Javanese machete??

zelbone · 14th June 2005, 04:11 AM

This looks very similar to a Filipino working bolo called an espading. It's a bolo used for cutting sugar cane. Usually, the blade wouldn't be so bulbous on the side with the hook and would be more parallel with the other side. To use an espading, you would hack at the cane with the blade and then use the hook part to cut any remaining fibers of the cane if it the blade didn't slice completely through. On your example, it doesn't quite look like a true espading, but it could be a different variation from what I've seen. Like I said, the blades on typical espadings are usually more parallel. The hilt also doesn't look typical as well. Your example has a hilt that looks like it was turned where most espading hilts are your typical ovoid or octagonal profiled hilts found on most bolos in the Philippines. Interesting piece.

tom hyle · 14th June 2005, 12:34 PM

Yeah, the turned handle seems European, but it's a thing seen in SE Asia (Is parang patani the one that looks like a panabas? Think of those). Likewise, the blade seems to be exactly a (southern?) European bill knife. If there were a piened tang I'd say "game over" or whatever, but there's not, and though that could go either way, it leans to Asia. I feel much the same with the long tapering ferule; it could go either way; it's seen on European gardening tools, but not usually a cutting sword, while it's not entirely dis similar to S PI sword ferules.

Henk · 14th June 2005, 06:53 PM

A parang patani is a possibility. I found this thread from DA Henkel. http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000598.html

One of those parangs, the seventh one shows some similarity.

14th June 2005, 04:11 AM	#1
zelbone Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: VISAYAS and MINDANAO Posts: 169	This looks very similar to a Filipino working bolo called an espading. It's a bolo used for cutting sugar cane. Usually, the blade wouldn't be so bulbous on the side with the hook and would be more parallel with the other side. To use an espading, you would hack at the cane with the blade and then use the hook part to cut any remaining fibers of the cane if it the blade didn't slice completely through. On your example, it doesn't quite look like a true espading, but it could be a different variation from what I've seen. Like I said, the blades on typical espadings are usually more parallel. The hilt also doesn't look typical as well. Your example has a hilt that looks like it was turned where most espading hilts are your typical ovoid or octagonal profiled hilts found on most bolos in the Philippines. Interesting piece.

14th June 2005, 12:34 PM	#2
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Yeah, the turned handle seems European, but it's a thing seen in SE Asia (Is parang patani the one that looks like a panabas? Think of those). Likewise, the blade seems to be exactly a (southern?) European bill knife. If there were a piened tang I'd say "game over" or whatever, but there's not, and though that could go either way, it leans to Asia. I feel much the same with the long tapering ferule; it could go either way; it's seen on European gardening tools, but not usually a cutting sword, while it's not entirely dis similar to S PI sword ferules.

14th June 2005, 06:53 PM	#3
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	A parang patani is a possibility. I found this thread from DA Henkel. http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000598.html One of those parangs, the seventh one shows some similarity.