Indonesian Traditional Damascus Fixblade

[theblindog]

Greetings...
This is a "Kujang", one of Indonesian (sundanese tribe to be exact) traditional blade. The pattern have many variety, but this is the most common one. It's a damascus blades, but I can't catch it with my camera, not much of a photographer too

[philco]

That is a very interesting knife. That is a very intricate design. I would be curious to know what specifiic purpose that design was originally intended for. Also I wonder how one would properly sharpen such a curved blade.

Phil

[jerryd6818]

And how do you get it in and out of the sheath.

Horn handle? That's more a work of art than a knife. I like it.

[theblindog]

That is a very interesting knife. That is a very intricate design. I would be curious to know what specifiic purpose that design was originally intended for. Also I wonder how one would properly sharpen such a curved blade.

Phil

Hi there Phil
A Kujang was originated hundreds or maybe thousands of years ago, way back when Sundanese Kingdom rule the Java island and its surrounding, it was design not as a tool or a weapon, we still learning the many purpose of a Kujang, it's very hard to do, since there are no written literature about it, only folks lore and some ancient story past down in a traditional drama and such, we have only come up that a Kujang was a way of teaching, a status symbol, etc. The Kujang I posted above is only a replica, hand-forged by my brother Ako. Here's some of the original Kujang that we could found...(there are so many more pattern still yet to be found)

I don't think they sharpened a Kujang in the old days, but I do, with a rod stick sharpener, you place the Kujang in a flat stationary position and just move the rod following the curve. but that's just me.

Falah

[theblindog]

And how do you get it in and out of the sheath.

Horn handle? That's more a work of art than a knife. I like it.

Hi Jerry

Thank you, and yes, that's an albino bull horn, the top of the sheath has an opening (the red marked area in the pic) so it's easy to get it out.

Falah

[jerryd6818]

Most of the original Kujang's in the picture you posted, look to me like they have a representative bird profile to them. Is that a bird (some kind of water bird with a long neck and long bill comes to mind) or some other creature or is it just a design?

[theblindog]

Yes Jery, those are some birds profile, however those are just some example, Kujang represent many forms and symbols, animals, ancient gods, kings and queens, status (knights, holy man, peasants etc), kingdoms stamps, mythical creatures, and much more, in short, kujang represent everything in the worlds. as I said before, one of Kujang design purpose was to be a way of teaching, and ancient sundanese people teaches their wisdom by way of putting it in a kujang design.

[jerryd6818]

Your brother forged the blade. Who carved the handle? That handle captivates me.

[tjmurphy]

I see birds, alligator/crockadile, serpants, etc.

[gmusic]

Very interesting knife blinddog.

If the handle were mounted on the opposite end you would have one bad hawkbill!

[theblindog]

Jerry, he hand-forged the blade, did the HT, carved the handle, made the sheath, took the pic, bully me because I can't make a knife, everything. whew...well at least he let me posted it

Tj, you have a good imagination sir, you see, the teaching way with a kujang is to let every individual having their own interpretation of it's symbols first, so each and every person would have a different experience of learning, next step is to trying to understand what that symbol means to you. and so on. it's like giving a group of people a pic of eiffel tower, and let them find the way to it by them self, who ever get there first, is the winner. well..kind of

Gmusic. hey you right! never see it that way....hmm...should tell my bro bout it, maybe he would make me a hawkbill!