Thoughts on this Malay (?) knife
 

I obtained this somewhere in my travels - can't really remember where. Looks vaguely SE Asian, maybe Malay? Any thoughts and advice welcome.

Coarse watered steel blade (acid etched?). Good condition and still very sharp. Nice quality wood hilt and sheath, looks like fruitwod but is probably tropical. Sterling silver fittings and furniture. Not a very robust guard.

Sorry photos aren't brilliant - it's harder than it looks to take good shots.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...n/IMG_0080.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...n/IMG_0081.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...n/IMG_0082.jpg
Thanks,

Paul

My first shot is a pedang.

Nice pamor blade. Origin Java or Sumatra

Pedang
 

Thanks again Henk. Stone (p. 492) says a Pedang is shaped like a flyssa. This is much broader and shorter with no curvature of the blade... Also pistol not straight hilt as with flyssa. Might be a variant version.

Paul

Looks more like a badek to me. Could be Javanese, but that opened window metal work on the sheath makes me think Madura.

There's something interesting about this blade ; may we see a close up picture of the area nearest the hilt please ?

I think i see what you mean Rick. I'd like to see BOTH sides if possible. I like this badek. And i bet a restaining would do wonders for it. Are the fittings silver or silver-plate?

Fitting are silver. More pics of blade close to hilt as requested. Presume you are interested in the loop pattern in the steel?

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...n/IMG_0077.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../IMG_0075a.jpg

What do you mean by re-staining?

Paul

Ahh , Batu Lapak ; the saddle stone on one side.
An auspicious blade indeed . :)

Paul, i am referring to the traditional method of blackening the iron and raising the contrast in the pamor pattern with warangan, a mixture of arsenic and lime juice.
That is indeed a very nice badek and it could look even nicer with a traditional cleaning and staining. :)

Restaining
 

Ahh, I know what you mean now. My grandfather who, together with my father, started me collecting had a very nice keris that I now realise had been treated in this manner. Did not know the term or the process, thanks.

Paul

The blade could be South Sulawesi and its a badik. The "batu lapak" could be a trade mark and is not uncommon for badik blades. There has been an inter insular iron trade in Indonesian waters since long time. But it needs more research.

Looks like a badik, or as the Sulawesi Bugis would call it - kawali.

The fittings are interesting though. Its not quite typical badik fittings. Almost has a Javanese/Madurese look to it.