need help with an all-steel Chopper.

ausjulius · 16th July 2021, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausjulius

the blade is a Cambodians a shape of billhook for sure. .. you see these in places that were ethnically populated with cambodians... southern vietnam and parts of laos and eastern thailand.. and.. cambodia... normally with a 1 foot to 3 foot handle... i have never seen ones with an iron handle.. which looks very indian indeed. it is very curious.. unless there is an identical oddly shaped billhook style like that in some part of india that ive never seen.. normally indian bills dont take that backset blade.. (rightly so.. its VERY akward to use)

an here i eat my words.. for afew rupees one could be yous
https://m.indiamart.com/proddetail/b...418540648.html

exactly as the cambodian billhooks.. southern india it is. interesting akward shap isnt it.. i have several cambotian ones and a vietnames one and they really.. ARE NOT great to use when compared with other bills..
this one is definatly meant as some sort of weapon..

i wounder then if this odd shape was introduced to cambodia from india.. as it is a very distinct shape

Ian · 18th July 2021, 11:53 AM

ausjulius,

There is a style of short-handled mak that resembles a billhook and found in Cambodia, Laos, highlands of Vietnam. These are distinctly tools and rather crude in manufacture. They differ from their long-handled brothers in the sickle shape of the blade, while the long-handled ones usually have straighter blades. There is a long-handled similar version in Thailand called a prah but has a somewhat different blade style. It too is an agricultural tool.

Here is a short-handled form from Laos.

.

Nihl · 29th July 2021, 10:55 PM

I have to support the "South Indian chopper" attribution. It matches known examples in both blade style and decoration. One thing to note about that, however, is that if this was merely a machete/farming tool (in my opinion anyways) it wouldn't be so highly decorated. Why add so much carving to something that's just going to get covered in "plant guts" anyways? Thus, I would propose a ceremonial/sacrificial use for this item. Something sort of like the South Indian equivalent of the northern Ram Dao.

In terms of dating, an 18th/19th C dating is appropriate, as items not cared for very well in South India do indeed tend to rust up pretty fast.

kronckew · 30th July 2021, 12:51 AM

My mak axe/pra: It's razor sharp on the inside of the curve, and is a rather awkward weapon. The blade is quite thick. They also appear on temple carvings with longer poles, wielders on elephants, etc. There are a couple threads here on them.

JeffS · 30th July 2021, 03:53 AM

Here is a mak from eastern Cambodia along Vietnam border. This one has has shortened blade, most have a more complete arc to the blade, resembling Ian's example from Laos. Note that the blade arc begins in line with handle while the OP chopper example the blade extends out perpendicular to the line of the handle before curving into the hook. They seem like they would handle very differently with the perpendicularly offset example being more difficult to control and less suitable as a general purpose tool. I would not be surprised if they are not related at all.

18th July 2021, 11:53 AM	#2
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,396	ausjulius, There is a style of short-handled mak that resembles a billhook and found in Cambodia, Laos, highlands of Vietnam. These are distinctly tools and rather crude in manufacture. They differ from their long-handled brothers in the sickle shape of the blade, while the long-handled ones usually have straighter blades. There is a long-handled similar version in Thailand called a prah but has a somewhat different blade style. It too is an agricultural tool. Here is a short-handled form from Laos. . Attached Images Last edited by Ian; 18th July 2021 at 12:12 PM.

30th July 2021, 12:51 AM	#4
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,224	My mak axe/pra: It's razor sharp on the inside of the curve, and is a rather awkward weapon. The blade is quite thick. They also appear on temple carvings with longer poles, wielders on elephants, etc. There are a couple threads here on them. Attached Images

30th July 2021, 03:53 AM	#5
JeffS Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 427	Here is a mak from eastern Cambodia along Vietnam border. This one has has shortened blade, most have a more complete arc to the blade, resembling Ian's example from Laos. Note that the blade arc begins in line with handle while the OP chopper example the blade extends out perpendicular to the line of the handle before curving into the hook. They seem like they would handle very differently with the perpendicularly offset example being more difficult to control and less suitable as a general purpose tool. I would not be surprised if they are not related at all. Attached Images

29th July 2021, 10:55 PM	#3
Nihl Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 90	I have to support the "South Indian chopper" attribution. It matches known examples in both blade style and decoration. One thing to note about that, however, is that if this was merely a machete/farming tool (in my opinion anyways) it wouldn't be so highly decorated. Why add so much carving to something that's just going to get covered in "plant guts" anyways? Thus, I would propose a ceremonial/sacrificial use for this item. Something sort of like the South Indian equivalent of the northern Ram Dao. In terms of dating, an 18th/19th C dating is appropriate, as items not cared for very well in South India do indeed tend to rust up pretty fast.