Interesting Piso Podang With Chinese Style Blade
 

Piso podangs with straight blades tend to be a little harder to come by, but this one struck me as especially unique owing to the somewhat unusually long length and style of the blade.

It is either a crudish Chinese jian blade, or more likely a Batak attempt to mimic one. The pattern welding technique is not unknown among piso podangs, but this one appears quite well done by comparison.

Could you get some better pics of the blade? :p A very nice podang indeed. I like the jian-like blade and the lamination is quite interesting. I wouldn't rule out an Indian origin for the blade. Straight, double-edged blades are not unknown there and I have seen many tulwar blades that were forged with a high carbon edge plate with pattern welded cheeks. So the forging technique is there also and we know India has had long time trading routes established with Sumatra.

Perhaps a combination of Indian style forging on a Chinese style blade...if it was, indeed, Batak made???

I have seen some Indian blades straight in form and even with diamond sectioned blades, but never an Indian one quite so "jian-like". :shrug:

The Chinese had also established trading communities throughout the archipelago.

Charles,

I think yours is an extraordinary Peninsular Malay chenangkas.
The reason why is in your mailbox now...

Michael

Thanks Michael, and excellent info.