Bendo
 

Hi all,
I have this bendo (Van Zonneveld book pag.34). I have found no thread on this kind of tool/weapon. Looking at the sheat it seems from Java. Someone knows what does mean the mark "UKI" on the blade?
Any help will be appreciated.
Regards
Paolo

A quick search shows that UKI is a trademark in UK(?).
See here... :confused: http://www.patent.gov.uk/tm/t-journa...c/2425142.html

Bendo are mostly found in Java but can be found on the coastal areas of Sumatra too, afaik. This bendo's hilt is a simplified form, made of horn. Usually it is more decorated.

Are you sure the middle letter is a 'K' :confused:

Alam,
Also I'm a little confused. Really I bought it in England, but it was detailed as XIX century; I guessed first half of XX, but the trademark You sent is really too recent.

Katana,
The pic of the mark is all I can give to you !

Regards
Paolo

Paolo,

I think that UKI is the mark of the maker. Something tells me your blade isn't very old, I guess second half of the XX century.

This is mine. Also a rather simple example.

Henk,
very nice. The hilt and also of the scabbard looks very similar in shape to my one.
Paolo

There was a discussion of bendo here some time ago: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=841

Ian.

Another lookup shows that UKI could also be an acronym for United Kingdom and Ireland (UKI) :confused:.

Bendo (java)/benda (malay) literally translated means 'a thing'.

Here is my parang pendek, a 1982 piece, with a spring steel blade. Check out the stamping on the blade. Just a comparison.

Here, a 19th century piece with horn sheath, not a bendo but a badik, for comparison.

Night is the mother of counsel : might be that a newer blade was added to an older hilt and sheat ? Pheraps the origial blade was worn for use ?
However thank you for the very useful interesting inputs you give to a neophyte like I'm :cool:
Regards
Paolo

I think this bendo is complete and original.
The blade is not IMO an import; rather it most likely bears the mark of the local smith .
My guesstimation of age is mid 20th C.

Thank You for your help.
Regards
Paolo

java bendo
 

hi all,
as a javanese I would like to say that this bendo possibly a new made.
old bendo would not have the scrath/ those lines couse from sharpening tools.
most javanese bendo made from very soft iron with no specialities such as beautifil shape/dimension, easily sharpen and easy to be dulled.
bendo mostly used as a tool than a weapon. farmer and trader in the market use them mosly. recent made and old bendo used to have black colour as a preventation to the rust. the blade are mostly thin using wooden holder.

old javanese prever to use kerises or pedang/sword as a weapon.
it is very hard to find an old bendo couse it usually rusted badly during its age.
bendo are very cheap in its origin(java/indonesia)

i will try to find an old bendo for you guys....since I'm a new member in this forum I'll try to share any information I could give.

as information for this forum....I just knew that antique dealers in jakarta Indonesia show me this kind of old Dutch Klewang...is it worth to be collect?
as a new member I'd like to get some advice....they offered this klewang fer US$ 65 each. 30 pieces they have.

thanks....
ferrylaki

Paolo, I'm not at all certain that the name for this implement that you have posted pics of is "bendo".

In Javanese the correct spelling of "bendo" is "bendho"---the "o" is slightly aspirated. Bendho is a Javanese word and I do not know if it is found in Sundanese.

The implement you have shown pics of appears to be from Sunda, probably Bandung production.

I know that van Zonneveldt shows it as a "bendo", but he draws upon another source, so we cannot hold him responsible for the name.

It may be that in Sunda this implement is known as a "bendo", but if it is, it must not be confused with the bendho of Central Jawa.

The bendho that we use in Central Jawa is a completely different shape to the shape of the implement that you show.As ferrylaki advises, in Central Jawa these days it is used as a tool, however, in earlier times it was used as a weapon.

As I state above, the Javanese name for a particular type of cutting implement is "bendho". The word "bendo" does not exist in Javanese, however, in Indonesian, which is based upon a dialect of Malay, the word "benda" does exist, which means "thing". In colloquial Javanese speech this word "benda" would be pronounced "bendo" by many, if not most speakers, when they were using Indonesian.

Ferrylaki, I note that you live in Solo. If you would like to see some examples of old bendho, may I suggest you visit Musium Radyapustaka on Jalan Slamet Riyadi, near Sri Wedari.

I'm going to visit the museum next week. during muharam there will be a ceremonial in solo. peoplegonna show pusaka from the old keraton collection. I'll try to get some pictures from old 'bendho' in the museum. may be I'll add more pictures about old javanese weapon also.
thax again....

I'm really intrigued to see the pics of Bendho and of the old Jawanese weapon.
Regards
Paolo

Ferrylaki,

Are those klewangs marked?

hi Henk...
there are three tipe of mark : MILSCO, HAMBRUG, VINCE .
These mark written between the hand guard and the blade in italic letters.
I dont have the picture for this mark...the one I have doesnt have any mark.
I believe it was macine made...the mark and the blade.

I will try to get some picture about old bendo and other weapon from the museum....this jan 20th there will be a ceremonial in Surakarta palace...
washing the 'pusaka'... I already made some appointment to buy old weapon... some dealer even offer my japanese katana...I hope it a genuine katana.

G'day all,

Just passing and thought I'd buy into this.:)

The Sundanese, particularly from Parahyangan (most of West Java), would generally refer to the implement being discussed, as a 'bedog' which may be interchanged with the Malay/Indonesian word 'golok'. Bedog can be found in many shapes and sizes, depending on application/usage, from a stubby wide-bladed one (akin to a berang) to a long slender one (akin to a pedang and most commonly used implement in penca-silat). Traditionally, it was the chosen everyday implement of the common folk and would be as common in households as a knife. Being such a common everyday item, it was usually constructed of soft metal, with the handle and scabbard being of soft wood, such as 'albasia'. So, no Empu needed here:) Of course, like everything else, you always get fancier versions.

The word 'bendo' does exist in Basa (language) Sunda and refers to the stylised ikat/headgear, akin to the Javanese 'blangkon'.

Cheers.

Hi Ferrylaki,

MILSCO is the mark of the american klewangs "adopted" by the Dutch. MILSCO means Military Supply Company, a US supplier of the M1941 cutlass. (Thanks to Ian) Those klewangs where left behind by the US army after WWII.

HEMBRUG is 100% Dutch and made in Holland in the Hembrug factories.

VINCE I've never seen. Maybe someone can tell us more about this mark?

The unmarked one could be a dutch fabricate, but I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be an american product.

G'day all,
My two bobs' worth:

Klewangs were produced in the US for the Netherlands during WWII. Model M1941 ( a variation on the Dutch model M1911, issued to KNIL).
Much of the klewangs were not yet produced/shipped when the Dutch lost the East Indies and were consequently purchased by the US military for secondary use. Companies which had managed to produce/ship/sell them had them lying unclaimed in warehouses and at the docks. The klewangs were manufactured in the US by MILSCO and VINCE Fencing Co. (not to be confused with VINCE Forge). They continued to manufacture for the Dutch until 1960, when it was made obsolete.

BTW ... re: BENDO mark 'UKI'

It may be that it is not an acronym at all. It is a common Sunda male name (perhaps even common throughout Indo). It may be as well-known as the trade-mark 'UDIN' on the underside of horse-feed tubs at the back of horse-drawn carts in Bandung,:)

Cheers.

dutch klewang
 

hi Henk...
thanks a lot for your information. I just call my friend who own a large number of those klewang. I'll try to get a better picture with those three mark/manufacturer. this klewang are too thin and seem hard to be sharpened...but they are not easily rust...the blade it self seem to be clean and smooth...no rust but dull. is it normal for a military use klewang...I notice that some of it manufactured in US for the dutch. there might be several differences between those klewang...any body can help me what differences are they???

Hi ferrylaki,
Have a look at this old thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1132 with the discussion on Dutch and US blades. Looks like the same picture as the one you posted :confused: maybe the same seller :)

Emanuel

dutch klewang
 

hi Henk...
thanks a lot for your information. I just call my friend who own a large number of those klewang. I'll try to get a better picture with those three mark/manufacturer. this klewang are too thin and seem hard to be sharpened...but they are not easily rust...the blade it self seem to be clean and smooth...no rust but dull. is it normal for a military use klewang...I notice that some of it manufactured in US for the dutch. there might be several differences between those klewang...any body can help me what differences are they???

YES ITS THE SAME PICTURE I POSTED. THE ONLY PICTURE I GOT IS FRO MY CELLPHONE CAMERA....NOT SO GOOD.

Hi ferrylaki,
You mentioned that the blade is thin and hard to sharpen, but it has a fuller, can you measure how thin/thick it is?
I like these blades, particularly the tip, it is very appealing.
Emanuel

KLEWANG
 

THIS ONE IS ALREADY BEEN SHARPENED...ITS ABOUT 7MM. NOT SO THIN I GUESS ....SORRY...
BUT I CANT FIND THE SHARP ONE...THIS ONE THAT I BOUGHT IS THE SHARPEST AGAINST THE OTHER... I GONNA FIND ANOTHER ONE THIS AFTERNOON...ALSO HAVE SOME BETTER PICTURE. JUST WAIT. .. I JUST GAVE AWAY MY KLEWANG TO MY MOTHER, SHE LIKE TO COLLECT GOOD KERIS AND SWORD ALSO...AND I GONNA TRY TO GET AN ORIGINAL HEMBRUG...TRY TO BARGAIN FOR $55. IS TOO EXPENSIVE OR WHAT ???? HOW MUCH SHOULD PEY FOR THIS KLEWANG??? ANY INFORMATION?

THE TIP IS ALSO BEEN SHARPENED/GRINDED...BUT ITS ALL IN ORIGINAL CONDITION INCLUDE ITS HANDLE AND THE HAND GUARD.

Ferrylaki,

We don't give values on the forum. Read the rules. :) I wil send you a PM.

To be honest most klewangs I've seen are dull and not very sharp.

I know that there must be some differences between the several types of the klewang. Differences I have seen are different scabbards and the color of the blade, black or steel. But I suppose those are all the M1941 type.

First of all, I'm very sorry about mentioning the price.
I just came back from central java/surakarta this morning, and unfortunately I dont have a good picture about ' BENDO ' because the museum was closed during muharam. There's some pictures about the museum's collection but in poor pictures. My brother took them. nothing about 'bendo' can be seen.

Yes, it is difficult to take decent pics in the Musium Radyapustaka. It is very badly lit, the weapons collection is in shallow glass fronted cases, if you use a flash the bounce obscures everything. To get decent pics you would need a tripod and time exposure. Still, there's a couple of bendho in the musium. Been there for 30 years to my knowledge. One very big one that legend has it was used to execute criminals. I'll be there myself again before long. I might load up with some superfast film and big aperture and see what I can do.Its an interesting enough collection, even forgetting the bendho.

Ferrylaki, why not just take a pic of the bendo that I'm sure you must have out back of the house? The form of old ones is just the same as the form of the modern ones you can buy in the market. Actually, they look like nothing so much as a European pruning hook.

Hi all,
Very interesting all You said. Bendo, Bendho, Bedong, different words, different shapes from Sunda to West Java. : confused: Now I really need pics about what you really mean.
Regards
Paolo

hi. i have one of the dutch klewangs i bought at an arms show here in the UK, scabbard is oiled dark brown leather with a brass tip, steel reenforcement at the throat, blade is dark steel, very sharp, light pitting in some places, guard steel, black rust patina, grips wood scales, 3 brass cutlers rivets, large pommel screw at end. blade is marked PD over a LUNESCHLOSS over SOLINGEN just ahead of the guard and the opposite side has a very small figure i can not make out. blade is 4mm x 35 mm. at the guard with a distal taper down to about 2.5mm just before the false edge starts

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gladius/dutch.jpg
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gladius/dutch2.jpg

milsco and hembrug
 

here comes some pics....

that mark looks like the one i can just barely see on mine, something that looks like a crown with squiggles under it that look like a fancy 'W', which in your photo looks like a fancy crowned 'R'. is this an acceptance or proof mark of some sort

seem like its " R " under a crown.
solingen and hembrug both from netherland. and may have better iron quality than ' milsco' and ' vince' . the milsco klewang are dull but the hembrug seem to be more sharp...and much older. I just got it yesterday after my friens brough my 27 pieces of klewangs... there was only one 'hembrug' I found...others are milsco and one unmark klewang.

solingen ,hembrug, and unmark klewang has better tip shape than most milsco.
the edge has better curve and make it able to be come sharp. milsco klewang has line on its edge....and not sharp...
:D forgive my poor english...maybe pictures can speak more languages than words...
look at the edge under MILSCO mark, machine made sword that hard to be sharp...dull it is.

To me it looks like a fancy "B", the right leg of the letter tuks inwards not outwards. I really like these Ferrylaki, but what do you mean that the line on the dge of the Milsco blade is hard to sharpen? Even staright edges can be sharpened very well. Too bad you only have one marked Hembrug...what would the unmarked ones be? Would they also be Dutch?
All the best,
Emanuel

This is a German sabre. Solingen is German and not Dutch.
The sabre looks like a klewang used by the dutch army, but this guard divers from the klewang guard. As far as I know, the Dutch didn't used german weapons. So I doubt if you can call this a dutch klewang. But I do like it.

interesting, i cannot see much difference between mine and the other one illustrated other than the blade marking. if you could point out the differences i would be appreciative. the scabbard, fittings, belt loop, scabbard throat and chape all look the same - even to the staples holding the brass chape to the scabbard and the two parallel lines down the leather part of the scabbard, also the blade shape and the fuller on the blade. blade length 24.5 in. (625mm) grip length ~ 4.75 in. (125mm) x 1.25 in. (30mm) wide x 1 in.(25.4mm) thick...

i am of course aware that solingen is in germany, they made blades for a number of other countries as well.

more pics

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gladius/dk3.jpg

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gladius/dk4.jpg

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gladius/dk5.jpg

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gladius/dk6.jpg

hembrug and milsco
 

I have no idea about the unmark one.
I have check all the swords they have, I only found one hembrug without its original scarbard. so I took other blades' scarbard as a replacement. and every scrabard fits with any sword, like they were made exactly the same size and same curve... the hembrug blade doesnt have the line on its edge, but it has curve edge that make its sharper than milsco. the iron/steel seem different also...the tip of hembrug and milsco are different...the hand guard oh hembrug also has a little differrent from milsco. there is a small bent on its upper tip. the pics are coming soon.

Kronckew,

Yes, after your last pictures I see that the guard of your sabre is identical to the dutch klewang and the American MILSCO cutlass.

But I still doubt if you may call it a Dutch KNIL klewang because of the German Solingen mark. I don't think the Dutch army used German manufactured weapons, especially in that period.