rencong hilt question

[kai]

Hello Battara,

I'm with Willem on this.

However, I have to note that hulu puntung and hulu dandan are also very nice to hold/use. Despite their neverending variations, traditional hilts on SE Asian blades seem to be primarily designed for ergonomic function and only secondarily for display purposes...

I have heard that the rencong hilts that ends in an "L" shape is for ceremonial purposes and the others are for battle. Is there any truth to this?

There are quite a few very basic rencong with hulu meuccange which would speak against this notion: those who only could afford a single blade would certainly make no compromises as to function.

If I recall correctly, the Dutch outlawed rencong and many hulu meuccange got shortened into hulu puntung to make it more easily concealable. Still need to verify this story though...

Regards,
Kai

[kai]

Hello Maurice,

I believe your blade is pretty recent; I'm not sure it was produced on Sumatra either.

I haven't seen any antique northern Sumatran blade with fossil elephant molar fittings - I'd guess those folks were just too much concerned about durability and other practical issues...

Regards,
Kai

[asomotif]

Small addition.

KNIL soldiers where also using the rencong as an additional weapon.
So the rencongs that were taken from the locals were distributed amongst the KNIL soldiers as a personal close combat weapon.

I once had a rencong where the L shaped hilt was simply sawn of and the scabbard was marked with a 'V' not something a Acehnese warrior would do.

[Battara]

Thank you all...

Another question then, what about pamor blades on these - older or not make a difference?

[kai]

Hello Jose,

Another question then, what about pamor blades on these - older or not make a difference?

I don't think there are any hard rules: blades with contrasting pamor and blades with subtle laminations from forging seem to have coexisted without any strong correlations with estimated age or status: e.g. there are some antique, gold fitted rencong with "plain" blades...

Regards,
Kai

[Dajak]

The pamor blade s that are not polished are mosty new ones .

Ben

[Battara]

W W!
I did not know these things - thank you all very much.

[kai]

The pamor blade s that are not polished are mosty new ones .

Hello Ben,

I assume you mean blades strongly etched and stained with warangan? Also the pamor looks off in those modern repros...

Even worse are those heavily etched blades with raised writing (protected by wax) on them! Often their blade shape is also not traditional.

Regards,
Kai