary, please let us know. We are all still learning (my wife says I have a lot to learn ).

8th July 2011, 07:47 AM	#12
ThePepperSkull Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 338	^ Not at all! Most of what I know, aside from Cato's Moro Swords, comes from your old posts as a resource as well as other members like Kai, Bill Marsh, Zelbone, and many others. Any opportunity to be corrected by any number of people on this forum is something I value as a learning experience and brings me closer to a more in-depth knowledge about the blades I find so fascinating.