Knife for Indentification

CourseEight · 27th August 2010, 03:22 AM

Hi all!

My latest ebay find. I know I've seen something like it before but I just can't remember where. All I have is the seller photos right now. Brass handle, OAL 16" according to seller.

As always I'd very much appreciate any information anyone may have.

Thanks a lot!

katana · 27th August 2010, 10:23 AM

Hi CourseEight,

looks like a Ram D'ao. A sacrifical knife used to behead small animals.

Regards David

CourseEight · 27th August 2010, 02:30 PM

I thought ram dao at first, but the patterning along the top is something I have seeen more on panabas then on ram dao. Also never seen an entirely brass ram dao handle.

Further searching yields another one posted a while ago:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ht=sacrificial

Posted as Malay. The handle shape does seem to have more in common with a parang ginah than a ram dao.

Appreciate any info anyone has! At least I know now where I've seen it before...

Battara · 28th August 2010, 01:50 AM

I was thinking more Malay or even Borneo......

BigG · 29th August 2010, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

I was thinking more Malay or even Borneo......

The handle does look rather similar to Parang Ginah and several others forms of weapons similar in type, like the Kelantanese Klewang, Parang Jengok, Parang Jambul etc.. all native to the northern Malaysian states of Kelantan, Trengganu and the Malay majority southern Thai states of Pattani... but this are usually made of hardwood and seldom of all metallic material. The blade forms of these weapons are usually more sickle like in appearance too.

The decorative features of the blade does not look similar to the northern peninsula malay styles... I am uncertain whether they are more closer in appearance to Bornean weapons though..

An interresting weapon... are there any damascene pattern on the blade?

CourseEight · 31st August 2010, 05:59 PM

Hi All --

Thanks for the additional comments. Now that I have the item in hand, some clarifications:

(1) Definitely not a ram dao, since the edge is along the bellied (outer curve). So, not a sickle weapon as expected. The edge is still fairly sharp.

(2) The black is heavily oxidized, so there is little chance of my finding any sort of damascus pattern, although it is clearly forged rather than stock removed.

(3) The top has some damage where the pattern does not complete, so it appears the blade was reshaped to accomodate the damage. As the oxidation is pretty consistent, this would have happened some time ago.

All in all, it's too small for a brush knife, so I lean towards some sort of ceremonial use. If anyone comes accross any new info, please let me know!

Gavin Nugent · 2nd September 2010, 03:06 AM

As Alam noted in the thread below, I think BigG hit the nail on the head with his writings here.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=parang

Gav

27th August 2010, 03:22 AM	#1
CourseEight Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Coral Springs, FL Posts: 222	Knife for Indentification Hi all! My latest ebay find. I know I've seen something like it before but I just can't remember where. All I have is the seller photos right now. Brass handle, OAL 16" according to seller. As always I'd very much appreciate any information anyone may have. Thanks a lot! Attached Images

2nd September 2010, 03:06 AM	#7
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	BigG As Alam noted in the thread below, I think BigG hit the nail on the head with his writings here. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=parang Gav Last edited by freebooter; 2nd September 2010 at 03:09 AM. Reason: credit

27th August 2010, 10:23 AM	#2
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi CourseEight, looks like a Ram D'ao. A sacrifical knife used to behead small animals. Regards David

27th August 2010, 02:30 PM	#3
CourseEight Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Coral Springs, FL Posts: 222	I thought ram dao at first, but the patterning along the top is something I have seeen more on panabas then on ram dao. Also never seen an entirely brass ram dao handle. Further searching yields another one posted a while ago: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ht=sacrificial Posted as Malay. The handle shape does seem to have more in common with a parang ginah than a ram dao. Appreciate any info anyone has! At least I know now where I've seen it before...

28th August 2010, 01:50 AM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,143	I was thinking more Malay or even Borneo......

31st August 2010, 05:59 PM	#6
CourseEight Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Coral Springs, FL Posts: 222	Hi All -- Thanks for the additional comments. Now that I have the item in hand, some clarifications: (1) Definitely not a ram dao, since the edge is along the bellied (outer curve). So, not a sickle weapon as expected. The edge is still fairly sharp. (2) The black is heavily oxidized, so there is little chance of my finding any sort of damascus pattern, although it is clearly forged rather than stock removed. (3) The top has some damage where the pattern does not complete, so it appears the blade was reshaped to accomodate the damage. As the oxidation is pretty consistent, this would have happened some time ago. All in all, it's too small for a brush knife, so I lean towards some sort of ceremonial use. If anyone comes accross any new info, please let me know!