Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ian · 28th March 2021, 03:30 PM

Hi cel7.

There is quite a lot of material on these pages regarding the "Dutch klewang" and its U.S. versions. You can find it through the Search function.
Several U.S. companies produced these swords, some for use by the U.S. Navy.

The Military Saddlery Company (MILSCO), Milwaukee, Wisconsin produced at least 40,000 klewang starting in 1946, and supplied these to the Dutch East Indies until the time of Indonesian independence in 1949. Many of the 40,000 klewang ordered by the NEI Army in 1946 may not have reached the Dutch East Indies before Indonesian independence. This may explain the presence on the surplus market from 1950 onwards of a large number of MILSCO klewangs, many still wrapped in their factory-supplied greased paper. Some MILSCO klewangs also ended up with the US Army.

Because all of the MILSCO swords were produced from 1946, none of these saw action in WWII. They are the most common form of these swords seen on the market today and are often mistaken for the original Dutch sword.

28th March 2021, 03:30 PM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,031	Hi cel7. There is quite a lot of material on these pages regarding the "Dutch klewang" and its U.S. versions. You can find it through the Search function. Several U.S. companies produced these swords, some for use by the U.S. Navy. The Military Saddlery Company (MILSCO), Milwaukee, Wisconsin produced at least 40,000 klewang starting in 1946, and supplied these to the Dutch East Indies until the time of Indonesian independence in 1949. Many of the 40,000 klewang ordered by the NEI Army in 1946 may not have reached the Dutch East Indies before Indonesian independence. This may explain the presence on the surplus market from 1950 onwards of a large number of MILSCO klewangs, many still wrapped in their factory-supplied greased paper. Some MILSCO klewangs also ended up with the US Army. Because all of the MILSCO swords were produced from 1946, none of these saw action in WWII. They are the most common form of these swords seen on the market today and are often mistaken for the original Dutch sword.