Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

VVV · 2nd April 2013, 07:34 AM

Sorry Willem, it seems like we misunderstood each other before.
Having a blunt tip, like your reference sword above and several in my collection, is not that unusual.
What is very rare (unless if it is a jimpul - then it is only quite unusual) is if it is almost square, like Roy's.
What is also quite unusual is that if the tip is blunt it doesn't slowly narrow down (for instance by resembling a stair case, like yours) before it becomes blunt. The abrupt way Roy's blade ends just doesn't follow the esthetics of Borneo parang.
Also, if you compare the proportions of your tilang kemarau with Roy's you will find that they are not the same.
For instance, compare the length of yours with Roy's 21 1/2". Your parang is "normal" in proportions, Roy's is not.

However, if you lengthen the tip of Roy's - either with (1) a "stair case" like yours, (2) an inverted saber point (more round and then pointy), or (3) a mix where it first goes down round like (2) and then stretches out to finish with a blunt (but still not square) point (like the one from Ashoka above which happens to be mine now) - you will find that it suddenly has the same proportions and esthetics like yours.
This is the reason why I (and maybe also why Maurice?) suspected that there once had been a break at the point - the blade proportions/esthetics/design on Roy's does not follow those of all the different categories of Borneo parang.

Willem, please let me know if any part of my explanation is difficult to understand and I will add some pictures? Sorry, sometimes I have the bad habit to take some things I have in my head for granted without making sure that the one I am discussing with also both get the implicit and agrees with it.

Michael

PS To illustrate how the Iban seem to hate square angles at tips I use the most extreme example, the jimpul, which is the only parang getting close to being square. Still they avoid it with either: protrusions rounding off the otherwise squarish tip; elongating the tip so it become more of a slope; rounding it etc.

2nd April 2013, 07:34 AM	#18
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Sorry Willem, it seems like we misunderstood each other before. Having a blunt tip, like your reference sword above and several in my collection, is not that unusual. What is very rare (unless if it is a jimpul - then it is only quite unusual) is if it is almost square, like Roy's. What is also quite unusual is that if the tip is blunt it doesn't slowly narrow down (for instance by resembling a stair case, like yours) before it becomes blunt. The abrupt way Roy's blade ends just doesn't follow the esthetics of Borneo parang. Also, if you compare the proportions of your tilang kemarau with Roy's you will find that they are not the same. For instance, compare the length of yours with Roy's 21 1/2". Your parang is "normal" in proportions, Roy's is not. However, if you lengthen the tip of Roy's - either with (1) a "stair case" like yours, (2) an inverted saber point (more round and then pointy), or (3) a mix where it first goes down round like (2) and then stretches out to finish with a blunt (but still not square) point (like the one from Ashoka above which happens to be mine now) - you will find that it suddenly has the same proportions and esthetics like yours. This is the reason why I (and maybe also why Maurice?) suspected that there once had been a break at the point - the blade proportions/esthetics/design on Roy's does not follow those of all the different categories of Borneo parang. Willem, please let me know if any part of my explanation is difficult to understand and I will add some pictures? Sorry, sometimes I have the bad habit to take some things I have in my head for granted without making sure that the one I am discussing with also both get the implicit and agrees with it. Michael PS To illustrate how the Iban seem to hate square angles at tips I use the most extreme example, the jimpul, which is the only parang getting close to being square. Still they avoid it with either: protrusions rounding off the otherwise squarish tip; elongating the tip so it become more of a slope; rounding it etc. Attached Images Last edited by VVV; 2nd April 2013 at 07:47 AM.