Discontinued from 2021
Another new model for 2015! This time it’s a very familiar parang shape that most people would recognize. People always refer to the Parang as a “Parang Machete” , so here is our version of the famous Latin American chopper!
MY Parang – Parang Machete
One glance and you will know that this model is modeled after the machete. However, machetes are normally made of thin steel and is usually long. For this parang machete, we made the blade 12 inches, and of course with thicker steel and with a distal taper. The result is a very light chopper which is very quick in the hand, but chops very well. If you are looking for something light and a chopper which you can chop all day long, this one is an excellent contender.
The flat edge makes it very easy to sharpen , and sharpening a Bidor made parang is always a pleasure.
I know some of you will be asking for a longer version – 14″ , 16 ” etc. we may look into that, but for the moment, lets enjoy the 12″ version first. Try it and you will definitely be impressed!
Here are some stats for those who like numbers:
– Blade length – 30.5 cm / 12 in
– Handle length – 17 cm / 6.7 in
– Overall length – 47 cm / 18.5 in
– Widest blade – 5.0 cm / 2.0 in
– Weight – 560 grams / 19.8 oz
– Gross weight ( with sheath and box ) – 850 gram / 30.0 oz
All the other goodies like the Nylon sheath, squared spine, stick tang, distal taper, 5160 high carbon steel , zone hardened , wooden handle with pin are on this parang as well. Not to forget, hand – made.
We are also in the process of making a video on the Parang Machete and we will update the video page once it is done and uploaded.
Discontinued from 2021
MY Parang is proud to present to you a new model – The MY Parang – Parang Tangkin. We released this model mid September 2015 and they are now out on sale . We will have a closer look at this new Parang Tangkin in this post.
Parang Tangkin by MY Parang
First thing you will notice is how the blade is angled upwards. Some people may find this quite awkward, but in fact it is very ergonomic . It works especially well when you are positioned low on the ground. Using the parang tangkin in this position enables the blade to hit parallel to the ground , keeping your knuckles safe. This will enable the user to fully use the entire blade or the sweet spot for chopping. Compared to other parangs, you might hit the tip into the ground when cutting from a low position.
Note how the blade lies flat on the ground and the handle is away from the ground
When cutting from a standing or higher position , with the cut at chest or upper waist level, the parang tangkin delivers a slicing cut which is very effective . Try this and you will notice how effective it is.
A slicing cut when used upright
Here are some stats for those who like numbers:
– Blade length – 30.5 cm / 12.0 in
– Handle length – 17 cm / 6.7 in
– Overall length – 47 cm / 18.5 in
– Widest blade – 4.7 cm / 1.85 in
– Weight – 400 grams / 14.1 oz
– Gross weight ( with sheath and box ) – 690 gram / 24.5 oz
All the other goodies like the Nylon sheath, squared spine, stick tang, distal taper, 5160 high carbon steel , zone hardened , wooden handle with pin are on this parang as well. Not to forget, hand – made.
We are also in the process of making a video on the parang tangkin, and we will update the video page once it is done and uploaded.
Currently MY Parang products consists two types of parangs – the Duku Chandong and the Golok. The Duku Chandong comes in three variations – the 12 inch, the 10 inch and the 12 inch heavy . As for the Golok, they come in two variations – the 125 and the 135. Below we look at them more closely , in fact this post will be more pictures than words. Enjoy!
General overview of MY Parang Products
Real forge marks , not stamped by machinesEach blade is different and there will never be two of the sameThe real Bidor stamps , the sign of authenticity
The blade which is made of 5160 high carbon steel or commonly know as leaf spring steel and has real forge marks not those fake machine stamped one you see in other commercial brands. The blades are hand forged and each one is unique.
The handle is made of Eco – wood sourced from Croatia. They are farmed Beech wood and are a renewable resource. The handle shape is of a simple and traditional design . It has been proven to be a very comfortable handle and will not give you any blisters despite chopping away for hours.
The width of the handle is approximately 1″ , it looks smaller it the photo due to the camera wide angle lens.Overall length of the handle is about 6.5″ , large enough for most hands.
We have made the handle slightly longer to accommodate large hands. The handle design enables various grips comfortably , from choking up to the blade, to holding the handle way back . Various handle position enables different cutting tasks. Unlike some modern parangs, their handle has guards and choils which hinder this natural use of the handle.
The spine is sanded squareSpine thickness near the handle – about 7/32″ or 5mmSpine thickness at the tip – 1/8″ or about 3mm
Another great feature of MY Parang products is that all the blades has a distal taper. This improves the balance of the parang, making it very lively and quick in the hand, without sacrificing chopping power. A distal taper is very difficult and expensive to achieve with a factory made knife. The spines are also all cleaned up and feature a brush finish. Striking a ferro rod with the spine should not be a problem.
Copper rings improves the look of MY parang products
The copper ring / bolster is aesthetically appealing and compliments the whole look of the parang. It serves a beautiful and functional way of transition between the handle and blade. Besides looks, it also serves to strengthen the front of the handle, where most of the shock happens during chopping. Under the copper bolster we have also inserted a brass pin across the handle and stick tang. This is to ensure that the blade will never some out in any circumstances. You will have to brake the handle to cause the blade to come out , something which we believe would be impossible with normal use.
Most if not all genuine parangs have an unsharpened blade section a few inches after the handle. This is to enable the hand to choke up further into the blade for more delicate cutting tasks. This feature can also be seen on the Duku Chandong.
Tang and bolster is glued using industrial strength slow setting epoxy
To securely fasten the tang, handle and Copper bolster, we use industrial strength two part epoxy. We do not skimp on this as it is one of the most crucial parts of the parang. We have seen newspaper , hot glue, molten plastic , superglue and many other suspect ways of holding the tang in the handle, but nothing beats an epoxy specially formulated to bond wood and steel.
MY Parang Duku Chandong
The Duku Chandong or sometimes referred to as the ” Ray Mears ” parang originates from East Malaysia or as some people call, Borneo. It is a very common blade shape there . The Duku Chandong is a general purpose parang and it is very common to see people in Borneo using it in their everyday lives.
MY Parang Duku Chandong – Top is the 12″, middle is the 12″ heavy , and the bottom is the 10″
The main character of the knife is the sheeps-foot tip and how the handle is lifted up . While the sheeps-foot tip is very strong and suitable for prying, the upward handle causes the blade to arrive first followed by the knuckles. This is a great feature if you are cutting near the ground or near a solid object such as a big tree trunk , as it keeps your knuckles away and prevents if from getting bashed.
The blade also has a slightly upward curve, which produces a slicing cut. This type of cut is very effective at cutting small plants and shrubs.
MY Parang produces three different variations of the Chandong, the 12″ , the 10″ and the 12″ Heavy. The 12″ is the most common size and is often referred to as the ” go to” size. It offers good reach while not being too long nor too short. if you are looking for the best all rounder tool, this is the one to pick. The 10″ version is lighter and shorter. It is best suited for small tasks or when weight is a major issue. Despite it’s small size, it can still chop extremely well. As for the 12″ Heavy version, it is aimed more to those who will be using it to chop more than other tasks. Being made of thicker steel, the overall weight is considerably more and therefore is a beast at chopping. Heavy parangs do have a down side though, one is their overall weight and second, your arms get tired faster when using it. If you are going to use the parang throughout the day, we strongly get the 12″ version.
The difference in spine thickness between the Chandong 12 ” and the Chandong 12″ Heavy.Closer look of the spine thickness
The above picture shows the spine thickness difference between the 12″ Duku Chandong vs the 12″ Duku Chandong heavy. You can clearly see the difference in spine thickness as well as the distal taper .
MY Parang Golok
The MY Parang Golok 125 and 135
While the Chandong is common in East Malaysia , the Golok is a very common design in West Malaysia. Goloks can be seen commonly sold in hardware and certain convenience stores throughout Peninsular Malaysia. It is common to have a golok or two at home, especially if you live in the suburbs. They are general use tools , from skinning animals to cutting weeds to opening coconuts.
The tell – tale tip of the Golok
Goloks can be characterized by the pointed tip as can be seen above. The tip is pretty strong and the point makes it easy to dig and pry holes. Due to the shape of the tip, it is not really suitable to chop with it, compared to the sheeps foot tip. Goloks also have a prominent belly which can sometimes be a problem with sharpening, especially if your sharpening stone is wide. The belly
The larger Golok, the 135 is a heftier parang which is more suitable for chopping and rough work. The smaller 125 is suitable for lighter work and is considerably shorter and lighter. We have no idea what the 135 and 125 mean, but they seem to be a universal “model” throughout Malaysia , ie a 125 golok bought in different states will be the same design and same length / weight.
The MY Parang nylon sheath – available in 12″ , 13″ and 17″
Let’s have a closer look at the MY Parang Nylon sheath that comes with your MY Parang cutting tools.
The back view of the MY Parang nylon sheath
Firstly, the sheath is made of 1000 D nylon, a robust and very abrasion resistant fabric. We chose Nylon over traditional material such as wood and leather due to the practicability of the material. Nylon is light, relatively cheap , strong , stable and dries fast. This is important as the sheath normally takes a beating when you are walking through rough terrain or are in the jungle. Sheaths scrape against rocks, tree trunks, get caught in vines and rattan fronds . You might also get them mud caked and wet while crawling or climbing over and under obstructions . The sheath does not have any drain holes but will slowly drain water out. Nylon material will dry much faster compared to wood or leather.
The sheath mouth opening
We have three lengths of the sheaths, the 12″ , the 13″ and the 17″ . The width of the sheaths are all the same – approximately 2.5″ wide. It looks much wider in the picture above , but it is really about 2.5″ wide. The sheaths will fit knives with a blade of up to two inches wide.
The pictures above show the belt loop , all MY Parang nylon sheath come with a sewn in and reinforced belt loop . This belt loop can easily fit belts up to 3.5″ wide. Army and backpack hip belts will not be a problem.
Another feature that you will notice on the MY Parang nylon sheath are the ” molle straps” going across the sheath. They are not true molle straps – their distances are more far apart – but they work fine for attaching small items to the sheath. As parang users ourselves, we often find that we tend to attache small items to our parang sheaths for example – a lighter, some rubber tube, a smaller knife and perhaps a small sharpening stone. By having these molle straps, a small pouch can be attached securely to hold these essential items safe and secure.
The Maxpedition single sheath paired with a Mora basicThe Mora basic is held very securely by the belt loop, and the bottom part of the knife sheath can be held down with some paracord or rubber inner tube.
As you can see from the above picture, the sheath can accommodate a small pouch such as the Maxpedition Single sheath pouch and a Mora basic stainless steel fixed blade knife. You can actually fit most molle pouches and it’s a matter of personal choice. We leave the finer details for you to customize and suit your preference.
The handle retaining strap – keeps your parang secureYour parang will not fall off even when held upside down.The handle retaining strap can accommodate handles up to 1.5″ in diameter
To add security to the MY Parang nylon sheath and to prevent your parang from falling out , we have included a handle retainer strap. Unlike most knife sheaths, the retainer strap works poorly and some knives fall out when you hold the sheath upside down. This is more apparent if the handle is round and does not have a choil / quillon / guard . In some sheaths , we have even see the knife fall out AND cut the retainer strap off. That’s not a good design in our opinion. The handle retaining strap on the MY Parang nylon sheath has a Velcro closure so it can accommodate various handle diameter and shapes, plus it does not drop your parang or knife when holding the sheath upside down.
The end of the bolster should be resting on the rim of the sheath opening
When the parang is in it’s sheath, the end of the bolster should be resting on the rim of the sheath opening. The blade tip inside the sheath should be hanging free and not touching the end of the sheath. This is best for the parang and sheath, though it may rattle a bit when you are moving around.
If you are bothered by this, you can also temporarily secure the parang loosely in its sheath by pushing the bolster into the sheath opening. Be careful when doing this , do not force the blade too hard down as it will cut through the sheath and potentially injure you. Alternatively, squeeze the sheath with your fingers so that the bolster drops in. This is not the best way to sheath your parang, and whenever possible, use the handle retainer strap with the bolster resting on the sheath rim.
I’m sure many of you have heard of the Bidor Blacksmith by now. There has been many blog writings on them and their blades are sold worldwide. From a small family shack, they are now one of the leading parang / agricultural tools in Malaysia. Their expertise lies in their heat treatment – their blades are easily sharpened and able to hold an edge for a long time.
Recently on our last trip, we took some pictures of the workshop and this post will be pretty picture heavy .
Here, they earn their living from making agricultural tools – from sickles to kitchen knives , and most things in between. Hence to live of this , their setup is pretty much bigger and is a stark contrast with the traditional makers. Here you can see half a dozen power hammers and tons of steel stock.
This post on the Bidor Blacksmith will be less wordy and will be mostly pictures. Pictures are worth a thousand words, therefore I won’t bore you much with lengthy explanations.
Signboards showing you the way to the factory
The factory main entrance
Some of the various agricultural tools you can find made there.
Late 2013, they purchased two gas forges, as you can see in the picture below. Apparently they have been having trouble sourcing for the right type of coal, and the gas forge is a very much welcome upgrade. Gas is much easier to obtain and more consistent in supply . They however, do not use it to heat treat their products. This is because the gas forge heats up the whole blade, and not only the cutting edge. This is true, since you only need to harden the edge only.
Brand new gas forge next to the charcoal forge
Their stockpile of charcoal. Ah Pin once told me if I can source this particular type of charcoal, he’d buy any amount I can supply him.
The plastic handles everyone seems to hate. Waxy, Slippery , obnoxious colours , but hey, it’s practical and easily seen on the jungle floor!
One of the tools they make – a betel nut cutter. You don’t see them much anymore.
The steel stock they use come directly from the steel mill, and not from the recyclers. Recycled steel ( ie. leaf springs ) differ in composition and will result differently after the heat treat.
Here is a stockpile of scrap steel which they used back then. There are various files , chainsaw bar guides, recycled leaf springs etc , which are not used anymore.
Here workers pound the hot and soft steel into a shape .
Some of the blacksmith’s tools hanging . Some are made by themselves.
Some of the semi finished products left to cool on the factory floor
A worker rough grinds the worked steel into its final shape
A Parang blank ready to be sent for heat treatAh Ming firing up the forge to heat treat some blades. Note that he uses the charcoal forge and not the gas.Heat treat done in Oil .
Heat Treat done with water
Mr. Pin showing how it’s done – hardening a parang blade in water.
I asked Ah Ming when he was demonstrating the heat treatment if there was any difference in using water or oil. He said no, but he mentioned that the oil is much messier , as it leaves a greasy surface on the blades.
After treat, the blades are left at the side of the forge to temper.
A worker sharpens the blanks – in this case a rubber tapping knife .
Here Mr. Pin showing the ability of his hand – hardened blades. Chopping steel pins with ease.
The packing center. Where orders are packed and kept for customers.
The picture below shows the old address of the Bidor Blacksmith. Beware, as there are fakes make now days which uses this old address. When I spoke to Ah Ming, he mentioned that he knows about the fakes. He said they started when customers requested for Bidor made parangs , but the shops and their suppliers were too lazy to get them from Bidor itself, so they asked their blacksmiths to copy to name and stamp it into their products. Really , anything can happen in Malaysia!
edit 5/11/2014 : We have added a good video by the cool guys at ” Bush Channel ” on you tube.
All about Malaysian Parangs, Goloks and Duku Chandongs
All the other goodies like the Nylon sheath, squared spine, stick tang, distal taper, 5160 high carbon steel , zone hardened , wooden handle with pin are on this parang as well. Not to forget, hand – made.
