Dayak swords a quick question from a novice

[fenlander]

Am I correct ?

Most Dayak swords of Borneo were made of soft steel. This means they were easy to blunt but easy to sharpen; plus they would not break so easily when hitting a hard object.

Correct ?

[asomotif]

Please note that dayak swords were made under very primitif conditions.
Some from local iron-ore, others from imported ore, recent blades can even have chinese makers marks
Your question suggests that there was some kind of standard quality.

Maybe Dajak or mandaukudi can advise

[Dajak]

There are some perfect blade s welmade

There are even laminated blade s made Latok s very wel made VVV has a nice laminated one pakayun s very wel forged Jimpul s and parang Ihlang parang sangkit these have mostly very
Blade s .

I talk here about the old stuff not the newly you see today for sale (the price for the nice forged ones starts easely at 1500.00 till 15,000.00
euro s and sometimes more just to give an indication)

So high quality stuff that s not often on the market and at least mostly before before 1900..

I will put some pics later

Michael can you post your nice Latok here to see it has one off the best blade quality that I know and from an very good collection


Regards Ben

[VVV]

Ben,

In my files I only have an old picture I took when I bought it and unfortunately no close up of the blade.
Look forward to see some of your examples.

Michael

[Valjhun]

I cannot figure why are they so bloody expensive...

I have just one parang ihlang in my collection and it has an old quality blade. I think that it was made before 1900 and I've bought it from a wife of an old deceased collector for a bargain price, together with its piso podang. Sadly no scabbard included.

Is that one of those very sought after pieces or not?

[fenlander]

Hi

Thanks for the information.
I am posting because my dad has a Dayak sword. It was bought in Brunei in 1968 (he was military). My comments above was basically what he said about Dayak swords.
I am trying to get a picture of it from him. It has a scabbard etc. There is also a dayak hat with lots of feathers in it that goes with the sword.

[Roland_M]

Dayak were famous for the quality of their blades in Indonesia! As far as I know, Dayak blades were very desired in whole Indonesia.

I have one old Mandau, made from flawless forged laminated mono-steel with a differential hardened cutting edge and this blade is of extraordinary high quality.

Roland