The parang ( Malay word ) is a broad and curved blade, used in Indonesia and Malaysia . It is used as the machete .
The parang has a blade 30 cm long and 5 cm wide. Its mass is about 750 g.
The blade of the parang is divided into three parts:
- the tip and the first ten centimeters of the blade are intended for the cutting of the game and the cutting of the sensitive elements. This part is usually very sharp, so as not to tear the flesh or leather.
- the part of the blade that “goes up” towards the handle is used to precisely cut out objects and materials that are harder than the first part (it can be used to carve the bone, for example). This part is a little less sharp than the first one.
- the middle part of the blade is used for massive cutting (mainly wood) and is much less sharp than the two previous ones (we can compare its edge with that of an ax or a machete). This part is located forward with respect to the handle, which protects the hand during the cut, since the blade touches the wood before the fingers.
In his novel Amok in Bali , the writer Gerard de Villiers uses the parang by most men of Kali, the “evil” novel.