Two Dutch Hembrugs

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by Amuk Murugul

As far as I am concerned, this is another popular myth that has passed into folklore.
It was quite common for local recruits/mercenaries fighting for the colonial Dutch military to modify their cutlasses to suit their personal taste for more efficient use with their 'brand' of martial arts. This went on long before the outbreak of hostilities known as WWII. Among the Soenda, for instance, the length and weight would be adjusted for use in Ibing Toelak Bala as a golok or golok pandjang. The closed guard would also have been more of a hindrance.

Best,

Hallo Amuk,

Are you saying that it was Dutch local recruits/mercenaries who modified these klewangs into the "machette shape" and this was not done by the Japanese?