Parang (knife)

Parang (knife)
A souvenir Indonesian parang.

The parang is the Indonesia equivalent of the machete. Typical vegetation in South East Asia is more woody than in South America and the parang is therefore optimized for a stronger chopping action with a heavier blade and a "sweet spot" further forward of the handle, the blade is also beveled more obtusely to prevent it from binding in the cut. This is the same rationale and (in practical terms) the same design as the Indonesian golok and very similar to the Filipino bolo. A parang blade is usually 30 centimetres (12 in) long and has a mass of no more than 0.75 kilograms (1.7 lb). The curved blade enables maximum effort to be applied when cutting timber, and the blade arrives before the knuckles, so giving them protection. A parang has three different edges, the front is very sharp and used for skinning, the middle is wider and used for chopping, and the back end (near the handle) is very fine and used for carving.

Uses

Like the machete, the parang is frequently used in the jungle as well as being a tool for making housing, furniture, and tools. The parang has been noted in John "Lofty" Wiseman's SAS Survival Handbook, a leading survival book[1] for this use.

Parang are also used as weapons, typically carried by gang members and robbers in Malaysia. Also usedby Bear Gryllis in man versus wild.

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Parang (disambiguation) — Parang can refer to * Parang, a musical form from Trinidad and Tobago * Parang (knife), a type of machete used in Indonesia and Malaysia * locations in the Philippines **Parang, Marikina **Parang, Shariff Kabunsuan **Parang, Sulu * Parâng… …   Wikipedia

  • parang — n. A stout strait edged knife used in Malayasia and Indonesia. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • parang — [pä räŋ′] n. [Malay] a heavy knife used as a tool and weapon in Malaysia …   English World dictionary

  • knife — Synonyms and related words: ax, barong, bayonet, blade, bolo, bowie, bowie knife, cold steel, cut, cutlery, cutter, dagger, dining utensils, dirk, edge tool, edge tools, flat silver, flatware, forks, gravity knife, hollow ware, impale, knives,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • parang — /pahr ahng/, n. a large, heavy knife used as a tool or a weapon in Malaysia and Indonesia. [1850 55; < Malay] * * * …   Universalium

  • parang — noun a) A short, heavy, straight edged knife used in Malaysia and Indonesia as a tool and weapon. b) A style of music originating from Trinidad and Tobago …   Wiktionary

  • parang — n. heavy knife with short straight edged blade used in Malaysia and Indonesia …   English contemporary dictionary

  • parang —    (PAH rang) [Malay] A large, heavy Malaysian sheath knife, used as a weapon or tool …   Dictionary of foreign words and phrases

  • parang — pa•rang [[t]ˈpɑr ɑŋ[/t]] n. a large, heavy knife used as a tool or weapon in Malaysia and Indonesia • Etymology: 1850–55; < Malay …   From formal English to slang

  • parang — /ˈparæŋ/ (say pahrang) noun a large, heavy knife used as a tool or a weapon by the Malays. {Malay} …  

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