Weapons of pencak silat

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Pencak silat uses a wide range of weapons, from blades and sticks to shields, bows, and even everyday items. Many weapons started as farming tools, reflecting how important agriculture was in Southeast Asia. Here is a short, easy-to-understand guide to some of the main weapons you might encounter in silat.

- Parang: a machete-like knife that can be curved or straight and comes in various sizes; very common in silat.
- Golok: a heavy parang from West Java, with a blade about 10–20 inches long; often used as a main weapon in local styles.
- Arit: a sickle used for harvests; frequently paired with a knife and noted for its trapping and slicing power.
- Kerambit: a curved, claw-like knife with a finger ring; easy to hide and often used one-handed.
- Pisau: a short-bladed knife of many shapes; a general term for small blades in silat.
- Kris (keris): a dagger with a distinctive wavy blade (though many are straight); worn as a status symbol and fought with in many styles.
- Rencong: a straight-bladed, pistol-grip knife from Aceh; similar in status to the kris in some cultures.
- Tumbuk lada: a Minang blade from West Sumatra; thick, double-edged, 8–16 inches long.
- Badik: a small straight knife from Makassar and Bugis areas; typically 20–40 cm long.
- Pedang: a general term for a one-handed sword; many regional forms exist (jenawi, gedubang, dap, etc.).
- Kelewang (klewang): a single-edged long sword; often worn without a sheath.
- Sundang: Bugis sword, common in Sulawesi; usually wavy but sometimes straight.
- Sakin/Sewar: slender thrusting knives; sakin is straight, sewar is curved; both were favored by some assassins.
- Chipan: a battle-axe that can be used with two hands; based on wood-cutting axes.
- Kapak Siam: “Siamese axe”; a short throwing axe with a curved handle, sometimes used at close range.
- Tongkat: the short stick or club; many variants and names; used for striking, trapping, and weapon defense.
- Cakeram: a steel disc that can be thrown or used in close combat; some versions are “steel wheels.”
- Topang: a weaponized crutch or walking stick; bamboo versions like pancawangan sakti are common.
- Sauku: a whip, often made from rattan, bamboo, or leather; used for striking and binding.
- Liangcat: a pair of sticks connected by a short chain or rope; primarily a choking and trapping weapon but also swung.
- Rantai: a chain weapon, sometimes with weighted ends or a dart on one end; can also be used like a whip.
- Tombak and Lembing: spear and javelin; tombak is usually a non-missile spear, lembing can be used as a spear or thrown.
- Lembing tikam pari and trisula: three-barbed or three-pronged variants of spear or trident.
- Arbir: a glaive-like long weapon with a curved blade on one end and a spike on the other, with a groove to locate the edge.
- Golok chakok and kaoliam: hooked spear–related tools used to counter other weapons.
- Angkusa: an elephant goad; a short weapon attached to the rider’s hand when controlling war elephants.
- Chabang (tekpi): a three-pronged iron truncheon, often paired for defense and trapping weapons; called the king of weapons for its versatility.
- Kipas: a folding fan; strong combat versions exist and can be used to slash or block.
- Perisai: a shield, usually a round rattan buckler or a long wooden jebang shield.
- Caping (chaping): a conical sun hat that can block blows or be thrown as a distraction.
- Payung: an umbrella; used for protection and as a weapon thrusting with the tip.
- Samping: a worn sarong that can trap, grab, lock, or shield, and may be used to trap an opponent’s weapon.
- Gandewa (busar/busar): a bow, though less common today.
- Sumpitan: a blowpipe for long-range shots; darts can be poisonous in historical contexts.
- Paku: a small throwing dart hidden in the hand or clothing; typically taught to advanced students.
- Kiam: the Chinese jian or double-edged straight sword; lightweight and fast, used singly or in pairs.

These weapons show how silat blends practical tools with skilled, disciplined technique, making it a diverse and historically rich martial art.