Posts: 1,504 Location: Brisbane, Australia
Thu 22 Oct, 2009 1:27 pm
Peudeung panjang
Traditional sword, typical of Aceh (in northern Sumatra), also used elsewhere in Sumatra. "Peudeung panjang" (= "sword, long") in Acehnese, or Podang panjang, pedang panjang, of Sikin, Sikkim, Sikkin, Pedang sikkim panjang etc. The forked pommel and shape of blade are characteristic of the type.
Age unknown, seller estimates late 19th century. Scabbard is new, wood with horn chape and mouth. The blade is single-edged, with a shallow fuller 5-6mm wide along 3/4 of the blade. Hilt is steel, brass, wood. Where the blade joins the hilt, it's all one piece of steel. I can't tell if this has been welded or forged from one piece. Blade is laminated, with many defects in the lamination. Lamination planes run straight along the blade, running at a large angle to the blade near the hilt, and twisting into the plane of the blade towards the tip.
The stats:
Length, overall: 75 cm / 29.5"
Length, blade: 60 cm / 23.5"
Width: 32-28 mm
Thickness: 9 mm right at hilt, down to 7.5 mm very quickly, 5 mm at POB, then even taper to 2 mm to curve of point.
Weight: 500 g / 17.5 oz
POB: 12.5 cm / 5"
It's a light and handy blade (wife and son were surprised by how light and easy it is), and IMO attractive. I was thinking about buying a modern one, but then found this one cheaper. It's distinctive amongst the vast array of parangs, pedangs, goloks etc of the general area, so I thought it would be nice to have. I don't know much about them; Stone doesn't seem to list it, Tirri gives some examples, as does, IIRC, Egerton.
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