KLUANG, March 26 — Machete craftsman Ahmad Shah Ismail, 42, did not envision that his hobby of machete-making would result in him establishing a line of machetes so popular they are now highly sought after by hikers abroad, especially from the United States, New Zealand and Australia.

Known as Parang Tantari, his machetes are produced at his own workshop, with the most suitable models for hiking being the Candong, Ponco, Rintis and the current hot pick, Green Star Trail (GST).

"I forged these machetes for my own use initially, but I gifted several to foreign hikers who I guided without expecting them to spread the word to other hikers.

"Actually, I can’t really take a break as orders for the machetes can exceed 100 units a month,” the mountain guide told Bernama when met at his workshop in Kampung Pinggir Jaya, Kahang near here recently.

He said that machetes are a must for mountain hikers, as it not only functioned as a weapon but served as a life survival tool during hikes, and attributed the popularity of his machetes to the unique and comfortable sheaths that rested well on their hips.

"Im really thankful for this machete enterprise, as I’ve received support from the state government via Perbadanan Usahawan Johor Berhad (PUJB),” he said.

As for the brand name Tantari, Ahmad Shah said that he was inspired by a machete-wielding warrior character from the P Ramlee film ‘Enam Jahaman’ who displayed such noble spirit in his efforts to avenge his wife’s death.

The avid hiker started climbing when he was 10, as he frequently followed his father into the wilds to forage for petai and fish, and has climbed over 60 hills and mountains in Peninsula Malaysia.

"I really want to scale Mount Kinabalu one day, and among the mountains I’ve conquered include Gunung Tahan in Pahang, Gunung Ledang in Johor and Gunung Chamah in Kelantan.

"But the hardest peak to climb (for me) is a mountain at the border of three states, Perak, Kelantan and Pahang, known as Gunung Yong Belar, which is a favourite among hikers abroad,” he said, adding that he has begun introducing hiking to his three-year-old child, Aazeen Afifah. — Bernama