Tombak for comment

eli · 31st December 2004, 06:49 AM

Hi my name is Eli and I have just started collecting Indonesian weapons. Yesterday, I got a Tombak. It is great except that when I bought it there was no hilt. Does anyone know where I can get an antique hilt or a new hilt?

Also, I was wondering about some basic care that for a tombak. Attached are some photos of the Tombak.

eli · 31st December 2004, 06:51 AM

sorry about thie size

I didn't understand how big they would be.

Henk · 31st December 2004, 09:27 AM

Welcome Eli to this forum.

Very nice tombak. Mostly you get them without the hilt.

The best thing to do for taking care of this one is oiling. The best oil you can use is keris oil. That gives a good smell too. Keris oil is expensive so you can use also other kinds of oil to prevent rusting.

I think it is not very difficult to get a hilt for it. Certainly not a new one.
You should ask Adni from the Malay Art Gallery also a member of this forum. I'm sure he can help you out.

eli · 31st December 2004, 10:46 PM

henk,how many times should oil it? once a week,once a month,once a year year?

Henk · 1st January 2005, 01:39 PM

Eli,

I oil my kerisses and tombaks once a year. Using a good oil that should be enough. But depending to the climate in your country it is possible it has to be done more often. But I check them regularly and sometimes I have to oil a blade two or three times a year.

eli · 1st January 2005, 09:44 PM

here are some better pics

tom hyle · 2nd January 2005, 03:38 AM

There are basically five types of handle, any one of which might be correct. In original intent this is either a mata tombak (militia spear) or a lembing (pike; used primarily by professional soldiers). The lembing handle is long: over ten feet, as up to almost 20, tapered, with a thick, heavy butt. The militia spear handle is around 5 or 5 1/2 feet in my experience, though there is frequent talk of 7 or 8 feet. It is thickest in the middle, tapering to both ends. The modern house size handle, commonly referred to as a display handle, is shaped like a militia handle, but is much shorter; generally around 18 inches. All these will have a metal fitting at each end to contain splits. They are also traditionally hilted as daggers, with either a non"kingfisher" type k(e)ris hilt or with a symetrical dagger handle with and integral crossguard and sheath tensioner, often somewhat similar in overall outline to a khoumiya hilt, though the tensioner works as a plug, not an overlay, like the dripguard on a khoumiya. Either of these dagger styles would typically be provided with a style of sheath specific to it, while this one currently has the typical spear scabbard.

tom hyle · 2nd January 2005, 03:42 AM

Hmmmm not getting offered an editting icon for some reason. "Planar ukiran"=nonkingfisher, nonrakshasha, "typical" k(e)ris hilt.
Your pics finally came all the way up so I've just seen the blade base. There looks to have probably once been a drawn-on bolster, similar to the ganga of a kris, but round in section, now lost. This would be typical. Now the editting thing works......

eli · 2nd January 2005, 05:42 AM

[QUOTE= There looks to have probably once been a drawn-on bolster, similar to the ganga of a kris, but round in section, now lost. This would be typical. Now the editting thing works......[/QUOTE]

ya thats what i was thinking to.
so is there still a way to but a hilt on this baby

?
And by the look of my tombak would there be any hilt you would personally think would work/look the best?
and also heres some more better pics.

tom hyle · 2nd January 2005, 10:58 PM

The missing bolster would be basically a round metal bead tightly fitted over the tang between handle and blade. This could be replaced, but its absense in no way impedes putting a handle on this blade. Any of these handles can be made by a woodworker and a jeweller (for the metal fittings) from photos. A woodworker will be able to get Indonesian wood, if you want it, though the price, both financial and environmental/socio-political is something to consider. There is an individual who posts on this forum who dresses Southern Phillipino swords, and perhaps he will contact you with advice or an offer. A perfectly good militia handle can be made from a long quartering staff/bo staff from a martial arts store, and some of them are Indonesian, too. The difficulty is with the metal fittings. A competent grinder can make them from old candlesticks, tapered tubular ,m etal chair legs and hoe sockets, but if you want to hire them done, I'd advise you to hire a jeweller. Brass is traditionally typical. All three of the spear style handles are round in section. Try to get a piece of wood whos fibres run its whole length.

31st December 2004, 06:49 AM	#1
eli Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon US Posts: 21	Tombak for comment Hi my name is Eli and I have just started collecting Indonesian weapons. Yesterday, I got a Tombak. It is great except that when I bought it there was no hilt. Does anyone know where I can get an antique hilt or a new hilt? Also, I was wondering about some basic care that for a tombak. Attached are some photos of the Tombak. Attached Images

1st January 2005, 09:44 PM	#6
eli Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon US Posts: 21	here are some better pics Attached Images

2nd January 2005, 05:42 AM	#9
eli Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon US Posts: 21	[QUOTE= There looks to have probably once been a drawn-on bolster, similar to the ganga of a kris, but round in section, now lost. This would be typical. Now the editting thing works......[/QUOTE] ya thats what i was thinking to. so is there still a way to but a hilt on this baby ? And by the look of my tombak would there be any hilt you would personally think would work/look the best? and also heres some more better pics. Attached Images

31st December 2004, 06:51 AM	#2
eli Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon US Posts: 21	sorry about thie size I didn't understand how big they would be.

31st December 2004, 09:27 AM	#3
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Welcome Eli to this forum. Very nice tombak. Mostly you get them without the hilt. The best thing to do for taking care of this one is oiling. The best oil you can use is keris oil. That gives a good smell too. Keris oil is expensive so you can use also other kinds of oil to prevent rusting. I think it is not very difficult to get a hilt for it. Certainly not a new one. You should ask Adni from the Malay Art Gallery also a member of this forum. I'm sure he can help you out.

31st December 2004, 10:46 PM	#4
eli Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon US Posts: 21	henk,how many times should oil it? once a week,once a month,once a year year?

1st January 2005, 01:39 PM	#5
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Eli, I oil my kerisses and tombaks once a year. Using a good oil that should be enough. But depending to the climate in your country it is possible it has to be done more often. But I check them regularly and sometimes I have to oil a blade two or three times a year.

2nd January 2005, 03:38 AM	#7
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	There are basically five types of handle, any one of which might be correct. In original intent this is either a mata tombak (militia spear) or a lembing (pike; used primarily by professional soldiers). The lembing handle is long: over ten feet, as up to almost 20, tapered, with a thick, heavy butt. The militia spear handle is around 5 or 5 1/2 feet in my experience, though there is frequent talk of 7 or 8 feet. It is thickest in the middle, tapering to both ends. The modern house size handle, commonly referred to as a display handle, is shaped like a militia handle, but is much shorter; generally around 18 inches. All these will have a metal fitting at each end to contain splits. They are also traditionally hilted as daggers, with either a non"kingfisher" type k(e)ris hilt or with a symetrical dagger handle with and integral crossguard and sheath tensioner, often somewhat similar in overall outline to a khoumiya hilt, though the tensioner works as a plug, not an overlay, like the dripguard on a khoumiya. Either of these dagger styles would typically be provided with a style of sheath specific to it, while this one currently has the typical spear scabbard.

2nd January 2005, 03:42 AM	#8
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Hmmmm not getting offered an editting icon for some reason. "Planar ukiran"=nonkingfisher, nonrakshasha, "typical" k(e)ris hilt. Your pics finally came all the way up so I've just seen the blade base. There looks to have probably once been a drawn-on bolster, similar to the ganga of a kris, but round in section, now lost. This would be typical. Now the editting thing works......

2nd January 2005, 10:58 PM	#10
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	The missing bolster would be basically a round metal bead tightly fitted over the tang between handle and blade. This could be replaced, but its absense in no way impedes putting a handle on this blade. Any of these handles can be made by a woodworker and a jeweller (for the metal fittings) from photos. A woodworker will be able to get Indonesian wood, if you want it, though the price, both financial and environmental/socio-political is something to consider. There is an individual who posts on this forum who dresses Southern Phillipino swords, and perhaps he will contact you with advice or an offer. A perfectly good militia handle can be made from a long quartering staff/bo staff from a martial arts store, and some of them are Indonesian, too. The difficulty is with the metal fittings. A competent grinder can make them from old candlesticks, tapered tubular ,m etal chair legs and hoe sockets, but if you want to hire them done, I'd advise you to hire a jeweller. Brass is traditionally typical. All three of the spear style handles are round in section. Try to get a piece of wood whos fibres run its whole length.