BARUNG BATTLE DAMAGED

tanaruz · 6th November 2022, 10:56 AM

Hello friends,

Sharing with you a battle-damaged barung that ultimately bacame a war trophy (from a siege- which I cannot disclose in Mindanao).

Short histoty: Originally from a Moro warrior who was eventually killed (prior to the mindanao skirmish). Taken by a soldier as a war booty and used it as his personal blade. A bullet struck this barung, hence, the damage.

A barung with a 15.5" blade/ over-all length of 20.5". Hilt: carabao horn with 'ivory' beak design in its pommel.

A part of me tells me to have the barung restored (and lose all the traits it had in that Mindanao siege) and another part of me wants to leave it as is- with the history/story intact.

what do you think?

Kind regards

Yves

xasterix · 6th November 2022, 12:06 PM

Depends on your intended purpose. If you intend to display it and highlight the provenance, best to leave it as is.

Besides, restoring this would greatly reduce the blade mass due to re-profiling.

Rafngard · 6th November 2022, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xasterix

Depends on your intended purpose. If you intend to display it and highlight the provenance, best to leave it as is.

Besides, restoring this would greatly reduce the blade mass due to re-profiling.

I agree with this 100%

Battara · 7th November 2022, 03:38 AM

Normally I'm for restoration, but in this case, I think this is an exception. Keep it as is for the history and provenance. Besides, it is beyond good reasonable restoration.

tanaruz · 7th November 2022, 09:10 AM

Hi all,

Thank u all.

I'd keep it that way. I've come to realize that the history/provenance of this blade is much more important as is.

Kindest regards,

Yves

ausjulius · 17th November 2022, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rafngard

I agree with this 100%

you cant really reprofile these asian weapons as for the most part unlike arms from europe and the caucasus they are very rarely fully quenched and tempered even if they are made form imported bards of steel,, they are mostly just edge quenched or partially quenched giving only a small hardened zone . reprofiling it you may end up with an edge as soft as iron

Battara · 17th November 2022, 08:47 AM

Another good point (like the one on top of my head

).

ariel · 18th November 2022, 04:46 AM

0.45 was a powerful bugger.

kai · 18th November 2022, 06:26 PM

Hello Ariel,

Quote:

0.45 was a powerful bugger.

During the early years of the US involvement, the .45 was not standard issue and would need to have been private purchase.

Damage more likely to be from a rifle. Even more so since this blade got hit when still sheathed...

Regards,
Kai

ariel · 18th November 2022, 07:28 PM

Do we know when was this barung taken as a trophy? Smith-Wesson 0.45 was issued in 1911, but private purchase was sufficiently popular well before that.

No matter what, even if we are talking about the earliest 3-4 years of shooting war, using standard government issue 0.45-70 Gov’t Springfield "Trapdoor" rifle, this damaged barung is interesting not as a weapon per se, but as a part of history.

Don't fix it.

Kmaddock · 18th November 2022, 09:26 PM

To fix this would be a travesty.

It would be like re casting the liberty bell because it has a crack

If only it could talk!

Regards

Ken

6th November 2022, 10:56 AM	#1
tanaruz Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 267	BARUNG BATTLE DAMAGED Hello friends, Sharing with you a battle-damaged barung that ultimately bacame a war trophy (from a siege- which I cannot disclose in Mindanao). Short histoty: Originally from a Moro warrior who was eventually killed (prior to the mindanao skirmish). Taken by a soldier as a war booty and used it as his personal blade. A bullet struck this barung, hence, the damage. A barung with a 15.5" blade/ over-all length of 20.5". Hilt: carabao horn with 'ivory' beak design in its pommel. A part of me tells me to have the barung restored (and lose all the traits it had in that Mindanao siege) and another part of me wants to leave it as is- with the history/story intact. what do you think? Kind regards Yves Attached Images

7th November 2022, 09:10 AM	#5
tanaruz Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 267	barung battle damaged Hi all, Thank u all. I'd keep it that way. I've come to realize that the history/provenance of this blade is much more important as is. Kindest regards, Yves

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6th November 2022, 12:06 PM	#2
xasterix Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 653	Depends on your intended purpose. If you intend to display it and highlight the provenance, best to leave it as is. Besides, restoring this would greatly reduce the blade mass due to re-profiling.

7th November 2022, 03:38 AM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Normally I'm for restoration, but in this case, I think this is an exception. Keep it as is for the history and provenance. Besides, it is beyond good reasonable restoration.

17th November 2022, 08:47 AM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Another good point (like the one on top of my head ).

18th November 2022, 04:46 AM	#8
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	0.45 was a powerful bugger.

18th November 2022, 07:28 PM	#10
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Do we know when was this barung taken as a trophy? Smith-Wesson 0.45 was issued in 1911, but private purchase was sufficiently popular well before that. No matter what, even if we are talking about the earliest 3-4 years of shooting war, using standard government issue 0.45-70 Gov’t Springfield "Trapdoor" rifle, this damaged barung is interesting not as a weapon per se, but as a part of history. Don't fix it.

18th November 2022, 09:26 PM	#11
Kmaddock Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 543	To fix this would be a travesty. It would be like re casting the liberty bell because it has a crack If only it could talk! Regards Ken