RN, my BF name is PeterPHWS and my Parang came through a company called Valiant who import them to Australia from Indonesia .... I expect HI get there's via Valiant too as the work looks very similar.

The Parang v the Golok debate is a long running one for me ... in the British Army we get issued the Martindale Golok ... it has a softish steel too ...takes an initial good edge but it does'nt last long ... for this reason if you go to the BTT ( Brunei Training Team ) for either a Jungle Warfare Instructor's Course or a Long Range Recon Patrol Course or as part of S/F selection you can buy a locally made Parang which is similar in shape to the Parang Bandol but has a wooden handle with a metal guard over the join to the blade to prevent splitting when used a lot on hard wood. The Iban trackers used to help run the courses all prefer these Parang's and for those who want a clear idea of what I mean .... the Parang used by Ray Mears in all his Jungle Episodes comes from here and is the same shape .... these local Parang's seem to have a harder temper and take the keenest of edges.

I think they have some proper heat treating equipment in Serai where they are made near the camp as the demand for these is "constant" with guys rotating in and out on courses and they have a great reputation. These are viewed by guys who have spent their "career's" in the Jungle as the "mutts nuts" as far as Parang's go ... and I am prepared to accept their recommendation ... some of it is in the shape ... some of it in the better heat treatment ... you can take these a lot thinner behind the edge and they don't roll ...

The one I had I sold to a guy going on a course ... they cost about 50$ Brunei and you can get £50+ back in the UK with tales of how hard they are to come by ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> it is an easy way to make £25 but in the end you miss out by not keeping them as unless you know someone who can pick you one up again ... your out of luck... and ofcourse selling mine is one of the greatest "regrets" I have ever had ... I am sure mine had a dual temper as it certainly had a hamon line and that is what makes them special ...

My Valiant one is thicker ... usually this is because the HT is at the level where thickness is needed to give some element of strength ... as per HI Khukri's ... or because they are using leaf springs from vehicles it is less work to make them thick ....

Ideally a good Parang is around .22 to .187 thick not the heavy .25+ ... but the main difference is in the temper of the steel ... if you can get a differential temper on the edge which is done right you have "nirvana" ...

The blade can then take the shock of hitting hard wood without shattering and the edge can hold a proper edge to get through it ...

In Brunei there are woods sufficiently hard enough to ruin most blades ... the Martindale Goloks got the name of "Treebeaters" as all they seemed to do was beat up the tree and never had an edge last long enough to get through one ...

Heli LZ's were an explosive job ... chopping a clearing was "purgatory" with the issue Goloks ... you soon started to "worship" your local Parang ... in blister savings alone it was worth "double the price" ( very comfy grip ) ...

LOL ... if Scrapyard did a Scra-Parang in SR101 differentially tempered and with a Res C handle ... (the SR101 so it can take the keenest of edges) ... I reckon you could buy 100 and start a lend lease business in Serai and that could be my "retirement" plan ... because I have'nt got any hopes of surviving off what I will get paid out over here <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ( "Seriously" !! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> )