Parang kerekoepang from Banjarmasin?

Sajen · 16th June 2013, 10:49 AM

Hello Erik,

thank you! Soon as I have it in my hands I will post pictures from the blade.

Regards,

Detlef

Sajen · 29th June 2013, 05:04 PM

Yesterday I received the parang and it was disappointing, the blade is forged from monosteel. While the parang seems to have age it seems to be unused. Will look if the auction house can give me informations about the provenance.

Someone know how long this parangs are "produced" in Banjarmasin?

A. G. Maisey · 29th June 2013, 10:57 PM

Detlef, I'm guessing that your disappointment is rooted in the fact that this tool was not made from material that has been folded and forge welded?

Personally, this would not disappoint me.

Working tools are normally made from the best material available. In Central Jawa working tools were being made from railway line and other material sourced from outside the country from at least the second half of the 19th century.

Where a tool or a weapon --- and a weapon is simply a tool with a specific purpose --- is produced for some cultural purpose, such as is the keris at the present time, we can expect to see traditional forge techniques of forge welding, pattern welding and so on put into practice, but where a tool or a weapon is produced for actual use as a tool or weapon, the smith will use, and his client will choose, the best material available. In the areas of SE Asia that I am familiar with this means spring steel or some other modern type of steel that can be properly heat treated to hold a working edge.

I believe you have purchased a tool that is correct for the time and place where it was made. I do not see this as a reason for disappointment, particularly in view of what you have said about the price you paid.

Sajen · 30th June 2013, 12:08 PM

Thank you very much for your thoughts and explanation Alan.

And I am sure that you are correct. My disappointment was for the first moment since I have thought that all this Banjar klewang have a pamor blade but i am sure in the meanwhile that this klewang in question is an early collected item and wasn't long in use. A other member told me nearly the same by email like you have written.

Regards,

Detlef

29th June 2013, 05:04 PM	#2
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,165	Yesterday I received the parang and it was disappointing, the blade is forged from monosteel. While the parang seems to have age it seems to be unused. Will look if the auction house can give me informations about the provenance. Someone know how long this parangs are "produced" in Banjarmasin? Attached Images

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16th June 2013, 10:49 AM	#1
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,165	Hello Erik, thank you! Soon as I have it in my hands I will post pictures from the blade. Regards, Detlef

29th June 2013, 10:57 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Detlef, I'm guessing that your disappointment is rooted in the fact that this tool was not made from material that has been folded and forge welded? Personally, this would not disappoint me. Working tools are normally made from the best material available. In Central Jawa working tools were being made from railway line and other material sourced from outside the country from at least the second half of the 19th century. Where a tool or a weapon --- and a weapon is simply a tool with a specific purpose --- is produced for some cultural purpose, such as is the keris at the present time, we can expect to see traditional forge techniques of forge welding, pattern welding and so on put into practice, but where a tool or a weapon is produced for actual use as a tool or weapon, the smith will use, and his client will choose, the best material available. In the areas of SE Asia that I am familiar with this means spring steel or some other modern type of steel that can be properly heat treated to hold a working edge. I believe you have purchased a tool that is correct for the time and place where it was made. I do not see this as a reason for disappointment, particularly in view of what you have said about the price you paid.

30th June 2013, 12:08 PM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,165	Thank you very much for your thoughts and explanation Alan. And I am sure that you are correct. My disappointment was for the first moment since I have thought that all this Banjar klewang have a pamor blade but i am sure in the meanwhile that this klewang in question is an early collected item and wasn't long in use. A other member told me nearly the same by email like you have written. Regards, Detlef