Amanremu

[Roland_M]

Hi all,

this is my new old Amanremu, received from a good friend of mine. I`m very thankful to him.
A rare variant of a rare blade, with a beautiful silver decorated hilt and a huge hair tuft from a horse.
The whole sword is 66cm (26") long, blade 52 cm (20,5"), the massive base is a little more than 12 mm (0,5") wide, it weighs 740 grams.

The blade is very interesting, it is almost flawlessly forged, just some layers are visible close to the hilt, the rest looks almost like monosteel. It is probably very fine laminated, but it is to early for me to say something for sure.

But what I can say 100% sure is that the blade saw a sophisticated tempering. It has two more or less parallel temperlines over eachother. The lower one is always stronger.
Afaik it is forgotten how this hardening process was made. I added a picture of the Amanremu together with a Pala sword and the hardening process was definitely very similar. Both blades got a double Hamon and even the shape is similar.
This tempering process is far more developed than the famous Japanese hamon!
I dont know why they put so much effort in the tempering, maybe with a multi stage tempering the blade got less tensions and a lower risk for hardening cracks or whatever.

The great question is now who was the teacher of this technique? I think either the Ottomans or the Indonesians. I have three more of this special hardened "multihamon" blades, a Mandau, an outstanding Pedang and a breathtaking Golok, all of them are top level swords.

Some comments on this sword would be nice.


Best wishes,
Roland

[A. G. Maisey]

Roland, have you considered the possibility that what we are looking at here is a blade with a steel core and an iron body?

The transition between the two types of ferric material will show just such a differentiation in colour.

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Roland, have you considered the possibility that what we are looking at here is a blade with a steel core and an iron body?

The transition between the two types of ferric material will show just such a differentiation in colour.

Alan, good question. I'm 100% sure, that we dont see an inserted cutting edge. The transition area between iron and steel would look different. Not so wide, not so even and sharper. If the back would be Iron, the result after staining would look very different to this, since Iron is much more resitant against the etchant than steel.

Until now I dont have better pictures of the temper lines because it is fresh and unfinished work.

I already read about the multistage tempering in my literature as an invention of the Ottomans. The receipe of this special heat treatment seems to has been lost in the last 150 years, perhaps it was kept as a secret.


Roland

[Machetero]

Hello. I'm a longtime member, but I haven't commented in years.
First of all, lovely Amanremu. Love the rare silver tips on the prongs. Love the very fine blade. I great addition to any collection!

I am curious about the horsehair tuft. I own a Sikin with a similar tuft of coarse equestrian hair sticking out from between the end prongs (the crocodile mouth). I think I have seen it one other time on some other sword, but don't remember where. So what do you all think is the significance of the hair, who put it there?

Would be great to hear some insight or just theories.

/Odd

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by Machetero

So what do you all think is the significance of the hair, who put it there?

Hello Machetero,

the hair seems to belong original to the sword. The hair tuft is braided and fitted exactly in the hilt.

It could be a sign for a Chieftain or another VIP. This blade is definitely far to good for an ordinary warrior. Or it could be made to deviate and consternate the enemy as on Chinese and other blades. The human eye is programmed to follow movements. The effect is probably not to intense but 5% less of the enemys concentration are 5%.

Finally sometimes such a hair tuft is a simple blood stopper, especially on lanceheads, but clearly not in this case.


Roland

[Machetero]

Thanks Roland.
That seems like solid reasons the horse hair tuft. I am leaning towards some tribal meaning, or as you say a sign of excellence somehow.
I'll try to get a photo of the Sikin, if you wanna see it.

/Odd

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you Roland.

I cannot comment further on the basis of photographs.

[kai]

Hello Roland,

A rare variant of a rare blade, with a beautiful silver decorated hilt

Congrats, these are certainly rare to begin with! You do seem to attract unusual blades - I would have expected a steel slorok between laminated softer layers.

I'm looking forward to seeing what your blade discloses after full polish!

Could you add some close-ups of the silver "jaws" of the hilt, please?

The whole sword is 66cm (26") long, blade 52 cm (20,5"), the massive base is a little more than 12 mm (0,5") wide, it weighs 740 grams.

A nice blade of large size! (BTW, thickness is considerable at 12mm, width at the base will be more... What is the max. width near the tip?)

This is a large-sized example. I believe these are typical for northern origins. I can't rule out Gayo Luos; however, the bamboo shoot or gunung-like extension of the silver ferrule seems to be more of an Aceh feature - maybe this comes from the Gayo region around Lake Tawar?

But what I can say 100% sure is that the blade saw a sophisticated tempering. It has two more or less parallel temperlines over each other. The lower one is always stronger.

Quenching/hardening rather than tempering, I suppose?

Could this be the result of subsequent passes with a water dripper? Are you sure the darker edge is not from a san-mai (or inserted edge) construction?

Regards,
Kai

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by kai

Hello Roland,


Congrats, these are certainly rare to begin with! You do seem to attract unusual blades - I would have expected a steel slorok between laminated softer layers.

I'm looking forward to seeing what your blade discloses after full polish!

Could you add some close-ups of the silver "jaws" of the hilt, please?



A nice blade of large size! (BTW, thickness is considerable at 12mm, width at the base will be more... What is the max. width near the tip?)

This is a large-sized example. I believe these are typical for northern origins. I can't rule out Gayo Luos; however, the bamboo shoot or gunung-like extension of the silver ferrule seems to be more of an Aceh feature - maybe this comes from the Gayo region around Lake Tawar?



Quenching/hardening rather than tempering, I suppose?

Could this be the result of subsequent passes with a water dripper? Are you sure the darker edge is not from a san-mai (or inserted edge) construction?

Regards,
Kai

Hello Kai,

I will make some pictures when I'm back at home. But I also plan to make a new thread. So I will send the pictures as a privat message to you.

Dipping the edge only under water is a common practise in Java for example. But they will never have one or two hardening lines parallel to the edge with this method. This sword was probably hardened with a complex isolation on the blade. I will make some pictures of the complex hamon.

Until now it is to early make a solid statement but it seems, that there is no inserted edge, the wohle blade is made of good steel.

Btw. the difference in hardness between the very hard edge and the softer back is huge. This allowed me to give the blade a Katana like cutting edge.


Roland

[Biffy]

I have seen a few with hair and also well made blades but this one is likely the best yet.