Strange Oriental sword

Ian · 27th August 2005, 04:45 PM

Pictures of a Dutch Klewang.

Henk · 27th August 2005, 07:10 PM

Thanks guys.

Nice klewang, Ian. Is it marked? It is a dutch one, definitely.
Mine is marked MILSCO.

This one is the replacement for the one I sold years ago. That one was a reasembled one. The hilt was rudely remade and the basket was from an indian tourist sabre. The scabbard was gone too. But it was marked HEMBRUG, THE dutch army factory for sabres and daggers.

Ian · 28th August 2005, 12:37 AM

Hi Henk:

No markings on the sword or scabbard.

BTW, MILSCO stands for Military Supply Company, a US supplier of the M1941 cutlass.

Ian.

Henk · 28th August 2005, 07:20 AM

Hi Ian,

Thanks for explaining MILSCO, I didn't know. Always learning here

.

If MILSCO is on it, it is an US manufactured sabre, I suppose. I do remember looking in a book about the history of the dutch klewang in the KNIL-army, that the dutch army used several types of the klewang.

I didn't buy the book. It was on the Pasar Malam Besar in The Hague, a large oriental market here in the Netherlands, originally started for the Indonesian people here, but nowadays it is more a cultural event.

But I do remember the chapter about the Klewang type M1941. It was mentioned as a KNIL-sabre. Probably the dutch army took and used the american cutlass after WW II for the army in Indonesia because of a lack of weapons in those days.

Ian · 10th September 2005, 09:32 PM

Here are pictures of the modified sword that started off this thread (center), together with a Dutch klewang (top), and an Indonesian sword from Tjikeroeh in western Java (bottom).

The latter is clearly based on the design of the Dutch klewang, but with some variation in the blade and hilt. It is named and dated at forte.

I agree that the modified sword is probably of fairly recent assembly and most likely put together by a Westerner. A large amount of epoxy glue has been used to attach the handle scales, and the ends of the handle have spacers of a black plastic material. The scales do appear to be bone. The presence of roll pins to attach the scales has been noted previously. Comparing it to an original klewang, I don't think the tang has been cut down. The blade has been sharpened and has been reblued.

Ian.

27th August 2005, 04:45 PM	#1
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,395	Dutch Klewang Pictures of a Dutch Klewang. Attached Images

10th September 2005, 09:32 PM	#5
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,395	Pictures Here are pictures of the modified sword that started off this thread (center), together with a Dutch klewang (top), and an Indonesian sword from Tjikeroeh in western Java (bottom). The latter is clearly based on the design of the Dutch klewang, but with some variation in the blade and hilt. It is named and dated at forte. I agree that the modified sword is probably of fairly recent assembly and most likely put together by a Westerner. A large amount of epoxy glue has been used to attach the handle scales, and the ends of the handle have spacers of a black plastic material. The scales do appear to be bone. The presence of roll pins to attach the scales has been noted previously. Comparing it to an original klewang, I don't think the tang has been cut down. The blade has been sharpened and has been reblued. Ian.

27th August 2005, 07:10 PM	#2
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Thanks guys. Nice klewang, Ian. Is it marked? It is a dutch one, definitely. Mine is marked MILSCO. This one is the replacement for the one I sold years ago. That one was a reasembled one. The hilt was rudely remade and the basket was from an indian tourist sabre. The scabbard was gone too. But it was marked HEMBRUG, THE dutch army factory for sabres and daggers.

28th August 2005, 12:37 AM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,395	Hi Henk: No markings on the sword or scabbard. BTW, MILSCO stands for Military Supply Company, a US supplier of the M1941 cutlass. Ian.

28th August 2005, 07:20 AM	#4
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Hi Ian, Thanks for explaining MILSCO, I didn't know. Always learning here . If MILSCO is on it, it is an US manufactured sabre, I suppose. I do remember looking in a book about the history of the dutch klewang in the KNIL-army, that the dutch army used several types of the klewang. I didn't buy the book. It was on the Pasar Malam Besar in The Hague, a large oriental market here in the Netherlands, originally started for the Indonesian people here, but nowadays it is more a cultural event. But I do remember the chapter about the Klewang type M1941. It was mentioned as a KNIL-sabre. Probably the dutch army took and used the american cutlass after WW II for the army in Indonesia because of a lack of weapons in those days.