African Swords Forged in Fire! Congolese Ikakalaka and Ngombe Ngulu by Purna Darnal (GGK) Review
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- čas přidán 2. 12. 2021
- Review of the 2 custom African swords I have commissioned from Purna Darnal (Great Ghurka Khukuris). One is the iconic Congolese ikakalaka, also called Konda sword, featuring a 20" broad blade ended in not a pointy tip but a crescent blade at the top with two curved spikes on the sides. Its blade has a prominent central ridge and two wide hollow ground fullers to reduced the weight to 798g (1 lb 12 oz). The strong distal taper from 4.3mm thick at the base to 2.5mm at the thinnest ensure that the sword handles rather well despite the unique geometry with large amount of mass at the top.
The other custom sword is the twin-bladed version of the Congolese Ngombe Ngulu or Ngala, with an outlandish circular full-moon shaped blade on the top portion. The lower portion features a broad double-edged blade with tribal prestige carvings. Although the blade base to tip length is only 22", the unique geometry actually features enough steel for a 36" broad blade, therefore an even more pronounced distal taper is present to ensure that the blade handles and balances in the correct way. At the base the blade is 5.6mm thick, it tapers down to 3.6mm at 10" from the base, and further down to 2.5mm at the twin-bladed portion, which is also deeply hollow ground to reduce the weight. The final result weighs 1234g (2 lbs 12 oz) and the point of balance is at 4.5" (11.5cm from the base). The hilt of the Ngala is highly unusual and features three sections. The top and middle section is one piece carved wood, with a tapered top under copper wire wrap. The middle section has an hourglass figure with two wooden saucer "beads". I chose to have this section streamlined in case I want to hold onto it with my offhand, even though the sword is actually maneuverable in one hand. The bottom section is a steel pommel.
Both swords stick to the specific requirements of my design and are very complex to hand forge. The bladesmith Purna provided ample documentation with photos and videos of the forging process. The edges are razor sharp and the satin polish is quite even although still has a handmade appeal. The ridges have crisp lines and all the geometries have excellent symmetry.
From commission to delivery, it took only two weeks, while the smith was simultaneously working several other clients on their projects, and still churning out batches of khukris. His efficiency is quite admirable. He comes as highly recommended for any custom project especially ones with peculiar designs. Please visit his shop at www.greatgurkhakhukuri.com/ or talk to him directly on Facebook:
/ ggklegends
/ 1036243023151763
The video reviews of Purna's custom projects shown in this video are:
Sword Review - Wheel of Time inspired Heron Mark Sword (by the alientude channel)
• Sword Review - Wheel o...
GGK 4thC BC Kopis (by Rod Walker)
vimeo.com/559342877
Many photos are from the recent custom project by Purna Darnal and they can be found here:
sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/th...
Special thanks for photo credits:
Brother Nathaniel, lebleuchevalier, alientude, soulfromheart, Eric Bergeron, hardrada
Skallagrim's Custom Commissioned Armorslayer from Fire Emblem, based on the ikakalaka:
• A Functional Real-Life...
Forged in Fire Ikakalaka Finale episode:
• Forged in Fire: Fierce...
Forged in Fire Ngombe Ngulu Finale episode:
• Forged in Fire: Ngombe...
Background music:
Traditional African Music Compilation: African Tribal Music & African Melodies
• Traditional African Mu... - Sport
Good video. I study Africa full time and one thing I'd like to point out is that the shields in Africa do come in other materials besides animal hides. For example in the Central African region I recall having seen wooden and even woven plant fiber shields. In fact the peoples who make the Ikakalaka sword have a shield that combines wood and woven fibers.
Oh absolutely. Wicker shields are quite popular in central Africa.
Purna is an absolute machine! These are some of the coolest sword designs I've ever seen, and beautifully executed
He absolutely is. I don't think I emphasized enough on the complexity of the projects in the video to do justice to his work.
Mad skills. He's a genius as a blade smith.
Great review!
Purna really outdid himself with these swords. Those are really complex blade geometries, and it looks like he nailed them.
Thanks! Yeah, I underestimated the complexity when I commissioned the swords honestly, not least among which is the difficulty to quench such wide blades. Poor guys had to pour in bags upon bags of quenching oil into the tank he built.
African sword designs made by Purna in Nepal? I'm in. Very, very cool. I have a kukri made by him and can only imagine how much fun one of those would African swords would be. Sure your familiar with the HAMA Channel on here, sure those guys would really dig those.
Thank you very much, Eric! It has always been my dream to design and commission some custom African swords, especially the ones of the most peculiar forms. Definitely interested in HAMA as well as African bladesmithing!
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold welcome.
@@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique likewise
Absolutely excellent! Mini documentary level brother.
Thank you brother! Haha, that's my style--talking about everything I can ever think of about a subject. Is it too much for the audience? Is there such a thing about TOO MUCH information? I can't tell 😆. Honestly I was hoping this video would reach more audience given how awesome both Purna's work and African weapons are, especially given the interests garnered when I initially shared the two swords in groups. Well, it somehow reached less people than pretty much all of my other videos. Who knows, maybe one day it would randomly go viral 🤣
African swords always fascinate me. Great projects! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these.
The Ida swords have sharp edges AND sharp points fer stabbin'. The Ikakalaka's just as unique.
The smiths who made the unique designs like those deserve credit fer their creativity, like w/ the Ida, the Ngombe Ngulu, the Ikakalaka, AND the Shotel. There's the Takouba. AND the Kaskara sword, too. Gotta go w/ the different designs fer variety. The Ida swords, the Takouba swords (w/ the wood hilts), AND the Kaskara swords have sharp edges fer slashin' AND sharp tips fer stabbin'.
Beautiful African artifacts!
Thanks, even a replica done right is beautiful.
Interesting blades. 29:22 Nice cutting there, thanks for including that. These are cool to see, though when you brought out the broadsword it made their designs look impractical by comparison. Can understand why these were not widespread. Thanks for showing
I do think that they are pretty effective in battle, if this design is implemented with battle-readiness in mind. The spikes are seriously powerful for (linen armor) and shield penetration, and the edges are wicked for cutting. The twin-bladed ngalas are mostly a prestige sword as status symbols and executioner tools. Indeed both swords were not made to be distributed among common troops--probably only for the chieftains.
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold Good point about that one likely being an execution blade. The illustrations you showed seem to support that.
For the spike one, yeah it has an advantage that way , but sacrifices the ability to thrust, which is arguably a better way through something like linen or hide.
I wonder if the spike would go straight through a shield into the arm underneath. Could have made the shield seem a lot less of a guard.
@@KF1 Yeah a point thrust is an easier and safer way to go through body armor, but against cowhide or rhino-hide shield, a powerful swing with the spike is absolutely needed to penetrate the shield and still jab into the hand or arm. A swing motion is always more powerful than a thrust. With an usual sword, thrust has more penetration before the swing uses the edge while the thrust uses the point. This sword can utilize the power of the swing on the pointy spike.
Southern African watching this with joy 😂😂 dope video
Thanks! Glad that you enjoyed it!
Niceeeeeeee
Thank you baby!
Omg! I already have 2 GGK Khukuri I had no idea you could commission these types of blades!
Haha, you have missed a lot then, bro. Check out my playlist of custom longswords, falchions and bowie knives made by Purna Darnal of GGK!
czcams.com/play/PLNo5_2WkLlZMLh8K3881BlCJJolINiZUH.html
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold yes the 12in bowie is definitely on my list
both were likely to be used ceremonial only, because the blade shape will make it very difficult to wear and they will also be slow to move around in actual combat.
That’s a good point.
Not necessarily while the bigger one most definitely is the ikakalaka seems like a battlefield design and because most African warriors carry shields recovery time is a little less important.
@@LordPeachew That is my point as well. Having large and very protective shields definitely negates some defensive necessity in the weapons. About the ease of carry, he's got a point. But these swords are mostly used by chieftains and elite warriors. Having a retinue to carry the swords for them into battles could be done.
This is my first time coming across your Channel. I want a Ikakalaka Sword💯
It certainly is a cool sword to have. If you are interested you can contact Purna Darnal the smith who made this ikakalaka to commission your own. The price is more than reasonable, and waiting time is very short. His link is in the description.
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold How much did yours cost??
@@ajunteburns6894 about 350 plus shipping
Now I want one
You cannot go wrong with Purna Darnal. Just make sure you give him very specific measurements for him to follow.
Nepal needs to become the Switzerland of Asia.
I think it practically has already been. And if it's the neutrality you are talking about, Thailand is probably the Switzerland of Asia.
nice
Thanks, buddy!
One of the sword look like the use by Ork in Lord of the rings.
Urukai’s sword is spiked on one aide only and the spike is rather triangular rather than being a 🌙
Can you imagine these swords used in war? Or even in a duel?
Yes.
Kane i love your content! I have a question. The ikakalaka resembles a speculated weapon that egyptians likely had. Its called a palm axe. Its a polearm with the tip having the same crescent like blade. Have you ever seen anything like it? Do you think its effective? And would it be possible to get blacksmiths to build one for a video?! Thank you if you reply to this message😁
Thank you for your support. It's interesting that you bring up the palm axe, something I have never heard of before, which is totally rare. After doing some research, it appears that this is a fantasy weapon invented by the prop makers of the film Mummy Returns, used by Imhotep. Actual Bronze Age Egyptian battle axes have a variety that has a long crescent blade mounted horizontally to a shaft, with both tips of the crescent affixed to the pole. It appears that the prop designer of that film took inspiration from this weapon and turned it 90 degrees and fixed it to a pole to create a fancier weapon (which happens to coincidentally resemble the Konda aka ikakalaka sword).
Pop culture properties such as DnD quickly picked this up and named it the Palm Axe, due to its palm-tree like shape I assume. But it's not really a historical weapon. Of course since they have made it for the film (along with a variety of axe that is more akin to the historical Egyptian battle axe), it can be done. Whether it is functional depends on specific designs. One way to is have a socket for the shaft to go through the middle of the crescent. The other way is for the crescent to have a tang to be mounted in the middle of the pole.
@FortuneFavoursTheBold oh wow thank you for the insight! You can even find the palm axe in this historical fighting game I play a lot called "For Honor". There is a character named Medjay, that uses a dual bifurcated version of it. It's pretty cool. So although it's not a historical weapon, it would be interesting seeing if it's actually effective. I haven't seen any youtubers make a one, that's actually sharp to see if it's actually a good weapon in combat. You know I'm not gonna bother you and be annoying and plead you to make a video for it, I know it requires a lot of your subscribers to vote on it so it may not even happen but thats ok. Thank you man😄
No problem. I enjoy the discussion surrounding arms and armor, both historical and fantastical. I think through careful design, it can become functional. However, having some commissioning it from an established smith cost a lot of money (and likely waiting time as well). But I will talk to Brother Nathaniel (AKA the Levin Lance to see if he is interested in designing and commissioning something similar as it is definitely his lane). Thanks for the suggestion.
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold I'm honored you took my suggestion! Wow! If it's a possibility I can't wait to see if it becomes a video! Have a great rest of your day!
is the Ikakalaka a 2 sided billhook?
You can definitely hook with the spikes, the inside is also sharpened so it would cut well too.
0:45 Tis but a scratch... just a flesh wound...
Clearly a flesh wound.
Where can I buy these?
I designed it myself based on originals and commissioned from the smith I linked in the video description.
Are there 2 hand versions of the Ikakalaka?
Historically? No. But a sword friend reached out to me and we designed a two handed version and had it made by the same maker.
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold Neat! It seems like a sword that would look real cool as a big 2h sword.
Yes, it would be quite formidable. And with two handed grip, you van lengthen the blade as well. The trick is the get enough distal taper in the blade so it wouldn’t be top heavy and unusable.
Whats more cringe than African swords? The people trying to act like they're cool......
Says the little boy who plays with his teeny tiny toy and try to talk smack online from his parents' basement to 'look cool'. Tell everybody what you think "cool" is, because everybody is so eager to hear that from a tiny incel. You the sheeple indeed.
Ain't nobody care about what a backwater hillbilly thinks what cool is. Better go back to the swamp and eat some more mud.
Even the swamp wouldn't take someone who names himself "we_the_sheeple_consent". There's but one place for him--the homeless shelter.
They are cool swords and you're upset about it.😂
African swords are very cool, stop being a whiny baby