Sri-Lankan (Ceylon) Knife

ariel · 18th May 2016, 07:56 PM

Ian,
My ( very superficial) understanding was that Sri Lanka was a relatively peaceful society comparing even with contemporaneous India. Drunken brawls aside, there were not many opportunities to brandish weapons there.

Am I incorrect?

Rick · 19th May 2016, 12:44 AM

There was a nice resource site at this addy,
http://www.pihakaetta.com/
But it has departed the server it seems.

Miguel · 21st May 2016, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

There was a nice resource site at this addy,
http://www.pihakaetta.com/
But it has departed the server it seems.

Hi Rick,

Thanks but I found that out to. here are some interesting old threads particularly one from Dereck who posted an old paper on them but it never mentioned their use as a weapon either

Regards
Miguel

Ian · 21st May 2016, 09:01 PM

Ariel:

Sri Lanka has been a relatively peaceful place at various times in its history, although not so much in recent times with the activities of the Tamil Tiger separatists.

I don't know if the PK was used as a weapon, but it may have served that purpose.

Ian.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

Ian,
My ( very superficial) understanding was that Sri Lanka was a relatively peaceful society comparing even with contemporaneous India. Drunken brawls aside, there were not many opportunities to brandish weapons there.

Am I incorrect?

ariel · 21st May 2016, 11:51 PM

Since we were discussing old daggers, I was referring to old times. Tamil Tigers were into AK-47: no elaborate metal work or ivory for them :-)))
And, having worked for a while in a Belarussian village, I can attest to the fact that kitchen or homemade knives as well as broken bottles were the most popular instruments of in vivo anatomical exercises. Firewood was a distant third.

Fond memories........

A. G. Maisey · 22nd May 2016, 02:13 AM

In Jawa, and I guess in most other parts of modern Indonesia, the most usual weapon now, and for perhaps 100 years into the past, has been the arit or sickle/reaping hook. This is perhaps because in rural areas no farmer is ever without one stuck into the back of his belt, or dangling from his wrist.

These societies have a plethora of knives and sharp pointy things to choose from, but the item that seems to be most popular is this common sickle.

A close second would be the bendo which is like a European pruning hook, and most houses have one.

I think it is probably pretty general that people use whatever is near at hand when necessity calls.

A number of police officers here in Australia have told me that what they fear most when required to attend a domestic dispute is the common kitchen knife, or in their own words "the Wiltshire", which is a longish kitchen knife kept in a sharpening cover, so it is always nice and sharp.

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18th May 2016, 07:56 PM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Ian, My ( very superficial) understanding was that Sri Lanka was a relatively peaceful society comparing even with contemporaneous India. Drunken brawls aside, there were not many opportunities to brandish weapons there. Am I incorrect?

19th May 2016, 12:44 AM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,396	There was a nice resource site at this addy, http://www.pihakaetta.com/ But it has departed the server it seems.

21st May 2016, 11:51 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Since we were discussing old daggers, I was referring to old times. Tamil Tigers were into AK-47: no elaborate metal work or ivory for them :-))) And, having worked for a while in a Belarussian village, I can attest to the fact that kitchen or homemade knives as well as broken bottles were the most popular instruments of in vivo anatomical exercises. Firewood was a distant third. Fond memories........

22nd May 2016, 02:13 AM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,171	In Jawa, and I guess in most other parts of modern Indonesia, the most usual weapon now, and for perhaps 100 years into the past, has been the arit or sickle/reaping hook. This is perhaps because in rural areas no farmer is ever without one stuck into the back of his belt, or dangling from his wrist. These societies have a plethora of knives and sharp pointy things to choose from, but the item that seems to be most popular is this common sickle. A close second would be the bendo which is like a European pruning hook, and most houses have one. I think it is probably pretty general that people use whatever is near at hand when necessity calls. A number of police officers here in Australia have told me that what they fear most when required to attend a domestic dispute is the common kitchen knife, or in their own words "the Wiltshire", which is a longish kitchen knife kept in a sharpening cover, so it is always nice and sharp.