Parang – intro
Your trip to the jungle begins back at home, when you choose what to take with you.
Naturally this will depend on the type of trip you have in mind – equipment for a 2 week foray into the heart of the jungle will be different from that needed on a one day hike on a well maintained trail.
However there are some items that you should always carry with you – what is often referred to by various acronyms like ETC (Every Time Carry), EDC (Every Day Carry) – and first and foremost among these items is your parang (the Malay name for a machete).
It is difficult to overstate the importance of a parang when you are in the jungle. With it you can clear a path, find water and food, make fire and shelter…in fact with a parang and good junglecraft you could survive in the jungle for as long as you like.
Without your parang you are going to struggle (to say the very least) and will have no choice but to endure what the jungle has to throw at you (and it has plenty!)
In short, going into the jungle without a parang is like going to the artic and forgetting to take a warm coat. You just don’t do it.
So, the first law of the jungle is…
“Your parang should be either by your side or within sight. Always”
If you haven’t been into the jungle before, you’ll want to know which parang to get (and where to get it), how to sharpen it and how to use it properly. Over the next few days, I’ll post a series of articles covering these areas.
The good news is that none of it is rocket-science and a good parang isn’t expensive.
I have totally enjoyed the huge amount of distinct information you share, most going into the jungle, believe the jungle is like what Television shows them, a sterile green sand box, with no danger! You present the jungle I know, and it so refreshing, I hope you will continue to share the mystery, and splendor of one of the worlds magnificent rain forests.
Hi George – and many thanks for the kind words. I remember when I lived in the UK and used to watch documentaries about the jungle in the cool of the english climate….as you say, very different from actually being in the humid, chaos of real secondary jungle!
I’m just loading on a new video on parang techniques which you might enjoy.
Cheers!
Paul
Just curious about all your posts on parangs, have you ever had the opportunity to try a parang use by the indigenous orang ulu tribes of Sarawak? Concaved on one side and convexed/flat on the other and more often than not, comes with a long handled blade attached to the sheath. I’ve always used these and found that they sharpen well and the two blades compliment each other and fulfill most if not all cutting needs when in the rainforest (save chopping down a large tree). Would love to hear your comments or video’s on this blade if you own one.
http://www.my-rainforest-adventures.com/2009/11/malat-penat-the-penan%E2%80%99s-jungle-parang-and-knife/ and http://www.my-rainforest-adventures.com/2008/10/parang-ilang-kayan-from-sarawak/ for reference on the type i am talking about. Cheers.
Hi,
Yes, I know the style of parang you mean – I have one at home but don’t use it as I don’t want to damage it. The one I have has a blade that is flat on one side and convex on the other (I’ll try and add a photo of a closeup of the blade).
I’m not sure why this would work better that a standard V shape and would have thought it was more likely to jam but, having never used it, I can’t really say. Would be interested to hear from anyone on why this shape might be better than the standard V-shape and, if so, why it isn’t (as far as I know) used for axe head profiles.
Interesting point and thanks for making it as I’m sure a lot of people are unfamiliar with this blade shape.
Cheers!
Paul
It’s called a “chisel grind”. Used a lot by Japanese knife makers. Easy to make those types of blades since only one side has to be sharpened.
Axe heads don’t use this profile since their profile needs to more wedge shaped (convex grind) in order to split the wood better that is being chopped.
Hi Suspect Device,
thanks for the post and for giving me the right nomenclature. I recently bought a parang that is closer to a chisel grind and will be trying it out over the next few months. I think you’re right that the main reason is that they are easier to make and sharpen (rather than them having any inherent blade shape advantage).
Cheers!
Paul
Is it one of the Bidor blacksmith-made Parangs like from Nadir at Outdoor Dynamics? I’ve never seen a chisel grind on a Malaysian parang before…
Hi Suspect Device,
Not sure which parang you mean – the traditional long bladed parang (with the decorated rattan sheath) is from Borneo and was handmade…this is the one with a chisel grind. Most of the other parangs I use come from Bidor (I think there are 3 or 4 manufacturers based there) and these have a normal V-grind.
Hope that answers your question.
Cheers!
Paul
Yes, that answers my question, thanks Paul.
Mike
I believe Outdoor Dynamics sources theres from here:
http://outdooradventuremalaysia.blogspot.com/2010/12/famous-bidor-parang-machete.html
Mike
Hi Mike,
Many thanks for the link.
Cheers!
Paul
Hi, I’m not saying it works better than the standard V shape. The convexed edge enables the parang to bite into wood *for example* much easier than a v shaped blade (my opinion).
Also, the blades are sharpened on the flat surface mainly. i’ve been told its to maintain the hardness of the convexed side aquired when hardening the blade (cant explain scientifically)
The blades are also particular to the user of the parang. A right handed person would have the convexed edge on the right side of the blade if he were to hold the parang and vice versa for a lefty. This leaves the swinging action quite limited to strokes from top right down to the left (if that makes sense) but once you’re used to this you dont really feel the need to swing from the other direction. A little hard to explain here..perhaps i’ll make a video sometime.
Where did you get your blade from? and did it come with the smaller knife as well?
Hi,
Many thanks for clarifying this – I’ve never tried out the parang I have (which comes from Sarawak) and have always wondered about this type of blade profile.
Your comment is very timely as a guy call Dino from Primitive Ways in the US was asking about this very topic and I wasn’t able to give him a very good answer so I will email him the link to your comment which I am sure he will find very interesting.
I’d love to see a video of this if you ever make one, so please let me know if you do.
The parang I have has a sheath for the shorter knife but it was missing when I got it.
If I manage to get to Sarawak this year (which is the plan) I’ll pick up a working version and test it out.
Thanks again,
Cheers!
Paul
My Jungle is Central American and ‘machete’s’ are quite long and sharpened on both edges of the blade. They are rarely carried in a sheath by the Indians and locals. The chisel blade makes sense and is what is used on a guillotine. It also is dominant hand dependent which I’ve read is an issue (blade bouncing). I have 3 or 4 blades I own and carry. My favorite is the Malay Parang I bought from Nadir. The locals thought it was too short but then they used it and were impressed. I adore the swing and snap in my hand. it has a rat tail tang, so I drilled and pinned it and had a friend make me a kydex sheath. I have a lighter 12″ Bidor Malaysia stamped parang with a plastic handle (pinned on) that is thinner and lighter with a plastic sheath. I gave it to my son who loves it (GF has a 10″ and feels the same). I have a Condor Goluk I like a lot. It has a great blade and a full tang handle and has a great swing and feel, but the sheath is crap. I gave an 18″ Condor Parang to a local Shaman who loved it- it was long for my likes, but it was a great cutting tool (again, the sheath was crap). I love your site. I’m learning a lot. As a lifelong outdoorsman, and felt better prepared for my first encounter in the jungle. The more often I go, the less I seem to know…cheers and thank you.
Paul
Hi Doc Paul,
Many thanks for the comment and interesting to hear about the differences in machete types in South America. Like you I have a few different parangs and tend to switch between them depending on how I feel and what I’m doing. I’ve seen a few chisel blades now in Malaysia and some people swear by them – as you say, they are meant to cut in better, but I’ve never found a problem with parang ‘bounce’ with the shorter and sturdy local parangs….mind you, I guess chisel profiles are easier to sharpen.
I really like the local parangs – the soft metal makes them easy to sharpen and, although some people complain that they chip our get bent at the blade edge, this is a problem that is quickly rectified with a sharpening stone, so it doesn’t really bother me.
Anyway, all the best and thanks again for the the info.
Cheers!
Paul
It is universally accepted that a parang is essential in any jungle. I have often wondered what did natives all over the world do before the introduction of steel? There must be an entire knowledge set that is being or has been lost worldwide.
Hi Shane,
Many thanks for the comment and an interesting question – it is one I have pondered myself as here in Malaysia there isn’t any flint knocking around to make good cutting tools so it would be hard to make a decent chopping knife. It is possible to make a knife from bamboo but this would only be good for slicing (e.g. for skinning game) as it would quickly blunt if used on anything too hard. Spears and bows/arrows can be made from bamboo even without a parang.
Also, the parang is most needed for jungle clearing in nasty, secondary jungle whereas in primary forests you don’t really need to do much clearing at all and, I guess, back then it was all primary forest!
But a good question and I’d be interested to know the answer too.
Cheers!
Paul
Great articles on the parang, thanks.
My question is where on your body do you carry it? I simply have a cord that allows me to hang it off my right shoulder so that it hangs under my left armpit. Proper.
Thanks.
Rich
Should be: proper?
Hi Rich,
Just seen your update and with the question mark added I now understand! ‘Yes’ you could carry the parang the way you describe but you might find it flops about a bit and is more difficult to draw the parang from the sheath (plus it’s more likely to get snagged on rattan etc if it’s flopping about). The sheath is normally on the left hip (attached to belt) and the parang orientated to that as you draw it the spine of the parang is facing upwards – this reduces the chance of cutting yourself as you draw the parang.
Saying all that if the shoulder arrangement works for you then why not?
Cheers!
Paul
Hi Rich,
Many thanks for the comment and, in answer to your question I carry the parang on my left hip attached to my belt. There are times however (e.g. on well cleared trails) when you don’t need such easy access to the parang and I might put it in the rucksack, but 99% of the time it’s hanging from my belt.
Cheers!
Paul