Javanese machete??

[Ian]

Originally Posted by marto suwignyo

Ian, in my area we would never call this a bendho, we would call it a golok. For us, a tool must have a recurved blade to be a bedho.

Marto:

Thanks for clarifying the name for this tool. I, too, called this particular example a golok when I acquired it. Then I found a nearly identical chopper in v. Zonneveld (p. 34) which he identified as a bendo from West Java. So, even Mr. v. Z. can make a mistake, or perhaps there is a regional variation in terms that differs from your own experience. In any case, it is very confusing for someone from a different culture trying to understand these terms from a distance.

I would find this variable terminology often when I traveled in SE Asia some years ago. The distinction between badik-sewar-rencong-tumbak and a few other knives just left my head hurting. Every time I thought I had these sorted out, a local person would throw in a completely different interpretation of which was which.

People such as yourself who can bring some direct experience of what names are applied to these various weapons/tools is very helpful. Thanks.

Ian.

PS: When you speak of a "recurved" blade, are you referring to the back of the blade or the cutting edge? When we discuss Indian and Islamic blades, such as the yataghan or sossun pattah, "recurved" is usually applied to the shape of the spine of the blade.