Real or fake mandau ?
 

THis item just ended on Ebay,is a mandau, with a beautiful handle. The blade seems very rusted, the seller didn´t know nothing about this sword, I have only pictures from seller.
opinions, please.
Best regards
carlos

Hi Carlos,

I think it's real, but the blade have heavy corrosion, but I think a good deal.
You have done the deal with the seller! Congrats! Hope you post pictures when it arrived.

Detlef

I'm afraid it is made for those who travel. The way the blade is attached to the hilt is not as it should be. Rattan bindings are not as one should expect with such a blade if the blade was the real thing. The condition of the blade does not correspond wit the wood of the hilt and the scabbard.

I think the hilt is loose, look the third picture you still can see the resin at the blade where the hilt originally have been. But let us wait until Carlos have received the Mandau.

sajen

I am kind of curious too :)

Arrived
 

Finally the sword arrived and I think is a old real mandau, the blade in very poor state,but after clean the hilt...surprise, a beatiful hilt apperar!!
Enjoy the pictures!!
thanks
carlos

Nice addition.
Look at the carving of the handle and blade. This is certainly an original piece.

no idea how a blade can get that rusty, but probably by hanging on a longhouse wall for a few decades :)

PM me if you get bored by it ;) :D

Congrats, what I write before, original Mandau. You tried already to remove the rust?

Thanks
 

Thanks!!!
I have tried to remove the rust, superficial only. The blade has some parts the rust is very very hard, and is already a part of the blade.
Now I´m thinking how I could attach blade to handle.
Thanks again for yours opinions.
best regards
carlos

Fairy tale of the ugly duck
 

Wow,

You did a very good job on this one. Based on the pictures of the seller I would never go for it.

Turned out to be a very nice piece. Now you have to attach the handle properly to the blade. I'm sure you will manage.

Congrats!! :)

Carlos congratulations!!!
Although I know little on mandau, I truly enjoyed this story unfolding and really admire the interaction here. Im so glad to see this sad looking piece find such a good home, and you did a fantastic job of cleaning it, and revealing the beauty underneath.
One never knows inner beauty unless they believe it is there.
Well done !!!
:)

All best regards,
Jim

similar scabbard work on a mandau
 

Nice occasion to post some pictures of a similar scabbard that I have. :)

I am glad you did Willem.

This is the first time I see this round symbol on a handle (at the left side on the handle). I have seen it on several scabbards allready.
My opinion is that it is only used by Ibans!

I attached your handle next to an Iban scabbard I owned some time ago, to let you show clearly what I mean.

Rgd,
Maurice

Hi Maurice,

I have seen it on another mandau hilt, but can't recall where.
It is a nice decoration.
One of the reasons indeed why I liked this mandau.

hmmm....i believe that symbol is also used by the MLB tribe (major league baseball) here in the USA. ;) :D

Was headhunting part of the MLB tradition, before they changed the rules :D ;)

The one on the hilt is more going towards a rugby / american football style shape. That is probably more of asport the Iban can relate to ;)

I believe it still is for the NY Yankees. Go Yanks! (sorry Rick.... :o :D )