Bullets and blades

Ian · 17th March 2005, 08:36 PM

... occasionally clash. Here's another barung that ended up on the losing side of that argument. It could have just been target practice or testing a 1911 to see if it really could penetrate all the way through a blade. Maybe it was wielded by a juramentado who was fired upon at close range.

Amputating the kakatua from the end of the hilt might have enabled the weapon to be more easily concealed, and drawn without hooking on clothing. I have heard tales about removing the kakatua to enhance the use of a barung as a concealed weapon.

If only these blades could tell us what they went through.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7307135650

Bill · 17th March 2005, 08:58 PM

there was likely a number of rounds fired even after the opponent went down, but I think most would be grazing shots, this one looks like target practice.

capt.smash · 17th March 2005, 09:00 PM

LOL i saw this also i hope the owner wasnt wearing it at the time

shows the power of a bullet though,no protection hideing behind car doors or upturned tables like in the films

Rick · 17th March 2005, 09:10 PM

Some bullets don't always get through a tough Moro blade .

Yannis · 17th March 2005, 09:16 PM

A shashka that passed from my hands had this “wound”. It is very possible that happened from a bullet. A bladesmith had patched it later, with different kind of steel, and he did excellent job.

Federico · 17th March 2005, 09:46 PM

Disturbing enough, I remember this barong being sold the first time round, I dont remember there being mention of a bullet whole, nor picture of one. I hope my memory is just playing games with me.

Andrew · 17th March 2005, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Federico

Disturbing enough, I remember this barong being sold the first time round, I dont remember there being mention of a bullet whole, nor picture of one. I hope my memory is just playing games with me.

That is disturbing. And would explain the placement and apparant precision of the hole...

zelbone · 18th March 2005, 02:14 AM

Interesting...

I might contact the new owner of this particular barong and compare notes. I did show him a barong of mine which suffered a similar fate. I wonder if this had any influence on him picking up this particular piece. You folks might remember my barong in this old thread:

http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000872.html

Rick · 18th March 2005, 02:19 AM

Hi Zel , the buyer is registered as a member here in fact .

Maybe he will respond to a PM or to this post .

Bill · 18th March 2005, 04:49 AM

the one on ebay has a pretty big hole in it. .45 is a low velocity round, very unlikely would it be able to go through the blade, but I am pretty sure no one could hold onto a barung hit by one & the bullet would likely would already start to tumble. A number of large caliber, high velocity rounds could do it, but I think it would have to be firmly placed against a tree so that the bullet could not take it with it. Not sure but I think this one maybe what someone was trying to create. I think the bullet hit, lower right area of the damage, that area is slighty concaved. Bullet fragmented causing the rest of the damage. Not a forging flaw, the steel is fracture slightly right & above the damage, hard to see with the poor pic. If it is indeed a bullet the swordsman did have the edge pointing towards the shooter, slightly cocked.

Ian · 18th March 2005, 05:30 AM

Federico:

What is it about this one that you recognize from previously? Was it the hilt? I felt that I had seen a similar example before but not with a hole in the blade.

I thought some people might think this one had been doctored. That was my first thought too. We may never know if it has. But that hole is awefully neat and a direct hit from close range with the blade up against something substantial or at least fixed firmly. Not easy to see how it might have occurred during the course of a battle. But, then again ...

How about a .44 magnum Bill?

Bill · 18th March 2005, 06:15 AM

think .44 mag would do that & that wasn't around then. The exit hole is perfect, solid flat hit

Bill M · 21st March 2005, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Hi Zel , the buyer is registered as a member here in fact .

Maybe he will respond to a PM or to this post .

He also bought

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6517080985

I don't understand. However I have a few pieces, bought because they were very strange or bad in case I ever write a book and have a chapter called "Keris gone wrong." This moro above would fit there. I don't know the buyer, but I am sure that he had his reasons for buying these.

Like I did when I got the keris below. (Keris gone wrong)

Paid less than $50. Wife grabbed it for her kitchen gallery. I thought that it was tourist junk, but one of the respected Forum members, who comes from Indonesia visited me and said that it was really "customized" by a Batak for his own use.

I thought it was "customized" for Tourist sale. It even has a little rattan hanging loop. You can see it right behind the handle.

I dunno, still looks strange to me. Blade is not bad, but don't fee like posting it. Personal reasons. Happy to send pix by private mail Comments?

Bill M · 22nd March 2005, 06:39 PM

OK, Ian opened this topic. Just have to let y'all know about another bullet riddled item. With 51 bids and $280 closing price I feel like getting out my shotgun and raising some prices on some otherwise junk.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6750430437

Seriously, I can't believe that people bid on this.

Ian · 23rd March 2005, 05:08 PM

But, Bill, it appeared on TV -- in Australia. It MUST be worth a lot if it's been shown on TV.

17th March 2005, 08:36 PM	#1
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,197	Bullets and blades ... occasionally clash. Here's another barung that ended up on the losing side of that argument. It could have just been target practice or testing a 1911 to see if it really could penetrate all the way through a blade. Maybe it was wielded by a juramentado who was fired upon at close range. Amputating the kakatua from the end of the hilt might have enabled the weapon to be more easily concealed, and drawn without hooking on clothing. I have heard tales about removing the kakatua to enhance the use of a barung as a concealed weapon. If only these blades could tell us what they went through. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7307135650

17th March 2005, 09:10 PM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,290	Well ....... Some bullets don't always get through a tough Moro blade . Attached Images

17th March 2005, 09:16 PM	#5
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	A shashka that passed from my hands had this “wound”. It is very possible that happened from a bullet. A bladesmith had patched it later, with different kind of steel, and he did excellent job. Attached Images

18th March 2005, 04:49 AM	#10
Bill Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago area Posts: 327	the one on ebay has a pretty big hole in it. .45 is a low velocity round, very unlikely would it be able to go through the blade, but I am pretty sure no one could hold onto a barung hit by one & the bullet would likely would already start to tumble. A number of large caliber, high velocity rounds could do it, but I think it would have to be firmly placed against a tree so that the bullet could not take it with it. Not sure but I think this one maybe what someone was trying to create. I think the bullet hit, lower right area of the damage, that area is slighty concaved. Bullet fragmented causing the rest of the damage. Not a forging flaw, the steel is fracture slightly right & above the damage, hard to see with the poor pic. If it is indeed a bullet the swordsman did have the edge pointing towards the shooter, slightly cocked. Attached Images

22nd March 2005, 06:39 PM	#14
Bill M Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Georgia Posts: 1,599	Bullets and computers? OK, Ian opened this topic. Just have to let y'all know about another bullet riddled item. With 51 bids and $280 closing price I feel like getting out my shotgun and raising some prices on some otherwise junk. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6750430437 Seriously, I can't believe that people bid on this.

17th March 2005, 08:58 PM	#2
Bill Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago area Posts: 327	there was likely a number of rounds fired even after the opponent went down, but I think most would be grazing shots, this one looks like target practice.

17th March 2005, 09:00 PM	#3
capt.smash Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Devon ,England Posts: 80	LOL i saw this also i hope the owner wasnt wearing it at the time shows the power of a bullet though,no protection hideing behind car doors or upturned tables like in the films

17th March 2005, 09:46 PM	#6
Federico Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA Posts: 312	Disturbing enough, I remember this barong being sold the first time round, I dont remember there being mention of a bullet whole, nor picture of one. I hope my memory is just playing games with me.

18th March 2005, 02:14 AM	#8
zelbone Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: VISAYAS and MINDANAO Posts: 169	Interesting... I might contact the new owner of this particular barong and compare notes. I did show him a barong of mine which suffered a similar fate. I wonder if this had any influence on him picking up this particular piece. You folks might remember my barong in this old thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000872.html

18th March 2005, 02:19 AM	#9
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,290	Hi Zel , the buyer is registered as a member here in fact . Maybe he will respond to a PM or to this post .

18th March 2005, 05:30 AM	#11
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,197	Federico: What is it about this one that you recognize from previously? Was it the hilt? I felt that I had seen a similar example before but not with a hole in the blade. I thought some people might think this one had been doctored. That was my first thought too. We may never know if it has. But that hole is awefully neat and a direct hit from close range with the blade up against something substantial or at least fixed firmly. Not easy to see how it might have occurred during the course of a battle. But, then again ... How about a .44 magnum Bill?

18th March 2005, 06:15 AM	#12
Bill Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago area Posts: 327	think .44 mag would do that & that wasn't around then. The exit hole is perfect, solid flat hit

23rd March 2005, 05:08 PM	#15
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,197	But, Bill, it appeared on TV -- in Australia. It MUST be worth a lot if it's been shown on TV.