Barung with blotchy pattern welding - Borneo?

kai · 30th July 2008, 04:29 AM

Here is an antique Barung which exhibits a very distinctive pattern welding: Looks almost like bits of high-carbon steel were thrown into melted iron and slices of this material subsequently utilized for sandwiching the high-carbon steel core. Well, I expect this pattern to have been forged but I really have a hard time to understand how this was actually done by the bladesmith!

I have seen this pattern before but only with Barung and not any of the other Moro blades! It seems to be pretty rare, too. A more knowledgeable member commented that this pattern may suggest an Indonesian origin. My guess would be leaning towards one of the coastal Moro settlements of North Borneo, maybe Tausug or Samal?

total length 54.5 cm / 21.5 in
weight 760 g / 1 lbs 10 oz

blade length (without hilt) 39.3 cm / 15.5 in
max. blade width 66.9 mm / 2 2/3 in
max. blade thickness 7.5 mm

kai · 30th July 2008, 04:31 AM

More pics: warrior blade pommel with small piece of the crest missing. There also used to be a braided band between the silver sleeve and the pommel (either silver wire or lacquered jute twine).

kai · 30th July 2008, 04:33 AM

Bunti pommel - sorry for the blurry pic!

Rick · 30th July 2008, 04:40 AM

Kai,
I have a Barung with a similar pattern though I haven't been able to highlight it as you have .

Nice work .

Maurice · 30th July 2008, 10:20 AM

Interesting.....I hope maybe Ben and Michael can tell us more about the answers if Borneo or not.

VVV · 30th July 2008, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maurice

Interesting.....I hope maybe Ben and Michael can tell us more about the answers if Borneo or not.

I can't anyway.
I don't understand why "A more knowledgeable member commented that this pattern may suggest an Indonesian origin" on a non-Indonesian weapon?

And I don't understand why everything odd from this region "probably is" Borneo?

I have also seen this pattern before on other barongs.
But so far I haven't read anything about specifically these barongs being either collected, or manufactured, in Borneo/Sabah.

Michael

PS Very nice barong btw!

30th July 2008, 04:29 AM	#1
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,254	Barung with blotchy pattern welding - Borneo? Here is an antique Barung which exhibits a very distinctive pattern welding: Looks almost like bits of high-carbon steel were thrown into melted iron and slices of this material subsequently utilized for sandwiching the high-carbon steel core. Well, I expect this pattern to have been forged but I really have a hard time to understand how this was actually done by the bladesmith! I have seen this pattern before but only with Barung and not any of the other Moro blades! It seems to be pretty rare, too. A more knowledgeable member commented that this pattern may suggest an Indonesian origin. My guess would be leaning towards one of the coastal Moro settlements of North Borneo, maybe Tausug or Samal? total length 54.5 cm / 21.5 in weight 760 g / 1 lbs 10 oz blade length (without hilt) 39.3 cm / 15.5 in max. blade width 66.9 mm / 2 2/3 in max. blade thickness 7.5 mm Attached Images

30th July 2008, 04:31 AM	#2
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,254	More pics: warrior blade pommel with small piece of the crest missing. There also used to be a braided band between the silver sleeve and the pommel (either silver wire or lacquered jute twine). Attached Images

30th July 2008, 04:33 AM	#3
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,254	Bunti pommel - sorry for the blurry pic! Attached Images

30th July 2008, 04:40 AM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	Kai, I have a Barung with a similar pattern though I haven't been able to highlight it as you have . Nice work .

30th July 2008, 10:20 AM	#5
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,352	Interesting.....I hope maybe Ben and Michael can tell us more about the answers if Borneo or not.