What is this?

[Зимо]

Hello everybody,

Yesterday someone gave me a "knife" that she found somewhere and she thought I would like it so now I have it. Sadly she didn't know it's background.

My first question is whether this is actually a knife. It is quite a huge knife in that case, but it is way to small to be a sword. That made me think of a machete. Also the blade has a certain shape that is more usual for machetes than for knifes I think.

For my second question I first describe it as much as possible: It has a wooden handle, with the head of a indonesian wayang puppet made out of it.

The blade is in quite a bad shape. It is covered in rust and.. I can't recall what it is called in english, but it are like cracks in the metal. On the blade are a few laters that would make the word "SINAR"
I have no idea what that means.

Also, I was told that the "knife" came out of sumatra.
Do you guys have any idea what it is used for, and with what intention it was made. I would be happy with any background info since I just have no idea what this is or where it came from.

Photo's are on their way. I still habe to figure out how to place them.

Thanks in advance,
Зимо

 

[GIRLYmann]

As always, a picture would be rather helpful...
Sumatra would be part of the republic of indonesia.
"Sinar" when google translated to english
comes out as "rays".
It could also come to mean "glow" , "bright" or "shine". Take your pick
As since most of these blades are handmade, so to that many of the wooden fixtures are largely hand carved.
So with artistic license the styles on the carvings depicted may differ but the representation is almost either from cultural or ethnic tradition or belief.

The blade styles and dimensions (as in length and shapes) are quite varied too

This is why a photograph would help narrow down the search more effectively for others to chip in.

 

[Зимо]

As always, a picture would be rather helpful...
Sumatra would be part of the republic of indonesia.
"Sinar" when google translated to english
comes out as "rays".
It could also come to mean "glow" , "bright" or "shine". Take your pick
As since most of these blades are handmade, so to that many of the wooden fixtures are largely hand carved.
So with artistic license the styles on the carvings depicted may differ but the representation is almost either from cultural or ethnic tradition or belief.

The blade styles and dimensions (as in length and shapes) are quite varied too

This is why a photograph would help narrow down the search more effectively for others to chip in.

Of course of course, here it is I was already trying to upload a photo but one of the sites didn't work on my phone.

 

[GIRLYmann]

Imo its would fit something loosely under the term "golok wayang".
("Wayang" as in shadow play)
The eloborate handle carving gives it away as decorative in nature.
The character is likely to be "gatotkaca"...
https://translate.googleusercontent...700248&usg=ALkJrhh8TOUm7ufjteRpX33oOLytqzfKYw
As with most knives of this nature,
It would take some doing to know
anything about its blade maker,
or the possible existance of another skilled individual who does the sheath and handle carving.
It is not an uncommon practice to have wooden parts replaced over time.
And so one has to wonder at times if both the blade and wooden parts were paired togather in its original form.
Age estimation would be something strictly for the ethnic knife collector to guage.
Hope this helps!