Wedung or similar? Id needed

[David]

Originally Posted by RobT

AFAIK, wedong serve a ceremonial purpose and, in the case of those worn in the kraton, are deliberately fashioned to be unsuitable as a weapon. The false edge on your blade would seem to defeat that design.

Nice knife Sid. While i know nothing about it i have to agree that it is not a wedhung. I don't believe it is a Javanese blade either. I tend to agree with the theory of a Sumatran origin.
Rob, again, while i generally agree, i must point out that my own wedhung, which is a early Mataram variety, does indeed have a false edge, so that alone is not a valid reason to dismiss a blade as a wedhung. Hopefully you can see it well enough in this photograph, but i can assure you that there is definitely an intentional false edge on this blade.
I will also add that while these are for the most part ceremonial blades, that does not necessarily mean that they were never applied to practical purposes within the keraton. If your king wanted something cut in the keraton, that task could very well be accomplished with a wedhung.

[RobT]

David,

Thanks for showing me this. I never saw a wedung with a false edge before. Valuable information. I have to say that, in addition to being a great looking piece, your blade looks slim enough to be used in a pinch as a point weapon.

Sincerely,
RobT

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by RobT

I have to say that, in addition to being a great looking piece, your blade looks slim enough to be used in a pinch as a point weapon.

Hello Rob,

A wedhung isn't a weapon! It's a pure ceremonial "weapon".

Regards,
Detlef

[A. G. Maisey]

Detlef, in later times, this is so, but I cannot really specify "later times". My best guess is late Majapahit to early Islamic.

The the word "wedhung" means "axe" in Old Javanese, & truly old wedhung were in fact a tool that was required to be worn at court in order to show that high ranking nobles were still servants of their lord and were willing to cut a way through the jungle for him.

Some very early wedhung are great big hulking whackers, as are some very recent ones. I have some that were made on order for a royal house, and then the order was cancelled, and these were made specifically as a tribute to the past, even though intended to be worn as required dress.

[Sajen]

Hello Alan,

Yes, I know. I only want to point out that a wedhung isn't a weapon because Rob seems to think like this.

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Sid, you have got a very nice and unusual knife there! Congrats!

Regards,
Detlef

[A. G. Maisey]

OK Detlef, gotcha.

[David]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Yes, I know. I only want to point out that a wedhung isn't a weapon because Rob seems to think like this.

I don't think Rob was thinking that wedhung were used as weapons. In comment #2 he clearly states that wedhung were unsuitable to be weapons and pointed out that the false edge on on Sid's pointed to it not being a wedhung because of this. He was responding to me pointing out that a false edge was not unheard of on these blades and showing him mine, which does indeed have such an edge. He is not incorrect that my wedhung could be used "in a pinch" as a point weapon. That is not to say that it would be.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by David

I don't think Rob was thinking that wedhung were used as weapons. In comment #2 he clearly states that wedhung were unsuitable to be weapons and pointed out that the false edge on on Sid's pointed to it not being a wedhung because of this. He was responding to me pointing out that a false edge was not unheard of on these blades and showing him mine, which does indeed have such an edge. He is not incorrect that my wedhung could be used "in a pinch" as a point weapon. That is not to say that it would be.

Hello David,

You will be correct. Obviously I misunderstood!

Regards,
Detlef