New Acquisition, Mandau, said to be 1800's

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 02:21 AM

Got this monster from Australia, the buyer claimed it to be a genuine old one.
given the evidence I would like to agree. I have seen many new ones in YouTube videos and online, out of all the ones I have seen on the market, with my limited knowledge, I would trust this one to be most likely genuine old and quality.
seems it was overlooked, undervalued and rejected,(first time sold no bids, second time around I had money

perfect as objects like that seem to be meant for me and usually I have great luck with them.
I actually don't see any other one , that I would rather have than this one. good look to the carving, very happy with it, its got a certain presence to it. it is quite heavy, definitely a chopper.
I would think this one was a user , not made for show, looks it has been well put to the test and earned some working life repairs. I would hope it was made with the native metals, but found some curious partial marks on the blade?
the blade seems to have all the right angles to have been made the old way.
I am hesitant to clean it...
any tips to identify human bone?
Kalimantan or?
age?
clay tempered?
thanks for looking , sorry if too many photos but I like to see all the angles and i think many would agree

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 02:22 AM

additional photos

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 02:23 AM

add photos ..

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 02:24 AM

more photos

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 02:28 AM

more photo again

JoeCanada42 · 21st February 2023, 02:29 AM

more still

JoeCanada42 · 24th February 2023, 10:10 PM

the handle

JoeCanada42 · 24th February 2023, 10:13 PM

the blade and markings

still dangerously sharp

JoeCanada42 · 24th February 2023, 10:21 PM

I used a tooth brush and dish soap, then some small amount (all I had) nu finish silver polish , rubbed it on with my fingers,,,, I then scrubbed it with a S.O.S. sponge, the rust on the blade worked itself into a nice rouge paste, red the first time then brown, I washed it with soap after then water then dried it, i then repeated the process for good measure this time with a rag not the sos pad, dried it again, applied vinegar and dried it quickly, didn't treat it long at all with the vinegar, I didn't have any proper wax, I just rubbed it with a tea candle and polished it like a pair of boots.

I read about using vinegar, actually someone recommended it on my Moro sword,,, but I found it was drying up leaving stains
(as for the pommel, I don't even want to remove the cobwebs)

Sajen · 25th February 2023, 11:21 AM

The marking on the blade look to my eyes like it was a marking from the used steel, similar to the marking on one of my mandau blades: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=mandau

Regards,
Detlef

JoeCanada42 · 25th February 2023, 03:28 PM

Thank Sajen for the link and info
now I got to research Long Glat Blades , among Jimpul and more...

any confirmation on my handle being Iban style or?

also I read this by Roland in another thread

A head hunting mandau is thick at the base, sharp, quite heavy, forward balanced, often "decorated" with nicks and has a concave/convex blade. The best head hunting mandau are made from clay tempered, laminated high quality steel with a beautiful hamon.

what nicks are being referred to?? , i got some nicks on surface of my blade...

mine has a similar handle to this one,,
I want to mention the art on this one , to me, looks like a view into an ant farm, like a view through windows into the ant tunnels, possibly depicting a pangolin tongue going through the tunnel. see Jim's Mandau Post recently if you havent for my ideas on these handles

21st February 2023, 02:21 AM	#1
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	New Acquisition, Mandau, said to be 1800's Got this monster from Australia, the buyer claimed it to be a genuine old one. given the evidence I would like to agree. I have seen many new ones in YouTube videos and online, out of all the ones I have seen on the market, with my limited knowledge, I would trust this one to be most likely genuine old and quality. seems it was overlooked, undervalued and rejected,(first time sold no bids, second time around I had money perfect as objects like that seem to be meant for me and usually I have great luck with them. I actually don't see any other one , that I would rather have than this one. good look to the carving, very happy with it, its got a certain presence to it. it is quite heavy, definitely a chopper. I would think this one was a user , not made for show, looks it has been well put to the test and earned some working life repairs. I would hope it was made with the native metals, but found some curious partial marks on the blade? the blade seems to have all the right angles to have been made the old way. I am hesitant to clean it... any tips to identify human bone? Kalimantan or? age? clay tempered? thanks for looking , sorry if too many photos but I like to see all the angles and i think many would agree Attached Images Last edited by JoeCanada42; 21st February 2023 at 02:32 AM.

21st February 2023, 02:22 AM	#2
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	additional photos Attached Images

21st February 2023, 02:23 AM	#3
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	add photos .. Attached Images

21st February 2023, 02:24 AM	#4
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	more photos Attached Images

21st February 2023, 02:28 AM	#5
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	more photo again Attached Images

21st February 2023, 02:29 AM	#6
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	more still Attached Images

24th February 2023, 10:10 PM	#7
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	the handle Attached Images

24th February 2023, 10:13 PM	#8
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	the blade and markings still dangerously sharp Attached Images

24th February 2023, 10:21 PM	#9
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	I used a tooth brush and dish soap, then some small amount (all I had) nu finish silver polish , rubbed it on with my fingers,,,, I then scrubbed it with a S.O.S. sponge, the rust on the blade worked itself into a nice rouge paste, red the first time then brown, I washed it with soap after then water then dried it, i then repeated the process for good measure this time with a rag not the sos pad, dried it again, applied vinegar and dried it quickly, didn't treat it long at all with the vinegar, I didn't have any proper wax, I just rubbed it with a tea candle and polished it like a pair of boots. I read about using vinegar, actually someone recommended it on my Moro sword,,, but I found it was drying up leaving stains (as for the pommel, I don't even want to remove the cobwebs) Last edited by JoeCanada42; 24th February 2023 at 10:46 PM.

25th February 2023, 11:21 AM	#10
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,516	The marking on the blade look to my eyes like it was a marking from the used steel, similar to the marking on one of my mandau blades: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=mandau Regards, Detlef Attached Images

25th February 2023, 03:28 PM	#11
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	Thank Sajen for the link and info now I got to research Long Glat Blades , among Jimpul and more... any confirmation on my handle being Iban style or? also I read this by Roland in another thread A head hunting mandau is thick at the base, sharp, quite heavy, forward balanced, often "decorated" with nicks and has a concave/convex blade. The best head hunting mandau are made from clay tempered, laminated high quality steel with a beautiful hamon. what nicks are being referred to?? , i got some nicks on surface of my blade... mine has a similar handle to this one,, I want to mention the art on this one , to me, looks like a view into an ant farm, like a view through windows into the ant tunnels, possibly depicting a pangolin tongue going through the tunnel. see Jim's Mandau Post recently if you havent for my ideas on these handles Attached Images