Another strange, non-textbook, parang

VVV · 18th December 2005, 09:53 AM

Good morning Tim,

I think your first parang could be from Sabah.
When I was at the Kota Belud market I remember seeing newly made parangs with hilts and scabbards resembling yours.
I had a look at one I bought for my son and the part on the scabbard where the belt rope is inserted is identical to yours.
It's also probable that a parang from Sabah (former British Borneo) ends up in UK.
Maybe John (from KK) can confirm this?

Michael

John · 18th December 2005, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VVV

Good morning Tim,

I think your first parang could be from Sabah.
When I was at the Kota Belud market I remember seeing newly made parangs with hilts and scabbards resembling yours.
I had a look at one I bought for my son and the part on the scabbard where the belt rope is inserted is identical to yours.
It's also probable that a parang from Sabah (former British Borneo) ends up in UK.
Maybe John (from KK) can confirm this?

Michael

Michael,

I think the pictures from the following site may bring back some memories of the Kota Belud Tamu (Sunday market). Perhaps Tim could compare his parangs with some of those in my pictures... There seem to be resemblances but the curious thing is that the hilts wood on Tim's pieces appears to look like kemuning (or a similar grained wood) have not been something I've seen in recent times (within the limits of my exposure). So I can't be certain whether his are from Sabah...

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

VVV · 18th December 2005, 11:45 AM

Thanks John,

Great pics!
Maybe our parangs are older versions of those blades but from the same area? But our scabbards have rattan bindings instead of glue as is used nowadays.
Have you seen older blades from Sabah?
What disappointed me a bit, as a collector, when visiting the market is that all the blades were newly made.
Is there any museum in KK, Sandakan or elsewhere in Sabah where they have old blades?

Michael

VVV · 18th December 2005, 11:57 AM

John and other forumites,

Here is another, obviously Borneo, blade that I haven't found out from where it is. It's much smaller than the other.
This one I picked up in Holland so I didn't think of it as from Sabah.
But looking at John's pictures from the market I recognised some of the features.
What do you think?

Michael

Tim Simmons · 18th December 2005, 12:04 PM

Great pictures and very helpful, the striped wood does not seem to feature in the parangs of today. Could that type of timber now be rare? It is a most beautiful wood that might have added value to otherwise fairly ordinary knives. Seeing all these new ones makes my one a lot better than I previously thought. The binding on mine is nylon fishing line. Thanks for the interesting help. Tim

Tim Simmons · 18th December 2005, 12:08 PM

Micheal,

I have pictures of a very similar knife in a book issued to British officers in Malay. I will post all info latter as I must dash out to the mother inlaws

. Tim

John · 18th December 2005, 12:20 PM

Michael,

Frankly, Sabah is NOT quite a place to find old blades apart from the odd ones here and there eg Moro kris, pakayun. Not quite a place for a collector to pick up older edged weapons. There's only one museum (in KK) and if you've been there you'd have seen a few old edged weapons like barongs, kampilans, Mandaus, Kris, keris, pakayuns, spears etc but no parangs. Personally I find the collection there rather small.

Apart from Kota Belud, other new items are being made in Semporna, near Tawau.

Your last example; In Sabah, it's unmistakeably a parang.

VVV · 18th December 2005, 01:21 PM

Tim,

I look forward to the picture.

John,

Thanks for all the info.
I am ashamed not having visited the Sabah museum even if I have been in KK three times. Next time when in Semporna I will also take a better look. Last time, in 1991, I was to eager to go out scuba diving around Sipadan.

Michael

Tim Simmons · 18th December 2005, 04:37 PM

This is the picture of a very similar scabbard to Micheal's parang. Taken from a small book issued to British officers { An Introduction to the Malayan Aborigines, P.D.R. Williams-hunt } when faced with duty in the Malasian jungle. The book covers all aspects of life with a small mention of tools and weapons. In case the print is too small the caption reads- A Semelai carved parang sheath. Lipis District, Negri Sembilan. October 1950. Tim

PS, also interesting map. I wonder how much has changed.

VVV · 18th December 2005, 05:33 PM

Thanks Tim,

That was interesting.
Is there any other weapon references in that book?

Michael

18th December 2005, 11:57 AM	#4
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	John and other forumites, Here is another, obviously Borneo, blade that I haven't found out from where it is. It's much smaller than the other. This one I picked up in Holland so I didn't think of it as from Sabah. But looking at John's pictures from the market I recognised some of the features. What do you think? Michael Attached Images

18th December 2005, 12:20 PM	#7
John Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land below the wind Posts: 135	Michael, Frankly, Sabah is NOT quite a place to find old blades apart from the odd ones here and there eg Moro kris, pakayun. Not quite a place for a collector to pick up older edged weapons. There's only one museum (in KK) and if you've been there you'd have seen a few old edged weapons like barongs, kampilans, Mandaus, Kris, keris, pakayuns, spears etc but no parangs. Personally I find the collection there rather small. Apart from Kota Belud, other new items are being made in Semporna, near Tawau. Your last example; In Sabah, it's unmistakeably a parang. Last edited by John; 18th December 2005 at 12:32 PM.

18th December 2005, 04:37 PM	#9
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,854	This is the picture of a very similar scabbard to Micheal's parang. Taken from a small book issued to British officers { An Introduction to the Malayan Aborigines, P.D.R. Williams-hunt } when faced with duty in the Malasian jungle. The book covers all aspects of life with a small mention of tools and weapons. In case the print is too small the caption reads- A Semelai carved parang sheath. Lipis District, Negri Sembilan. October 1950. Tim PS, also interesting map. I wonder how much has changed. Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 18th December 2005 at 04:48 PM.

18th December 2005, 09:53 AM	#1
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Good morning Tim, I think your first parang could be from Sabah. When I was at the Kota Belud market I remember seeing newly made parangs with hilts and scabbards resembling yours. I had a look at one I bought for my son and the part on the scabbard where the belt rope is inserted is identical to yours. It's also probable that a parang from Sabah (former British Borneo) ends up in UK. Maybe John (from KK) can confirm this? Michael

18th December 2005, 11:45 AM	#3
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Thanks John, Great pics! Maybe our parangs are older versions of those blades but from the same area? But our scabbards have rattan bindings instead of glue as is used nowadays. Have you seen older blades from Sabah? What disappointed me a bit, as a collector, when visiting the market is that all the blades were newly made. Is there any museum in KK, Sandakan or elsewhere in Sabah where they have old blades? Michael

18th December 2005, 12:04 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,854	Great pictures and very helpful, the striped wood does not seem to feature in the parangs of today. Could that type of timber now be rare? It is a most beautiful wood that might have added value to otherwise fairly ordinary knives. Seeing all these new ones makes my one a lot better than I previously thought. The binding on mine is nylon fishing line. Thanks for the interesting help. Tim

18th December 2005, 12:08 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,854	Micheal, I have pictures of a very similar knife in a book issued to British officers in Malay. I will post all info latter as I must dash out to the mother inlaws . Tim

18th December 2005, 01:21 PM	#8
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Tim, I look forward to the picture. John, Thanks for all the info. I am ashamed not having visited the Sabah museum even if I have been in KK three times. Next time when in Semporna I will also take a better look. Last time, in 1991, I was to eager to go out scuba diving around Sipadan. Michael

18th December 2005, 05:33 PM	#10
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Thanks Tim, That was interesting. Is there any other weapon references in that book? Michael