Old karambit

Ian · 13th October 2020, 05:30 AM

Alan, Bob, Marius, Detlef,

Thanks for your responses. When I mentioned "pamor" previously I was referring to warangan-etched blades on kerambit, which have been uncommon in my (limited) experience.

Thanks Alan for your thoughts about the earlier forms of these knives not being etched in this manner, which Detlef and Bob also mentioned. Laminated blades are obviously common on new interpretations, including those from the Philippines.

My inquiry was primarily about the use of warangan on these blades, and whether this represented an older style of kerambit. Alan has answered my question and indicated that it is a 20th C feature.

Thanks guys!

A. G. Maisey · 13th October 2020, 06:11 AM

Ian, the effect of warangan is to darken ferric material and to leave material containing nickel a lighter colour, If the contrasting material is pure nickel, it leaves it bright, if it is a mixture of nickel and iron the contrast will still be there but subdued in direct proportion to the percentages of iron and nickel.

There is a type of pamor called "pamor sanak", "sanak" means "related", so we can get a subdued type of pamor even when the contrast is created by a different type of iron. Very often we do not know whether a blade is made from a low contrast material until it has been etched and stained.

Where a blade is made with a high contrast material we should always expect to see a steel core to the blade. Iron blades, whether containing nickel or not, do not hold an edge particularly well. This is perhaps not all that important if the blade is a stabbing weapon, but many of these small knives are are work knives as well as weapons, so they must hold an edge.

13th October 2020, 05:30 AM	#1
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,361	Alan, Bob, Marius, Detlef, Thanks for your responses. When I mentioned "pamor" previously I was referring to warangan-etched blades on kerambit, which have been uncommon in my (limited) experience. Thanks Alan for your thoughts about the earlier forms of these knives not being etched in this manner, which Detlef and Bob also mentioned. Laminated blades are obviously common on new interpretations, including those from the Philippines. My inquiry was primarily about the use of warangan on these blades, and whether this represented an older style of kerambit. Alan has answered my question and indicated that it is a 20th C feature. Thanks guys!

13th October 2020, 06:11 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Ian, the effect of warangan is to darken ferric material and to leave material containing nickel a lighter colour, If the contrasting material is pure nickel, it leaves it bright, if it is a mixture of nickel and iron the contrast will still be there but subdued in direct proportion to the percentages of iron and nickel. There is a type of pamor called "pamor sanak", "sanak" means "related", so we can get a subdued type of pamor even when the contrast is created by a different type of iron. Very often we do not know whether a blade is made from a low contrast material until it has been etched and stained. Where a blade is made with a high contrast material we should always expect to see a steel core to the blade. Iron blades, whether containing nickel or not, do not hold an edge particularly well. This is perhaps not all that important if the blade is a stabbing weapon, but many of these small knives are are work knives as well as weapons, so they must hold an edge.