The journey of Brunei’s modern bladesmith
Pengiran Haji Mohammed Zulqarnain carries a significant burden, one forged by years of honing his metalworking skills. He is acutely aware that the ancient and traditional craft he passionately pursues is at risk of fading away.
At 36 years old, Zulqarnain is not just a self-made bladesmith but an artisan determined to revive bladesmithing art in Brunei.
Once a dedicated Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) officer, he now finds himself drawn into the ancient art of forging knives from tamahagane steel, embarking on a journey that would redefine his life’s path.
Pengiran Zulqarnain’s transition to becoming a bladesmith, however, was not merely a career shift but a transformative response to life’s unexpected turns.
FORGED IN FIRE
His first foray into blacksmithing was in 2005 when he was taught a bit of the trade by his late father.
Originally trained in ensuring safety protocols in workplaces, his journey took a sharp turn when an injury forced him to resign from his corporate role.
This pivotal moment in 2020 led him back to a childhood fascination with the craft of blacksmithing, nurtured by early experiences.
Before delving into the art form, his life took varied paths, including a brief stint as a military cadet. It was during rigorous jungle training exercises that the importance of quality knife craftsmanship became profoundly evident.
This realisation, coupled with his background in kendo – a Japanese martial art focused on swordsmanship – fuelled his aspiration to not only master the art of blade making but to elevate it to new heights.
His journey in mastering the craft of the blade however began with a simple need to have a decently sharp knife, a need borne from spending days in the jungle during his short time as an officer cadet in 2013 as well subsequent experiences during the annual korban of livestock.
“For me at least, there was this constant need to sharpen the knives we were using, however unlike me with prior experience, regular people wouldn’t find sharpening knives as second nature,” he shared noting how there is a learning curve that needs to be overcome.
“There were also really no dedicated knife sharpening services provided in Brunei, and even if there were, they are provided by old folks in their 60s and even then, they aren’t exactly exposed online, so to find them you had to go through word of mouth”.
MANY SHARP TURNS
During his time as an HSE officer for an oil and gas company, Pengiran Zulqarnain worked for six years, until he had to resign due to an injury to his spine.
He had a demonstrated history in the oil and gas industry with experiences in in drilling, construction and subsea construction, however with the injury, he was unable to perform his designated tasks to the best of his ability.
So the answer was to pivot. Hearkening back to a longstanding interest in the blade, the former safety specialist, took on a course to become a master sharpener, subsequently opening his venture the Garrison Bladesmith alongside his business partner Zulkifli bin Haji Ali in 2022.
They initially began by just providing knife sharpening services however as they started to get clients, some brought locally made knives or machetes.
He noticed the lack of quality due to the local practices of using either scrap metal or car leaf springs.
“Unfortunately, many local bladesmiths often take the easy route, prioritising quick profits over quality craftsmanship. From our experience, we see numerous customers seeking repair or restoration for their knives.
“Most of these knives are rusted to the point of being unusable. The rust has eaten into the steel, which remains soft – clearly indicating that corners were cut during the crafting process.”
This realisation spurred his evolution from knife sharpening to crafting knives using skills learned from Japan, leading Pengiran Zulqarnain to his ultimate goal which is essentially to forge “a katana in pamarang (the local name for machete) form”.
A CUT ABOVE
Earlier this year, Pengiran Zulqarnain along with his business partner and joined by their chief operation officer and junior sharpener, Muhammad Nabil bin Salamat went to Japan where they underwent a six-day knife forging apprenticeship.
There, they learned about making tamahagane steel, a traditional form of Japanese steel made from iron sand, known for its use in crafting high-quality samurai swords and other bladed tools.
“Alhamdulillah, we were fortunate to find a sensei who was willing to share his knowledge of making tamahagane steel and teach us how to craft kitchen knives in the traditional Japanese way.”
“Traditional Japanese methods are deeply rooted in centuries of craftsmanship, emphasising precision, patience and attention to detail,” he went on to explain.
The process, he added, involves multiple stages, including forging, annealing and meticulous hand-polishing, ensuring the knife’s exceptional sharpness and durability. These techniques, passed down through generations, create knives that are not only functional tools but also works of art.
For Pengiran Zulqarnain and his fellow bladesmiths, the course not only provided technical expertise but also instilled a profound respect for traditional techniques and materials.
Due to this, their bladesmithing venture stands apart as one of the few artisans committed to using natural iron sands, striving for uncompromising quality and craftsmanship
His ultimate ambition however extends beyond personal mastery; as he has made it his mission to rejuvenate Brunei’s bladesmithing heritage, looking to eventually craft other blades including machetes and keris.
In a landscape where traditional smiths predominantly fashion machetes from scrap metal, their bladesmithing venture stands apart as one of the few artisans committed to using natural iron sands, striving for uncompromising quality and craftsmanship.
“What we are hoping for this tradition of blacksmithing and bladesmithing will not be lost to time. Especially for our pemarang makers, where this craft has become an integral part of our way of life.
“However, the tradition of making keris has already faded away. Our next goal is to learn how to forge keris and revive its glory, either as gifts or as Bruneian-made keris brought home by tourists.” – Wardi Wasil
