Is this a Tombak?

blue lander · 1st July 2015, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

A Shank with pamor .
It was made for only one purpose .

Could you really shank someone with a hilt like that though? It doesn't look very comfortable . I guess I'll find out when it arrives.

A. G. Maisey · 2nd July 2015, 12:44 AM

We become accustomed to seeing all these examples of archetypical SE Asian weaponry --- keris, tombak, pedang & etc,& etc, &etc., but we very rarely see the weapons that ordinary people carry.

Mostly the weapons of ordinary people in Jawa and Bali are small, tuck-away knives and daggers that have no specific form or features, and are made from left over bits and pieces or broken other weapons.

Dealers in both East Jawa and Central Jawa will buy an old junk pedang, cut it into sections and grind 4 or 5 little dagger blades out of it, then they'll fit it with the cheapest possible dress. More profit in this than in trying to sell a clapped out old pedang.

What we are looking at here is one of these little daggers. It was cut from a larger blade, and it has been dressed at a level where a local can buy it and stick it in the back waist band of his trousers. If he needs to dump it, he's lost nothing.

I consider this nasty little thing a genuine, present day SE Asian weapon.

blue lander · 2nd July 2015, 03:20 AM

That makes sense. The blade in this is double edged, aren't pedants usually single edged? Maybe it's from a junk keris

A. G. Maisey · 2nd July 2015, 03:39 AM

Could be from any tosan aji --- keris, pedang, tombak --- the shape that is created does not necessarily bear any relationship at all to the original blade.

Rick · 2nd July 2015, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue lander

Could you really shank someone with a hilt like that though? It doesn't look very comfortable . I guess I'll find out when it arrives.

A five inch blade ?
Right in your palm ?

Okay, it's a Javanese shank .

2nd July 2015, 12:44 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,019	We become accustomed to seeing all these examples of archetypical SE Asian weaponry --- keris, tombak, pedang & etc,& etc, &etc., but we very rarely see the weapons that ordinary people carry. Mostly the weapons of ordinary people in Jawa and Bali are small, tuck-away knives and daggers that have no specific form or features, and are made from left over bits and pieces or broken other weapons. Dealers in both East Jawa and Central Jawa will buy an old junk pedang, cut it into sections and grind 4 or 5 little dagger blades out of it, then they'll fit it with the cheapest possible dress. More profit in this than in trying to sell a clapped out old pedang. What we are looking at here is one of these little daggers. It was cut from a larger blade, and it has been dressed at a level where a local can buy it and stick it in the back waist band of his trousers. If he needs to dump it, he's lost nothing. I consider this nasty little thing a genuine, present day SE Asian weapon.

2nd July 2015, 03:20 AM	#3
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	That makes sense. The blade in this is double edged, aren't pedants usually single edged? Maybe it's from a junk keris

2nd July 2015, 03:39 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,019	Could be from any tosan aji --- keris, pedang, tombak --- the shape that is created does not necessarily bear any relationship at all to the original blade.