Any thoughts about this one ?
 

I recently received this 'knife'. In my opinion it's the blade of a tombak. I would appreciate any comment on the piece as I know very little about it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...elding1280.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...elding1281.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...elding1288.jpg

Total lenght is 28,5 cm. Length of blade is 16,5 cm.

It came in a wooden sheath covered with leather.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...elding1285.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...elding1286.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...elding1287.jpg

Thanks ! :)

Hi Freddy

Sure looks like a mounted tombak to me.


Lew

It looks a little bit special to us, very nice I like the scabbard. I would imagine it must have some sort of religous use as it could not function as a knife, fascinating. Tim+Sam

I don't think it was ever meant to be used as a knife. The blade is very light. Could do with a 'wash' as the pamor in not showing.

Once I read in a book that people in Indonesia mount their spear blades as knives as this is easier to keep in the house. You need space to store a complete spear. ;)

I have a striaght bladed tombak which is very functional, I can see the fancy metalwork that etching might bring out but I am concerned not to loose the patina that has developed. That blade looks quite grey and grainy already. It must have some importance for someone to go to all the trouble of making such a nice hand sewn scabbard. Tim+Sam

Freddy,

It is a tombak. The scabbard is the scabbard for a spear. I think you should remove the leather and I think a tombak scabbard will appear. of course I'm not 100% certain because i cann't look and feel through a picture. But the leather is not original and maybe some european owner before you had nothing to do on a rainy evening. The grip isn't an original either. I think the tombak came with the scabbard but without a the shaft. If the scabbard is a tombak scabbard it was mounted as a spear. The shaft could be a long one or a short one.

Hello Henk,
That chap is rather good with a needle on rainy nights :D

It is a tombak. Henk's pictures does illustrate the features of the scabbard and shaft. The red circle is a feature of a tombak. Normally, the tang (pesi) is longer than a keris blade. I've seen pieces with the tang almost half of the blade length. ;)

Alam Shah is right about the tang. I have two tombaks that have a peksi as long as the half of the blade length. If it is possible for you to let it perform, it needs a good wash. I bet you will get a beatiful pamor out of it.

Hello Tim, are you the guy on the rainy nights??? ;) . It is done properly I completely agree with you. But it is not original on a tombak scabbard.

Freddy you should remove the leather. As far as I can see on the picture the mouth of the scabbard has the carving of a tombak scabbard.

Thanks for your comments. :)

I'm a bit reluctant to remove the leather from the sheath. First, because it looks good. Secondly, I fear that if it's a plain wooden sheath underneath, I would have ruined the piece.

I should have this tombak washed, I know. Problem is where ? I can try with some lemon juice.

Freddy , I think this blade needs a treatment in warangan rather than a wash . I doubt you will bring out the pamor with citrus . I have found that citrus wash tends to lighten the contrast rather than increase it with Indonesian pamor blades.

The dapur of the tombak is a variation of Banyak Angrem or Panggang Lele. These are some of the artistic tombak form. Most of these tombak are found in the Pajajaran period. (I'm not implying that this is a pajajaran piece, but merely when many of these were produced :D ).

Due to it impractical form for combat, it is not meant to be used as a weapon, but rather prized for its talismanic properties and as a pusaka. ;)