Kentucky Show Barung

Spunjer · 22nd February 2016, 11:54 PM

alright Kai, you win, lol..
kinda interested to see how it looks full-blown myself, so here it is etched with FeCl

kai · 23rd February 2016, 12:27 AM

Thanks, Ron, that was extremely fast!

Let me try to digest the pattern for a while...

I stand by my earlier comment that it seems the smith was working at his limits here. Certainly way better than what I could hope to achieve on a traditional forge though! Even trying to reproduce this pattern with plasticiline/FIMO will be a challenge.

Regards,
Kai

Gavin Nugent · 23rd February 2016, 03:51 AM

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the chat today...I see my thoughts are aligned with some others and Kai seems to have knocked it on the head with stretched abilities...and with the better images here, stretched steel.

The smith could not have picked a harder weapon type with the asymmetrical single edged shape that these are....it seems better control comes from double edged Kris and spear.

After seeing these larger images here, whilst there is a twist to the steel types, but without the control or definition within the outer window of typically non pattern steel, I would place this as a good honest attempt at twist core forging rather than a twist core blade...It just doesn't have the aesthetics or control. The smith may have had many reasons for this pattern, a couple that come time mind is left over twisted rods with not enough metal to do much else that add it too other steel, or perhaps as you thought, an apprentice piece...regardless, it is a note worthy link in Moro blacksmithing and worth further study...perhaps Ric can chime in too?

For your reference, attached is a snap of mine. I uncased it for you today and gave it a scrub and oil...you can see the triple rows, certainly not as crisp as kris and spear and one row falters a little too but she's a genuine twistie Barong...sitting quietly above a cutlass sized curved Kampilan and scabbard.

Gavin

Battara · 23rd February 2016, 03:08 PM

Folks these are BEAUTIFUL! (when I grow up I may get one too............

)

VANDOO · 23rd February 2016, 04:50 PM

CONGRATULATIONS! ITS ALWAYS A FUN SURPRISE TO FIND MORE THAN YOU EXPECTED. I SEEM TO SEE A FIGURE IN THE PATTERN OF YOUR BLADE A SITTING MAN. PERHAPS YOU HAVE NOTICED HIM TOO.

DaveS · 24th February 2016, 02:41 AM

Gavin: Beautiful barong. Your example is one that i consider the closest to a real twist-core type of pattern. As i stated earlier, Ron's barong seems to be what most smiths would call a star-pattern rather than an out and out twist. Chris's barong seems to be a little closer, but to me anyway still seems to be more of what the damascus makers that i have talked to call a star type pattern. Regardless, these three barongs have to be the best patterned ones that i have ever seen in over thirty years of collecting.............Dave.

Spunjer · 25th February 2016, 02:20 PM

Thanks for everyone who made comments!
Just a few years ago, we were wondering if barungs with twistcores existed. So here it is. Something to compare for future reference. I believe this is the first post in regards to twistcore barungs.
Vandoo, that's a unique perspective. With the close proximity to Indonesia, that's not really far fetched. It's a whole different angle

22nd February 2016, 11:54 PM	#1
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	alright Kai, you win, lol.. kinda interested to see how it looks full-blown myself, so here it is etched with FeCl Attached Images

23rd February 2016, 03:51 AM	#3
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Hi Ron, Thanks for the chat today...I see my thoughts are aligned with some others and Kai seems to have knocked it on the head with stretched abilities...and with the better images here, stretched steel. The smith could not have picked a harder weapon type with the asymmetrical single edged shape that these are....it seems better control comes from double edged Kris and spear. After seeing these larger images here, whilst there is a twist to the steel types, but without the control or definition within the outer window of typically non pattern steel, I would place this as a good honest attempt at twist core forging rather than a twist core blade...It just doesn't have the aesthetics or control. The smith may have had many reasons for this pattern, a couple that come time mind is left over twisted rods with not enough metal to do much else that add it too other steel, or perhaps as you thought, an apprentice piece...regardless, it is a note worthy link in Moro blacksmithing and worth further study...perhaps Ric can chime in too? For your reference, attached is a snap of mine. I uncased it for you today and gave it a scrub and oil...you can see the triple rows, certainly not as crisp as kris and spear and one row falters a little too but she's a genuine twistie Barong...sitting quietly above a cutlass sized curved Kampilan and scabbard. Gavin Attached Images

23rd February 2016, 04:50 PM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	CONGRATULATIONS! ITS ALWAYS A FUN SURPRISE TO FIND MORE THAN YOU EXPECTED. I SEEM TO SEE A FIGURE IN THE PATTERN OF YOUR BLADE A SITTING MAN. PERHAPS YOU HAVE NOTICED HIM TOO. Attached Images

24th February 2016, 02:41 AM	#6
DaveS Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 327	Twist-core barong Gavin: Beautiful barong. Your example is one that i consider the closest to a real twist-core type of pattern. As i stated earlier, Ron's barong seems to be what most smiths would call a star-pattern rather than an out and out twist. Chris's barong seems to be a little closer, but to me anyway still seems to be more of what the damascus makers that i have talked to call a star type pattern. Regardless, these three barongs have to be the best patterned ones that i have ever seen in over thirty years of collecting.............Dave.

23rd February 2016, 12:27 AM	#2
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Thanks, Ron, that was extremely fast! Let me try to digest the pattern for a while... I stand by my earlier comment that it seems the smith was working at his limits here. Certainly way better than what I could hope to achieve on a traditional forge though! Even trying to reproduce this pattern with plasticiline/FIMO will be a challenge. Regards, Kai

23rd February 2016, 03:08 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,342	Folks these are BEAUTIFUL! (when I grow up I may get one too............ )

25th February 2016, 02:20 PM	#7
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	Thanks for everyone who made comments! Just a few years ago, we were wondering if barungs with twistcores existed. So here it is. Something to compare for future reference. I believe this is the first post in regards to twistcore barungs. Vandoo, that's a unique perspective. With the close proximity to Indonesia, that's not really far fetched. It's a whole different angle