OLD BARUNG 1

kai · 25th August 2020, 08:20 AM

Thanks for your input, Ian!

That's a really sweet barung! Could you please post a view of the "top" of the pommel, please?

I don't think your blade exhibits the blotches I was speaking of - I'd describe this pattern as resembling clouds (achieved by forging laminated steel). [There might be a single "real" blotch over the circular forging flaw(?) close to the middle of the left side.]

The blotches in the other two examples are real and not just an artifact from surface treatment; they seem to originate from introducing rather large bits of high-carbon steel into a matrix of milder steel (with apparently only limited forging afterwards). I've seen a few of these blades - they are not common though.

Regards,
Kai

Ian · 25th August 2020, 10:49 AM

Ah, I see what you mean Kai. I think what you are calling blotches may be deliberate inclusions that are forged into the steel. I don't have an example of that style of blade.

The OP of this thread has a blade that is very "dirty" and hard to read. I'm not entirely convinced that these "blotches" are actually in the blade rather than an artifact on the surface. The blade needs a good polish (and probably an etching) to be sure.

Such inclusions could have some mystical significance. I can't see how they would alter the performance of the weapon much.

kai · 26th August 2020, 02:18 AM

Hello Ian,

Quote:

I think what you are calling blotches may be deliberate inclusions that are forged into the steel.

Exactly. Only that these often polygonal inclusions with pretty crisp margins present quite an enigma how such an effect got achieved by the bladesmith.

Quote:

The OP of this thread has a blade that is very "dirty" and hard to read. I'm not entirely convinced that these "blotches" are actually in the blade rather than an artifact on the surface.

Apparently it exhibits a combination of both kind of features.

Quote:

I can't see how they would alter the performance of the weapon much.

No, they won't. I've never seen these blotches to extend into the hardened edge.

Also both sides differ from each other. Thus, the blade sems to be a sandwich construction rather than exhibiting any inserted edge.

AFAIK, such a kind of mosaic pamor is not found in antique blades from anywhere throughout Indonesia.

Regards,
Kai

Battara · 26th August 2020, 05:40 PM

Kai has a point (every pun intended

).

We have seen some examples where an old blade or metal with perhaps special value or talismanic value gets reused into making a new blade. Not easy but some do this still today with different metals to make similar patterns on knife blades today.

25th August 2020, 08:20 AM	#1
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Thanks for your input, Ian! That's a really sweet barung! Could you please post a view of the "top" of the pommel, please? I don't think your blade exhibits the blotches I was speaking of - I'd describe this pattern as resembling clouds (achieved by forging laminated steel). [There might be a single "real" blotch over the circular forging flaw(?) close to the middle of the left side.] The blotches in the other two examples are real and not just an artifact from surface treatment; they seem to originate from introducing rather large bits of high-carbon steel into a matrix of milder steel (with apparently only limited forging afterwards). I've seen a few of these blades - they are not common though. Regards, Kai

25th August 2020, 10:49 AM	#2
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,469	Ah, I see what you mean Kai. I think what you are calling blotches may be deliberate inclusions that are forged into the steel. I don't have an example of that style of blade. The OP of this thread has a blade that is very "dirty" and hard to read. I'm not entirely convinced that these "blotches" are actually in the blade rather than an artifact on the surface. The blade needs a good polish (and probably an etching) to be sure. Such inclusions could have some mystical significance. I can't see how they would alter the performance of the weapon much.

26th August 2020, 05:40 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,323	Kai has a point (every pun intended ). We have seen some examples where an old blade or metal with perhaps special value or talismanic value gets reused into making a new blade. Not easy but some do this still today with different metals to make similar patterns on knife blades today.