Recent SEA trip aquisitions

wilked aka Khun Deng · 5th January 2005, 02:03 PM

Thanks for the corrections DA. I was close and that means I'm getting better. I can go to bed happy tonight knowing I learned something new - beladau! You said it was a stabbing weapon - with that hooked blade it sure looks like it was made for ripping. I assume it is also sharpened on the inside. Is it held the same way as the kerambit or is the grip reversed?

Andrew · 5th January 2005, 03:17 PM

Dan is, of course, correct that the dha (daab) is Thai. It is difficult to see much from the photos, but it does appear to have some age to it, which I find very interesting, because the blade shape, handle binding and scabbard construction are elements commonly seen on contemporary Thai daab.

I've got a few older Thai swords with similar features, and it appears this is, perhaps, an "archetypal" model for modern daab.

It's hard to give an accurate estimate of age from photos, particularly since I've grown accustomed to using visual construction and styling cues to help do so. The ubiquitous "early 20th century" is my guess.

Cool sword.

P.S. Dan, what did you mean by "old" scabbard construction techniques? I see what looks like metal bands around wood, which is something that appears frequently on modern daab. What am I missing here?

Henk · 5th January 2005, 06:26 PM

You are right DA. The first one is a beladau. I believed the beladau is a weapon especially found on Borneo, Kalimantan.

5th January 2005, 02:03 PM	#1
wilked aka Khun Deng Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oahu, Hawaii Posts: 166	Correction Thanks for the corrections DA. I was close and that means I'm getting better. I can go to bed happy tonight knowing I learned something new - beladau! You said it was a stabbing weapon - with that hooked blade it sure looks like it was made for ripping. I assume it is also sharpened on the inside. Is it held the same way as the kerambit or is the grip reversed?

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5th January 2005, 03:17 PM	#2
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Dan is, of course, correct that the dha (daab) is Thai. It is difficult to see much from the photos, but it does appear to have some age to it, which I find very interesting, because the blade shape, handle binding and scabbard construction are elements commonly seen on contemporary Thai daab. I've got a few older Thai swords with similar features, and it appears this is, perhaps, an "archetypal" model for modern daab. It's hard to give an accurate estimate of age from photos, particularly since I've grown accustomed to using visual construction and styling cues to help do so. The ubiquitous "early 20th century" is my guess. Cool sword. P.S. Dan, what did you mean by "old" scabbard construction techniques? I see what looks like metal bands around wood, which is something that appears frequently on modern daab. What am I missing here?

5th January 2005, 06:26 PM	#3
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	You are right DA. The first one is a beladau. I believed the beladau is a weapon especially found on Borneo, Kalimantan.