Malay Bladed Weapons 101

Salam and greetings folks!

Today I'd like to talk about the three main characteristics of bladed Malay weapons in the setangan and selengan categories. Generally, Malay blades have three distinct profiles, which reflect greatly on their application. The three general profiles are: 

1. Wide base, tapering towards the tip

2. Parallel lines

3. Slender base, widening towards the tip

Each of these profiles have a different advantage in the usage of the blades. Blades with wide bases tend to be more balanced towards the hilt and have a light and agile tip. The venerable keris falls into this category. The keris is a deadly cut-and-thrust weapon in the hands of an expert. Every part of the keris is a weapon, from the tip, the edges, the aring and akut, and even the hilt. As such, it is imperative that the keris be very agile and quick in order for it to be an effective close to medium range weapon.

The second category includes the pedang or sword. Most Malay pedang have a parallel-sided blade, which means the blade has the same (or slightly bigger) width at the base and the tip. The blade of a sword would tend to look similar in width from the base to the tip, regardless of the blade being straight or curved, single or double-edged. Some swords have rounded or angular tips, while others have pointed ends, depending on their purpose. The keris sundang also actually falls into this category, if we discount the triangular base of the blade. Blades of this shape have varying points of balance depending on its intended use. Generally, infantry swords tend to be lighter towards the tip. Cavalry and anti-cavalry weapons tend to be heavier towards the end of the blade. But as a general rule, Malay swords are more predominantly cut-centric weapons, even though they have the ability to thrust. Shorter blades such as the golok also have parallel-sided blades, but their shorter blades means that they are deployed in a different manner compared to swords.

The third category includes a major group of Malay edged weapons, the parang. Contrary to previous western descriptions of Malay blades, weapons that flare towards the tip are not swords, regardless of their length. The parang is an exclusively chopping weapon. It is very effective against hard targets and affords a heavy blow to its target. Some parangs have a curved edge, which allows for a draw cut to be made effortlessly. Others, like the Kelantanese kelewang, have a pointed tip that can be used to stab the opponent. Some versions of the parang lading can be used with a reverse grip, making it a slashing weapon. Parang tend to be tip-heavy, and is a favourite go-to weapon due to it being readily available to most people. And unlike the previous two categories of weapons, most parang are agricultural tools that can be used as weapons when necessary.

What I have described above is a general classification of Malay blades. Some blades may not fall into these categories. The pedang buaya berenang or anak buaya, for example, is a sword with a blade that widens towards the tip, then terminates in a point. It does not have a parallel-sided blade. Smaller blades like the kerambit, badik, rencong, wali and tumbuk lada are not included in the classification because most of the time, the size and shape of the blade does not effect the control of the weapon.

Well, that's all for now. This is the Way.

The Physics of the Sword

When talking about swords, people tend to focus on the metallurgy behind the construction of the blade. What types of steel are used, how are they forged, what kind of damascened pattern will be produced, what quenching method is used, and so on. Metallurgy – although it may be important – is not the only scientific element behind the construction of a good sword. Another important component is physics. 

An important issue in sword making is how to make the sword as effective as possible without sacrificing other elements such as practicality and aesthetics. Making a sword requires the balance of all of these factors. But a beautiful blade may not be practical; and a practical blade may not be as pleasing to the eyes as one would like. The master bladesmith plays a role as a maestro who conducts their orchestra to play a most wonderful and breath-taking symphony.

F=ma is a very important equation in the construction of a good sword. This formula plays an important part in determining the effectiveness and functionality of a sword. Force is determined by mass and acceleration. A heavy blade with lower acceleration would produce the same force as a lighter blade with higher acceleration. Higher acceleration means more speed and agility for the sword. Nonetheless, a heavier, more sluggish blade has its own niche. A fast and agile sword is ideal as a sidearm or personal weapon, whereas a heavier blade could be used for executions and ceremonial purposes.

A sword is basically a lever. Malay swords fall into two categories, one-handed and two-handed weapons. The single-handed swords fall under the third class lever category, while two-handed swords fall under the first class lever category. The effectiveness of a sword relies on this lever action, coupled with a push- or pull-cut to deliver a deadly blow.  A survey of antique Malay swords shows that some of these weapons were used mainly for cutting and slashing. Others have sharp tips that can be used for thrusting. But none have thick, heavy blades that would have made them sluggish and slow in battle.

Anak Buaya: The Malay Katzbalger

The shape of edged weapons may vary from civilization to civilization, depending on their cultural inclinations and needs. However, there is bound to be similarities between civilizations. In the context of weaponry, we would be talking about the martial culture of a particular civilization. Even though the civilizations were halfway across the world from each other and perhaps even hundreds of years apart. This was how it was, and how it always will be.

Weapons were developed for a reason, usually to counter the other guy’s armaments and armour. As such, they are tailored to the requirements and techniques of the user. One such weapon is the katzbalger, a “short” sword that became the signature weapon of the Landsknechts during Renaissance Europe. The Landsknechts were mercenaries and were highly regarded soldiers of their time. This sword had a double-edged, straight blade averaging 24 inches in length. Weighing in at 0.8 to 1.5kg, this weapon had a broad blade optimised for cutting and slashing. It was often used as a secondary weapon, with the primary one being a polearm or even a montante (greatsword).

Armour was still extant during this time even though firearms were becoming more familiar. The katzbalger had to be short enough to be wielded in one hand during close-quarters combat, when the polearm or montante was impractical to use. Since most of the enemy would have been unarmoured, there was no need for a stiff, pointy tip. This sword was designed for cut and slash action, particularly towards unprotected areas of the body. In case of armoured opponents, it would have been logical to cut below their waist.

In the Malay World, there exists a parallel to the katzbalger. It is a short sword known as the “anak buaya” or little crocodile for the yelman or false edge that makes the sword look like a crocodile’s head. This was a relatively recent weapon, the first examples came into existence during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It obviously evolved from its longer-bladed cousin known as the pedang buaya berenang or “swimming crocodile” sword.

This weapon was adapted for close quarters “hit-and-run” attacks against the enemy. Therefore, even though these swords were short and sturdy, they had the cutting and thrusting ability of a full-length sword. What they lacked in reach, they made up in speed and agility. Their blades were 21”-23” in length, and they had knucklebows to protect the hand of the wielder. Because of their size, these weapons can be easily concealed for clandestine missions. Scabbards were usually made using cheap, lightweight wood and seemed disposable. The scabbards were probably disposed of once the weapon was drawn, as there is a saying among the practitioners, “once drawn, they will draw blood.” These “little crocodiles” lived up to their name and fearsome reputation and are continued to be made to this day.

Ergonomics of Malay swords

Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance. (ergo-plus.com)

The warrior and their weapons is a complex system of elements that interact with each other. It is often said that the weapon is the extension of the warrior's hand, or a part of their body. This is true not just in the Malay World, but in other civilisations as well.

For a weapon to be truly effective, it needs to be able to carry out the tasks it was designed to do in the most efficient way. A sword should be able to cut, thrust, slice and (in some cases) chop effectively for it to be considered as a good sword. In order for the sword to be able to achieve optimal performance, it needs to be suited to the swordsman. The Malays have a saying, "ukur baju di badan sendiri" or measure your clothes on your own body. While this may have other metaphorical connotations, it is literally true when we talk about weapons measurements.

There are basically two types of Malay swords, based on their typology, weight distribution and practical usage. It is established that Malay swords are of the "selengan" or arm's length category, which means that they have a minimum requirement in blade length. This typically translates to about 3 jengkal jari manis (the span between the thumb and the ring finger) or on average 25-27 inches on a typical Malay man. This measurement does not include the hilt or handle of the sword.

A forward-heavy blade is usually used for ceremonial and execution purposes. Forward-heavy blades were also employed by cavalry (and in the Malay world, this could also mean elephant-mounted troops). These swords lack the agility and speed of blades that were more balanced towards the handle. Nonetheless, they were very much suited for their intended purposes.

Swords that were lighter and balanced closer to the handle were more nimble, and were often used as personal weapons. Single- and two-handed versions of these swords were available to the Malays. The single-handed Malay swords can be found in all  areas of the Malay world, with the two-handed variants more commonly occuring in the central and northern regions of the Tanah Melayu, all the way up into Pattani, Champa and as far north as Hokkaido.

These swords were designed in such a way that they should not hinder the movements of the wielder or cause them discomfort, especially during battle. A typical Malay sword weighs around 1kg (more or less), which is about the same weight as an European saber. Some examples may be lighter, while others may have a significantly heavier blade.

The handle or grip of the sword should fit nicely into the palm of the hand in order for the sword to be held properly. The dimensions of the hilt would often be matched with the measurements of the wielder's hand. Nowadays we often find contemporary examples of Malay swords with oversized grips, which may reflect upon the lack of understanding by newer smiths on the usage of the sword. Up to about 100 years ago, single-handed sword grips were often small and fits snugly into one's palm. This is known as segenggam. It greatly improves the handling and control of the blade, as opposed to swords with oversized grips.

A Malay sword has all sorts of measurements on it that reflect the person of the wielder. It truly represents its master, and is ergonomically fitted to become part of it's master's anatomy. While measurements taken may vary from one smith to another according to their respective philosophies, these measurements made sure that the resulting sword fits the wearer like a glove.

The Malay Sword

In my past articles I've touched briefly about silat and the keris. However, there is another Malay weapon that has not been thoroughly discussed before. This weapon has been mentioned in various Malay manuscripts and proses in the past, and is considered one of three ancestral Malay weapons. This weapon is also frequently misunderstood and some even question its existence in the Malay cosmos. This weapon is the pedang - the sword.

It is believed that the sword existed long before the keris came into its current form. Malay legends and folklores mentioned a number of swords that belonged to kings and members of the royal family. The sword is mentioned in Hikayat Malim Deman, Hikayat Hang Tuah, Sejarah Melayu and also Syair Siti Zubaidah Perang Cina. Nonetheless, it did not enjoy as much publicity as the keris did. 

The typical Malay sword is a single-edged weapon with a slightly curved blade and may be wielded by using one or two hands. Some were also straight, double-edged weapons. Swords were placed in the "selengan" or "arms' length" category and normally have blades between 23 to 29 inches in length. In some cases, the swords were shorter, with blades of about 18 to 21 inches in length. These short swords were sometimes knows as the sundang (not to be confused with the keris sundang). Swords were known by a multitude of names in the Malay civilization: jenawi, chenangkas, chunderik, sikin, podang and klewang are amongst the more familiar ones.

The most famous sword in the Malay civilization would probably be the Cura Si Manjakini, now in the possession of the Sultan of Perak. This blade is reputedly inherited from the Melaka Sultanate, which in turn had its origins in the tale of Sang Sapurba. Sang Sapurba is said to be the progenitor of the Malay Kings. Cura Si Manjakini can be likened to King Arthur's Excalibur of the Malay world. 

Interesting enough, this sword is in the form of a jenawi, a two-handed sword with a long, single-edged blade. The same type of sword is the official weapon of Seni Sukma Kencana, a Malay swordfighting system that has been in my family for generations.

May Peace be with us all. This is the Way.