Any thoughts on this Lampang Darb?

Emanuel · 7th August 2009, 04:49 PM

Hello,

It seems all right. Distal taper, so forged blade, not stock removal. The seller doesn't say anything about the tang, whether it's forged or a welded rat-tail. The former is good, the latter very bad and potentially dangerous. Welded rat-tail tangs can be weak and they may snap off if you wave/hit the sword vigorously.

Let us know how it feels when you receive it.

Too bad about the copper habaki. A feature of Japanese nihonto, not thai/burmese dha.

Maybe you could have found an old dha for the price.

Regards,
Emanuel

fearn · 7th August 2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emanuel

Hello,

...Too bad about the copper habaki. A feature of Japanese nihonto, not thai/burmese dha.

Regards,
Emanuel

Interesting that they're using the habaki here, too.

As some of you know, I happen to like Himalayan Import Khukuris, all of which now come with a habaki, even though they're made in Nepal by Nepalese kamis.

The reason they do this is that, once they saw a habaki one someone's katana, they grabbed the idea, because it made for a better fit in the sheath, and it made it easier to fit the blade and hilt together, because they could cover and reinforce the join with the habaki, rather than fiddling to make sure everything fit perfectly, as they did on the old khukuris.

So, I don't really blame modern bladesmiths for adding what they think are improvements to their work. I only grumble when someone tries to pass it off as traditional. For better or worse, I think the habaki's here to stay, and we're probably going to be seeing it on more and more blades as time goes by.

F

trenchwarfare · 7th August 2009, 05:50 PM

Sword looks new. The habaki has a number on it. I smell China. They're making everything else, why not these? Thousands of copies, fakes, and fantasies, coming out of China. All forged. Amazing what you can accomplish, with modern technology, and free (slave) labor. It would boggle the mind, to know how many newly made swords, are in China as we speak. Er, type.

Emanuel · 7th August 2009, 06:06 PM

This is a new sword of course, it is advertized as such, but it is not necessarily Chinese. A number of Thai firms and craftsmen are producing new dha and other swords, ranging from poor to quite good quality.

Fearn, the HI khukuri don't have habaki per se, just much larger bolsters. Traditional khukri were constructed in the same manner but with smaller bolsters/ferrules. These serve to reinforce the hilt-blade connection.

The habaki serves only as a locking mechanism for the blade to sit in the scabbard without touching the scabbard's inner surfaces.

I think in the dha above the habaki is there purely as a stylistic feature, mimicking in a way the more popular nihonto.

Emanuel

Nathaniel · 9th August 2009, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trenchwarfare

Sword looks new. The habaki has a number on it. I smell China. They're making everything else, why not these? Thousands of copies, fakes, and fantasies, coming out of China. All forged. Amazing what you can accomplish, with modern technology, and free (slave) labor. It would boggle the mind, to know how many newly made swords, are in China as we speak. Er, type.

Hello harimauhk,

Gone for a few days and look what fun I missed :P The seller is truthful in what he says, the sword is from Lampang, not China...I can vouch for that because I have a similar piece which I know it came from the Lampang, versus the more commonly found Aranyik style which kronckew has in the pictures he posted.

These blades are better than the Aranyik daab, which have very little profile... they are more mass produced...more like a lawn mower blade...the Aranyik blades & handle feel very sturdy though...on the lampang piece I have I feel the handle could be a bit beefier...it would be interesting to know how they put the handle together.

I have not heard of this old thai smith Go Neaw. The seller's claims that he is the best sword maker in Thailand seem a little much.

Nathaniel · 9th August 2009, 03:59 AM

Oh, and the habaki....true it's not traditional, but you do see this on some Thai hybrid swords due to Japanese influence...I will say though with the habaki, it does fit very nicely in the scabbard...and the overall finish work on the scabbard inside is much better...the aranyik ones are very rounghly done...in a generic shape to fit the different sword tips they make...so the aranyik blades all rattle in their scabbard and slide out very easily if tipped upside down...versus the Lampang one can be tipped upside down without any problem

harimauhk · 9th August 2009, 04:31 AM

Hi Nathaniel,

Thanks for your input. I definitely like my darb and the sword will definitely not fall out of the scabbard.

BTW, the pic of the guy with the sword is me. Dammit, every time I take a pic with one of my blades, someone gets a laugh out of it

Sent this pic of me with my badik to a friend of mine and she thanked me for making her laugh and helping relieve her exam stress.

Seller just got back to me and said it is definitely full-tang construction! I knew I had a keeper on my hands.

Nathaniel · 9th August 2009, 03:03 PM

harimauhk,

Ooops, guess you saw my comment before I edited it...Hey I've had some good laughs to from others when I struck a deep kung fu pose in front of a Taoist temple :P but hey you got to have fun posing...

Yes, I think this is one of the better made daab in thailand. Some Thai forum members like Puff might be able to say more than I have about the smith, etc...

I thought of another forum discussion which might be of interst...you can see an earlier model of the Lampang daab:

http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001291.html

Also if you look on ebay there is another Lampang daab...not by the same seller your bought...but another seller from Bangkok....

trenchwarfare · 7th August 2009, 06:45 PM

Delete

trenchwarfare · 7th August 2009, 07:07 PM

Delete

Mark · 7th August 2009, 08:33 PM

This looks like a nicely-made modern daab. I very much doubt it is from China - as has been said there are a number of smiths around Thailand that still make daab. It looks quite solid. Please let us know how it feels once you have it in hand. Not a bad start to sword collecting, I think.

harimauhk · 8th August 2009, 02:22 AM

I actually have it here with me

Very sharp point, good slicing ability from the belly and the rattan wrap looks great. Since it was sent out directly from Chiang Mai, I really doubt it was made in China. It appears to be solid and handles quite well. Interesting point about the habaki--I thought I had quite a traditionally made darb on my hands! Thanks everyone!

BTW, is there any way I can find out what kind of tang this sword has?

Emanuel · 8th August 2009, 03:09 AM

Try to remove the handle

It's a bit of work unwrapping the rattan, removing the brass ferrule and habaki, and even then the handle might be glued. Ask the seller. If you feel this is a good product and you say so, he shouldn't have any problem answering and giving you other construction details.

harimauhk · 8th August 2009, 02:55 PM

Thanks Emanuel, but I'd hate to mess the wrap up, so I'll try asking the seller first

He seems like a cool guy.

PS: this is me, not the seller

The pics of the darb, however, are the sellers', not mine.

7th August 2009, 04:49 PM	#1
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Hello, It seems all right. Distal taper, so forged blade, not stock removal. The seller doesn't say anything about the tang, whether it's forged or a welded rat-tail. The former is good, the latter very bad and potentially dangerous. Welded rat-tail tangs can be weak and they may snap off if you wave/hit the sword vigorously. Let us know how it feels when you receive it. Too bad about the copper habaki. A feature of Japanese nihonto, not thai/burmese dha. Maybe you could have found an old dha for the price. Regards, Emanuel Attached Images Last edited by Emanuel; 7th August 2009 at 06:09 PM. Reason: Pic from auction

9th August 2009, 04:31 AM	#7
harimauhk Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 88	Hi Nathaniel, Thanks for your input. I definitely like my darb and the sword will definitely not fall out of the scabbard. BTW, the pic of the guy with the sword is me. Dammit, every time I take a pic with one of my blades, someone gets a laugh out of it Sent this pic of me with my badik to a friend of mine and she thanked me for making her laugh and helping relieve her exam stress. Seller just got back to me and said it is definitely full-tang construction! I knew I had a keeper on my hands. Attached Images

7th August 2009, 06:45 PM	#9
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	Delete Last edited by trenchwarfare; 7th August 2009 at 07:09 PM.

8th August 2009, 02:55 PM	#14
harimauhk Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 88	Thanks Emanuel, but I'd hate to mess the wrap up, so I'll try asking the seller first He seems like a cool guy. PS: this is me, not the seller The pics of the darb, however, are the sellers', not mine. Attached Images Last edited by harimauhk; 8th August 2009 at 03:06 PM.

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7th August 2009, 05:50 PM	#3
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	Sword looks new. The habaki has a number on it. I smell China. They're making everything else, why not these? Thousands of copies, fakes, and fantasies, coming out of China. All forged. Amazing what you can accomplish, with modern technology, and free (slave) labor. It would boggle the mind, to know how many newly made swords, are in China as we speak. Er, type.

7th August 2009, 06:06 PM	#4
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	This is a new sword of course, it is advertized as such, but it is not necessarily Chinese. A number of Thai firms and craftsmen are producing new dha and other swords, ranging from poor to quite good quality. Fearn, the HI khukuri don't have habaki per se, just much larger bolsters. Traditional khukri were constructed in the same manner but with smaller bolsters/ferrules. These serve to reinforce the hilt-blade connection. The habaki serves only as a locking mechanism for the blade to sit in the scabbard without touching the scabbard's inner surfaces. I think in the dha above the habaki is there purely as a stylistic feature, mimicking in a way the more popular nihonto. Emanuel

9th August 2009, 03:59 AM	#6
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Oh, and the habaki....true it's not traditional, but you do see this on some Thai hybrid swords due to Japanese influence...I will say though with the habaki, it does fit very nicely in the scabbard...and the overall finish work on the scabbard inside is much better...the aranyik ones are very rounghly done...in a generic shape to fit the different sword tips they make...so the aranyik blades all rattle in their scabbard and slide out very easily if tipped upside down...versus the Lampang one can be tipped upside down without any problem

9th August 2009, 03:03 PM	#8
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	harimauhk, Ooops, guess you saw my comment before I edited it...Hey I've had some good laughs to from others when I struck a deep kung fu pose in front of a Taoist temple :P but hey you got to have fun posing... Yes, I think this is one of the better made daab in thailand. Some Thai forum members like Puff might be able to say more than I have about the smith, etc... I thought of another forum discussion which might be of interst...you can see an earlier model of the Lampang daab: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001291.html Also if you look on ebay there is another Lampang daab...not by the same seller your bought...but another seller from Bangkok....

7th August 2009, 07:07 PM	#10
trenchwarfare Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 385	Delete

7th August 2009, 08:33 PM	#11
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	This looks like a nicely-made modern daab. I very much doubt it is from China - as has been said there are a number of smiths around Thailand that still make daab. It looks quite solid. Please let us know how it feels once you have it in hand. Not a bad start to sword collecting, I think.

8th August 2009, 02:22 AM	#12
harimauhk Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 88	I actually have it here with me Very sharp point, good slicing ability from the belly and the rattan wrap looks great. Since it was sent out directly from Chiang Mai, I really doubt it was made in China. It appears to be solid and handles quite well. Interesting point about the habaki--I thought I had quite a traditionally made darb on my hands! Thanks everyone! BTW, is there any way I can find out what kind of tang this sword has?

8th August 2009, 03:09 AM	#13
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Try to remove the handle It's a bit of work unwrapping the rattan, removing the brass ferrule and habaki, and even then the handle might be glued. Ask the seller. If you feel this is a good product and you say so, he shouldn't have any problem answering and giving you other construction details.