New Condor Parang

T

TheOddloro

Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Messages
7
What do you all think of this? They've started making some pretty cool stuff.

http://www.condortk.com/productsdetail.php?prodid=902



CTK412-17HC_2.jpg
 
That may be, but the design has been used for years in old world jungles ... the SAS often uses it as a machete
 
Nothing wrong with Condor - there is no pretending on what you get with them ;)
 
According to the website, the Parang and Golok, similarly shaped, are both made from 1/4" steel. Most of the other machetes are 1/8" or thinner. Unless that is a misprint, thicker blade may act to stabilize the blade in the "short" area.
 
Yeah, the blade is narrow towards the base but at 1/4" thick I really doubt you'd have a problem. It's a nice design.
 
A parang lading... very interesting. I'm a fan of the shape, and I'd bet this condor would make a good beater.
 
^ Yep. A machete with a parang flavor. You can definitely see the influence -

Parang%2BSahari%2B2.jpg


parang2.jpg


outdoor+equipment+parang+kota+belud+.JPG


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That last one is very similar to what Ray Mears uses in a lot in his shows.

In terms of definitions and cultural contexts, here in the Philippines (not sure about Malaysia and Indonesia, though the term does come from them), words for bladeware and cutlery sometimes get interchanged or vary from region to region, loosely speaking, gulok is usually a catch-all term for a long-ish blade used for a lot of tasks.
 
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untamed said:
That last one is very similar to what Ray Mears uses in a lot in his shows.
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If I'm not mistaken, that more squat pattern is called a parang candung. I'm just parroting info a forumite posted elsewhere. :D

And that pic of one on a sundial reminds me of a photo W. Kroncke posted once... I wonder if it might even be his? Maybe he'll find this thread and chime in.

A.L. said:
The blade looks awfully narrow but I won't judge.
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SE Asian parang are typically thicker than western machetes. That narrow portion leading to the hilt serves as an extended grip for fine work (versatility is apparently an asset for jungle tools in the culture). It also puts more of the existing weight of the thing towards the end for better chopping power per ounce. At least, that's my non-expert appraisal. I'm simply a fan of these blades, not a scholar. :o

Saw a youtube clip of a fellow using one to hack open a tree to extract some kind of edible pith from the center... it was impressive watching him go, like a cross between a lumberjack and a surgeon. :D
 
C.S. Graves said:
If I'm not mistaken, that more squat pattern is called a parang candung. I'm just parroting info a forumite posted elsewhere. :D

. . .

SE Asian parang are typically thicker than western machetes. That narrow portion leading to the hilt serves as an extended grip for fine work (versatility is apparently an asset for jungle tools in the culture). It also puts more of the existing weight of the thing towards the end for better chopping power per ounce.
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Well put! :thumbup:

C.S. Graves said:
I'm simply a fan of these blades, not a scholar. :o
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Neither am I, but that's what we're here for: helping extend the knowledge base whenever we can ;) :D

C.S. Graves said:
Saw a youtube clip of a fellow using one to hack open a tree to extract some kind of edible pith from the center... it was impressive watching him go, like a cross between a lumberjack and a surgeon. :D
Click to expand...

Indeed! The highest form of tropic "bushcraft". I'm already a native and I still find it amazing! Although tools/gear can never really compensate adequately for skill. I could imagine in North America for example, when the early settlers, explorers/voyageurs used a "big", "clunky" Hudson Bay camp knife for just about anything as well.
 
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the kid said:
It's a gentleman machete.
For cutting cheese and slicing lemons.
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[youtube]HX1XXQb695Y[/youtube]

The Parang is based off of the Indonesian pattern, and was designed after evaluating the performance of several hand made versions. There is a reason SE asia has been using these for years. The 1/4 to 1/8 taper makes for an extremely balanced design that works on the draw cut rather than the wrist flick for the light stuff, but still does well for normal chopping. You'll have to try it.

Send me an email with your address and I'll get you on the list:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=721075&highlight=parang
 
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Handled & chopped with one at PWYP - I will be getting one.

At first I said it looked too thin also. Tim & Joe pointed at a pile of wood & said have at it. It chopped through stuff a little easier than my Condor Golok & just as well as my Condor Puerto Rican machete. What was nice is that I felt no hand fatigue with the handle design.

I don't think Tim & Joe chopped any of their firewood the whole time?:D
 
I've similar type of Machete....its cheap.... not so hard steel....but very good in the Jungle. Very good in chopping... harder steel always chipped off when chopping a harder wood.
I prefer to use this parang (instead of my 7" D2 blade) together with my F1 when hiking and fishing (freshwater) in the Borneo Jungle.
 
Machetespecialist just got some in. I think they will be the only ones that have them in for a while
 
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