Barung with blotchy pattern welding - Borneo?

kai · 26th August 2020, 02:17 AM

Thanks, folks, really sweet barung examples!

I was hoping for blades with these distinct blotches, i.e. a kind of mosaic pamor though (regardless of their ethnic origin).

Rick, I suppose you referred to another barung back then (in post #4)?

Regards,
Kai

Rick · 26th August 2020, 03:55 AM

No Kai, it was this one; the patchy areas were the closest I could come to anything like the OP.
I know it's not quite what you were looking for, but there was also a request for photos of Barungs so I thought I'd throw it in there.
I'll be glad to remove it if you think it's off topic...

Ian, this one came from ebay back in the good old days when it was actually possible to score bargain prices on these 'unknown' knives/swords like this one and a certain twist core kris I bought for literally peanuts.

The forging pattern is interesting and indeed it may have been divided in the process; to me it resembles the inside of a flattened banana peel.

I wonder if it is also Samal like yours and Jose's example.

Battara · 26th August 2020, 05:48 PM

Possibly Rick. The angle of the pommel is similar to my Samal pommel, though the back part is not as "abrupt" and the scabbard is more Tausug in style.

kai · 26th August 2020, 10:42 PM

Hello Rick & Jose,

Quote:

Possibly Rick. The angle of the pommel is similar to my Samal pommel, though the back part is not as "abrupt" and the scabbard is more Tausug in style.

I've been mulling over this - the flow of lines at the pommel is more elegant than usual for Samal and might point towards Tausug, too.

Is there any area or possibly port town where somewhat intermediate pieces might possibly be expected from cultural crossover or cross-cultural influences?

Regards,
Kai

Battara · 27th August 2020, 06:28 PM

Actually Kai the Samal are wedged in between the Tausug and the Yakan, in the chain of Islands between Basilan and Jolo. So must admit it would not be to hard to see crossovers. The difficulty is proving them, but certainly a possibility.

I think this is partly why in the 1950s we begin to see a more abrupt style and a slight change of the tilt of the pommel.

kai · 26th August 2020, 10:34 PM

Hello Rick,

The main pamor certainly is different; along the edge it does look more like the "clouds" of Ian's example in the other thread. A closeup of a full section of the blade would be good for trying to figure out the actual forging process. The pamor billet certainly got doubled over resulting in the cold shut (the single dark line along the middle).

Let's keep it here (also to show that the older response referred to a blade of different construction). I do hope we'll see a few more examples of the mosaic pamor sooner or later!

Regards,
Kai

26th August 2020, 02:17 AM	#1
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Thanks, folks, really sweet barung examples! I was hoping for blades with these distinct blotches, i.e. a kind of mosaic pamor though (regardless of their ethnic origin). Rick, I suppose you referred to another barung back then (in post #4)? Regards, Kai

26th August 2020, 03:55 AM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,365	No Kai, it was this one; the patchy areas were the closest I could come to anything like the OP. I know it's not quite what you were looking for, but there was also a request for photos of Barungs so I thought I'd throw it in there. I'll be glad to remove it if you think it's off topic... Ian, this one came from ebay back in the good old days when it was actually possible to score bargain prices on these 'unknown' knives/swords like this one and a certain twist core kris I bought for literally peanuts. The forging pattern is interesting and indeed it may have been divided in the process; to me it resembles the inside of a flattened banana peel. I wonder if it is also Samal like yours and Jose's example.

26th August 2020, 05:48 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,325	Possibly Rick. The angle of the pommel is similar to my Samal pommel, though the back part is not as "abrupt" and the scabbard is more Tausug in style.

27th August 2020, 06:28 PM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,325	Actually Kai the Samal are wedged in between the Tausug and the Yakan, in the chain of Islands between Basilan and Jolo. So must admit it would not be to hard to see crossovers. The difficulty is proving them, but certainly a possibility. I think this is partly why in the 1950s we begin to see a more abrupt style and a slight change of the tilt of the pommel.

26th August 2020, 10:34 PM	#6
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Hello Rick, The main pamor certainly is different; along the edge it does look more like the "clouds" of Ian's example in the other thread. A closeup of a full section of the blade would be good for trying to figure out the actual forging process. The pamor billet certainly got doubled over resulting in the cold shut (the single dark line along the middle). Let's keep it here (also to show that the older response referred to a blade of different construction). I do hope we'll see a few more examples of the mosaic pamor sooner or later! Regards, Kai