parang

B

bennyjenkins

Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
210
I've seen a few valiant parangs bandol in the picture threads. Im thinking of getting one but the shipping cost is up there. How do those of you that have them like them?
 
It's one of my favourite users, personally. :thumbup:

They're thinner than your average khukuri of comparable length, but then they're not intended for heavy heavy use. For light chopping, they're hard to beat.

New:

ParangBandol20070902c_sm.jpg


Used (and abused):

ParangBandolBonecutter20100209_sm.jpg


On the subject of Valiant blades, for a slightly more robust blade in a similar length, I'm really liking their golok kelapa (center. Degrassi Junior HIgh DVD for size comparison and nostalgia purposes :D):

GoloksDegrassi20090730_sm.jpg
 
Not anymore to my knowledge. HighDesertWalker used to do so via eBay, but that was a couple years back. Shipping can add quite a bit to orders from Suwandi in Oz directly, but on the plus side, some of their blades are relatively inexpensive to begin with. Personally I used to wait till I wanted to get more than one at a time, to help reduce the cost of shipping per item/order.
 
Kult of Athena sells many Valiant blades actually and they are in the Chicago area. They will also order them in for you should you ask them. They also have a website. Nice folks and very good prices in general on arms and armor.
 
warty said:
I have one of them and one from Depeeka :p :)
Click to expand...

Since the thread is already drifting, how's the Deepeeka one hold up? I've read folk admonishing against them, but it also didn't sound like they had first hand experience with them. I'm considering one, along with a bronze one from Neil Burridge. The Chris Palmer one proves to be solid from the video online, but these other two have a more authentic look.
 
haven't really had much of a chance to do anything with it since I got it. It came in just before I went to FL to see my folks. About all I had time for was pictures... I will admit that I wouldn't mind finding another one of a different style. One that is perhaps a bit lighter and less clumsy to wield. This one is sure to be of use though should the Zombies come a knockin'! It is one of the most solid beasts I have held to date but it comes dull, I will sharpen it when I get back home though and see what it can do. I can't see it falling apart though, it is solidly built. I am also sure it will have no issues with taking and holding an edge from the preliminary work I did before I had to stop and pack. For the price I am certainly not complaining and I am anxious to return home and possibly chop down a tree or something with it. ;) here are a few pix of it though since the thread has veered as you so aptly put it. :o
(scale is in centimeters)
main.php

main.php

main.php

I would love more information on the Neil Burridge Bronze too...
 
Thanks, Warty! :thumbup:

Geez, it really is HUGE! :eek:

Here's a link where you can find those Bronze reproductions:

http://www.bronze-age-craft.com/

Oh, and to get things a bit back on topic, fellow forumite Il Bruche has of late been turned on to Valiant Trading company blades as well. Don't believe he has a parang though. I know there's a golok potong in his possession.
 
C.S. Graves said:
Since the thread is already drifting, how's the Deepeeka one hold up? I've read folk admonishing against them, but it also didn't sound like they had first hand experience with them. I'm considering one, along with a bronze one from Neil Burridge. The Chris Palmer one proves to be solid from the video online, but these other two have a more authentic look.
Click to expand...

I've personally seen khopesh swords much like the one I bought from Chris Palmer. Not all historical examples had the fullers and/or ridges common with many bronze age swords. Most did, but not all. The raised "bump" at the back of the tip of the blade was far more common than the pronounced hook on Mr Palmer's piece but still...

It would be tricky to pin down what a 'typical' khopesh would look like. There was a good deal of variety in the design regarding differing cultures and locales.

Here's one of the more exotic examples, and it's a very early khopesh (made of copper) from Iran:

copper_sickle_sword_early-mid_2nd_mil_BC_British_Museum.jpg


And here's another early khopesh; back when the khopesh was more-or-less a sort of battle axe:

ProtoKhopesh.Byblos1600-2000.RMN.LP.jpg


Assyrian khopesh, called a sappara, again, aside from the inscriptions, it's rather plain, but elegant:

KhopeshAssyria.jpg
 
Wolf, I was checking out your Palmer Kopesh in the Swords area. It looks pretty nice. I too have done a fair bit of looking into these swords because they have always sort of fascinated me. I suppose it is the exoticness of the looks they tend tohave that draws me. I hope to own several of different, useable kopeshi just to get the feel for the way they handled and yes, to get in touch with history. I have always sort of looked into a era thruogh the eyes of the weaponsmiths of the time and also those who used them. I suppose because much of recorded history is of battles and conflicts. By being able to handle the different pieces of weaponry from those periods that most interest me, I am better able to understand why some things happened the way they did.... sometimes at least.
 
warty said:
Wolf, I was checking out your Palmer Kopesh in the Swords area. It looks pretty nice. I too have done a fair bit of looking into these swords because they have always sort of fascinated me. I suppose it is the exoticness of the looks they tend tohave that draws me. I hope to own several of different, useable kopeshi just to get the feel for the way they handled and yes, to get in touch with history. I have always sort of looked into a era thruogh the eyes of the weaponsmiths of the time and also those who used them. I suppose because much of recorded history is of battles and conflicts. By being able to handle the different pieces of weaponry from those periods that most interest me, I am better able to understand why some things happened the way they did.... sometimes at least.
Click to expand...

I'd like to see more makers offer replicas of khopesh swords. Swords of the ancient world are terribly underrepresented on today's replica sword market.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top