Doug, it's great to see you back with another Dúnedain Rangers video! I very much enjoyed your exploration of the darb, both through cutting and the museum visit. Keep up the awesome videos.
Good to see you back posting. I believe that being that the blades are so thin you can get a feel for the edge alignment just from the feel of it slicing air. My brother has an old darb and his does not show the seppa nor do the ones I've seen online from museums. His also has the cylindrical handle.
So, I'm originally from Thailand, born and grew up abroad. I've seen and acquired a few Thai swords. Your remark about the handle and indexing is important to consider. Although I don't have any formal training I personally believe the type of darb you have is more of a 'tourist, trinket' type. I've always seen these designs as such. I've seen several Thai swords that were not meant for the tourist market with flatter handles, that you can index. For me, I look at the longer handle as a way to change length, leverage of the weapon, as opposed to a short restrictive handle. Yes you can indeed use it with 2 hands, that's a potential advantage or maybe even necessary usage if one lost the 2nd sword/shield. I personally don't like the lack of hand guard of this design, but you will also see other museum type pieces of sword with bigger guards etc. The Burmese Empire and Khmer Empire fought with Siamese Kingdom for a long time. I believe if one looks at their swords, there will be more likely a better reference to what Thai swords used to look like.
I went to a local history museum where some sword were on display, and disappointingly they had cylindrical grips. Not for the tourist trade, I'll assume, but there was no information provided at the museum. But maybe after the time that these swords were actually used, more convenient methods of manufacture began to be used. I have friends here who make and sell darb, I can ask them.
@@dunedainrangers1309 it could also be said, the way the blade is shaped and weighted, the edge can be felt a little better thru how it pulls. There may be an advantage to cylindrical shaped handle that we are not as aware about. You can find examples of non cylindrical on image searches.
You don't need a flat handle to use that blade. Edge alignment is guaranteed by weight and shape. If you ever used one of theses swords, you'll quickly find, they "fall" like they're intended to cut. ;)
I studied krabi-krabong and i really don’t recommended the thumb on spine grip for daab it’s ok on Krabi (Saber) though as it’s hard to parry with when you are sparring and lack the finer control when compared to regular handshake grip I suspect that the thumb on spine grip is more of a corruption of teaching when someone is transitioning from Krabi (Saber) to Daab than actual used technique
Correct me if im wrong. These sword are used when king RAMA the 5th and before him. The kings guards will have these swords. They will always have 2 and they'll slung it criss-cross to their back. That would makes it looked like an X from their back. And also another name for these swords is, " thai shoulder swords" because when they'll pull it both from their back,above thier shoulder. That's why they're called "shoulder swords" every kings guards would acquired 2 swords per guards. If im right hope it helps. If not, i do apologise.. anyways i enjoyed your video. 🫡
the sword's predated burmese's occupation of siam it already wide spread throughout SEA with some variation Thai and Khmer mostly maintain Hinduism motives on the sword grip (at least for the noble's) while burmese seem to scrapped them Burmese's blade are more straighter in fashion while Siamese are slightly curve and Laos' are more curved almost like Katana however from early ayuthaya to late ayuthaya, the blade's are more preferably more curves like Lao's and the tips are changed from more roundish to more pointy like lao's as well as longer hilt become more fashionable moved to Ratanakosin the shape became almost like what you have albeit hinduism motives on the hilt but the other variations are still co existed but the burmese's shorter hilt and slimmer, straighter blade are not popular in central siam around that time probably due lost a war to burmese years prior
![The FEARED Kukri! [What You NEED To Know]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/w6ZIY2i1t2s/mqdefault.jpg)
![The FEARED Kukri! [What You NEED To Know]](/img/tr.png)
just wowww...great video btw, we need more vids from you!
Doug, it's great to see you back with another Dúnedain Rangers video! I very much enjoyed your exploration of the darb, both through cutting and the museum visit. Keep up the awesome videos.
Good to see you back posting. I believe that being that the blades are so thin you can get a feel for the edge alignment just from the feel of it slicing air. My brother has an old darb and his does not show the seppa nor do the ones I've seen online from museums. His also has the cylindrical handle.
Very cool. :) Makes me miss Siam; I lived there for some years in the middle-late seventies. Very informative video. Thanks for sharing. :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
You're back! Yay!
You can get away with a lot of Linguistics on any Tolkien-themed channel though. ;)
Good to see you back on UA-cam mate, I’ve always enjoyed your videos
Glad you like them!
So, I'm originally from Thailand, born and grew up abroad. I've seen and acquired a few Thai swords. Your remark about the handle and indexing is important to consider. Although I don't have any formal training I personally believe the type of darb you have is more of a 'tourist, trinket' type. I've always seen these designs as such.
I've seen several Thai swords that were not meant for the tourist market with flatter handles, that you can index.
For me, I look at the longer handle as a way to change length, leverage of the weapon, as opposed to a short restrictive handle. Yes you can indeed use it with 2 hands, that's a potential advantage or maybe even necessary usage if one lost the 2nd sword/shield.
I personally don't like the lack of hand guard of this design, but you will also see other museum type pieces of sword with bigger guards etc.
The Burmese Empire and Khmer Empire fought with Siamese Kingdom for a long time. I believe if one looks at their swords, there will be more likely a better reference to what Thai swords used to look like.
I went to a local history museum where some sword were on display, and disappointingly they had cylindrical grips. Not for the tourist trade, I'll assume, but there was no information provided at the museum. But maybe after the time that these swords were actually used, more convenient methods of manufacture began to be used. I have friends here who make and sell darb, I can ask them.
@@dunedainrangers1309 it could also be said, the way the blade is shaped and weighted, the edge can be felt a little better thru how it pulls.
There may be an advantage to cylindrical shaped handle that we are not as aware about.
You can find examples of non cylindrical on image searches.
You don't need a flat handle to use that blade. Edge alignment is guaranteed by weight and shape. If you ever used one of theses swords, you'll quickly find, they "fall" like they're intended to cut. ;)
Only recently found this channel. Nice to see you with a new video. :)
Glad to see you still posting :)
Hey, new video! I really like your Thailand content. It's an interesting direction from on the channel's original idea :)
Matt Easton reviewed that exact sword type last winter I think. He had the same question about the edge alignment.
I studied krabi-krabong and i really don’t recommended the thumb on spine grip for daab it’s ok on Krabi (Saber) though as it’s hard to parry with when you are sparring and lack the finer control when compared to regular handshake grip
I suspect that the thumb on spine grip is more of a corruption of teaching when someone is transitioning from Krabi (Saber) to Daab than actual used technique
very interesting thanks for sharing
Correct me if im wrong. These sword are used when king RAMA the 5th and before him. The kings guards will have these swords. They will always have 2 and they'll slung it criss-cross to their back. That would makes it looked like an X from their back. And also another name for these swords is, " thai shoulder swords" because when they'll pull it both from their back,above thier shoulder. That's why they're called "shoulder swords" every kings guards would acquired 2 swords per guards. If im right hope it helps. If not, i do apologise.. anyways i enjoyed your video. 🫡
I've never seen them called "shoulder swords"; that's very interesting.
Dude!! Where you been?
We've needed ranger vids
As you see, I'm in the Undying Lands. ;)
I didn't catch the smith's name, and does he have a website?
It's Bunthun Sitthipaisan. I'm down the road, so I don't need a website. ;) siamblades.com/en-thai/collections/mastersmith-ajarn-kor-neeow
Great sword, great research, great video!
the sword's predated burmese's occupation of siam it already wide spread throughout SEA with some variation
Thai and Khmer mostly maintain Hinduism motives on the sword grip (at least for the noble's) while burmese seem to scrapped them
Burmese's blade are more straighter in fashion while Siamese are slightly curve and Laos' are more curved almost like Katana
however from early ayuthaya to late ayuthaya, the blade's are more preferably more curves like Lao's
and the tips are changed from more roundish to more pointy like lao's as well as longer hilt become more fashionable
moved to Ratanakosin the shape became almost like what you have albeit hinduism motives on the hilt
but the other variations are still co existed but the burmese's shorter hilt and slimmer, straighter blade are not popular in central siam around that time probably due lost a war to burmese years prior
The creator of this sword is very famous in Thailand.🎉❤
long time no see