Pedang Suduk Maru: Help / Advise

[cicak_cobing]

hi guys..

here is a pedang suduk maru for your viewing pleasure, comments and criticism..

[cicak_cobing]

the condition of the blade is quite bad in my opinion.. i think partly it has got to do with the warangan that it had in the past..
recently i realized that the blade has gotten darker, some sort of blackish.. and that's making the pamor look more dimmed.. almost not visible..
any advise guys? should i sand it down? i do not wish to sand it down alot.. any advise on how should i get it started?

thanks..
zach

[russel]

I can hardly imagine any criticisms: Simply stunning!

And great photography too. :-)

[Emanuel]

Hello,

Nice pedang. Interesting that the scabbard chape has a drag in the style of long European sabres. Not necessary on a short sabre like this but maybe a feature borrowed from Dutch sabres?

Emanuel

[Sajen]

Hello Zach,

nice pedang lurus/suduk. Are the fittings old or more recent?

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by cicak_cobing

the condition of the blade is quite bad in my opinion.. i think partly it has got to do with the warangan that it had in the past..
recently i realized that the blade has gotten darker, some sort of blackish.. and that's making the pamor look more dimmed.. almost not visible..
any advise guys? should i sand it down? i do not wish to sand it down alot.. any advise on how should i get it started?

thanks..
zach

Yes, you are correct, it has to do with past warangan. Personally I would do nothing. But maybe Alan has a better advice.

Regards,
Detlef

[cicak_cobing]

Originally Posted by russel

I can hardly imagine any criticisms: Simply stunning!

And great photography too. :-)

thanks, russel!

Originally Posted by Emanuel

Hello,

Nice pedang. Interesting that the scabbard chape has a drag in the style of long European sabres. Not necessary on a short sabre like this but maybe a feature borrowed from Dutch sabres?

Emanuel

i'm not quite sure by what you mean "has a drag" or maybe i'm just not very familiar with european sabres.. what i know is that european sabres are known for their up curve shape, but this pedang goes slightly opposite..

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello Zach,

nice pedang lurus/suduk. Are the fittings old or more recent?

Regards,
Detlef

not quite sure, sajen.. it's not recent, but definitely not very, very, very old either.. maybe 50-70 years? just a guesstimation.. the blade looks way much older than the fittings tho..

Originally Posted by Sajen

Yes, you are correct, it has to do with past warangan. Personally I would do nothing. But maybe Alan has a better advice.

Regards,
Detlef

i'll pm him.. thanks, sajen..

[David]

Originally Posted by cicak_cobing

should i sand it down? i do not wish to sand it down a lot.. any advise on how should i get it started?

I certainly wouldn't sand it down, not even a little.
I might try some WD-40 and a toothbrush or maybe hit it with very fine #0000 steel wool to see if it brightens up.

[Amuk Murugul]

Hullo everybody!

Originally Posted by Emanuel

.... Interesting that the scabbard chape has a drag in the style of long European sabres. Not necessary on a short sabre like this but maybe a feature borrowed from Dutch sabres?

Emanuel

..... Depends on culture. Certainly helps when kneeling, squatting or indeed, sitting cross-legged. You will find drags on all manner of edged-weapons, even on a short golok/hakmes.

Best,

[semar]

Hello Cicak Cobing

leave the blad like it is juse onley WD 40 like David say and clean it with a brush to remove the old rust its one old blade more you can not do in my opinion

semar

[Emanuel]

Hello Zach,

By drag I mean the little U -shaped piece added to the tip of the scabbard. It can be seen in one of your first pics


On European sabres it was originally added as further protection to the tip of the scabbard from damage when the sabre dragged on the floor, hence "drag". I attach a European example.

It looks like a later addition to me as it doesn't seem to flow with the rest of the chape (the decorative tip of the scabbard).

Emanuel

[cicak_cobing]

Originally Posted by David

I certainly wouldn't sand it down, not even a little.
I might try some WD-40 and a toothbrush or maybe hit it with very fine #0000 steel wool to see if it brightens up.

that's right, david.. i do not wish to "damage" the steel but at the same time i do not want it leave it to get damaged by itself..

Originally Posted by semar

Hello Cicak Cobing

leave the blad like it is juse onley WD 40 like David say and clean it with a brush to remove the old rust its one old blade more you can not do in my opinion

semar

yea, semar.. will surely work on it with wd-40 as david suggest.. thanks

Originally Posted by Amuk Murugul

Hullo everybody!


..... Depends on culture. Certainly helps when kneeling, squatting or indeed, sitting cross-legged. You will find drags on all manner of edged-weapons, even on a short golok/hakmes.

Best,

Originally Posted by Emanuel

Hello Zach,

By drag I mean the little U -shaped piece added to the tip of the scabbard. It can be seen in one of your first pics


On European sabres it was originally added as further protection to the tip of the scabbard from damage when the sabre dragged on the floor, hence "drag". I attach a European example.

It looks like a later addition to me as it doesn't seem to flow with the rest of the chape (the decorative tip of the scabbard).

Emanuel

i'm not sure about it on this particular piece that i have.. i think somebody earlier might have tried to repair it by re-attaching it with the original piece or with a new copper.. i can see some welding marks on it..
as to your question, maybe there is some european/dutch influence in it.. i can't say for sure tho.. just as amuk murugul mentioned, this design also appears on other swords in indonesia too.. some of them have got strong european influence, probably it's made for dutch customers..

drag on pedang suduk:



drag on golok tjikeroeh:


this piece is interesting as there is no metal works on it but yet the drag design is there.. other styles will have a wooden or horn cover at the butt of the wooden sheath called "tutup handap" (bottom cover) or "kasut" (shoe), depending on the area..

attached is a golok bengkulu and parang nabur with the drag..