I normally use a 2.5X or 3X machinists loupe. These magnifications are sufficient for the purpose and easier to use than high mag jeweller's loupes.

If you pick at the filling material with a needle and watch through the loupe, you can usually see the composition and consistency of the material. If its just dirt and rust, it picks away quite easily, but if it is a modern exoxy based filler it tends to stick together and you break little bits of it off, if it is plastic steel its almost impossible to pick it away.

But then there is the possibility that the material was put there during a recent renovation to protect the ganja and blade from further erosion:- just finding a modern material in place does not necessarily gaurantee that it is a modern blade, its only an indicator that it might be.

Whether the material is there to fill, or just to give protection, the end effect is that the adhesive qualities of the epoxy resin will assist in firmly fixing the ganja.

Really, the only way you can be certain what it is , is by close physical examination. As has already been demonstrated in another thread, photographs are a very poor substitute for having the thing in your hand.

Thanks a lot, for all the advice. I think it is very useful too, for everyone in this Warung. Really knowledgeable advice... Even in my own hand, still everytime I misjudged to analyze what happened to the blade I was seeing. So everytime I am posting the blade to ask the more knowledgeable person like you, Alan, in this Warung to comment... Thanks a lot

GANJAWULUNG

Pak Ganja, I thank you for your compliment, however, I cannot understand why you would consider that any opinion given upon the basis of photographs could possibly be more valid than an opinion given in the physical presence of a keris.

I'm positive that everybody who has had any lengthy contact with keris has made many errors when attempting appraisal of a keris. All of the really big name people whom I have known personally have made errors, not once, but repeatedly, and I myself have made many errors. These errors have been made with the keris in hand.

Now, when we consider that all we have to work with in respect of a photograph , is a flat two dimensional image that in most cases lacks even a reasonable rendition of detail, then it is inevitable that the error count will rise. To fairly judge a keris we need to hold it in the hand, consider it in three dimensions, consider the percieved weight and balance, consider the texture of the material, and consider many other details that simply cannot be provided in even the very best photograph, let alone an inferior image on a computer screen.

Any opinions that are given upon the basis of a photograph must be viewed as tentative only. The opinions that you would receive from your friends when they actually have the blade in hand must be given much more weight than any opinion given here, no matter who gives that opinion.

It seems that this whatever "sundang" was fit with (probably) a key, not really like a needle-sized pin. A flat key at one side of the square hole. (picture below)...

GANJAWULUNG

Thank you Pak Ganja.

I had a bit of difficulty in seeing the piece of metal used to tighten the ganja, so I have taken the liberty of playing with your image a little in order to clarify.

Please accept my apologies.

Of course no problem at all, Alan. The half round pin-hole near the flat key, do you think it was intentionally made for technical reason?

Thank you in advance, Alan...

GANJAWULUNG

That half-round cut is where you would expect to find a keyway.

There are a number of possible explanations for it being there, but we cannot really say with any certainty why it is there.

If the blade is truly old and genuine, something that from the photos I am inclined to doubt, the original fit of ganja to pesi may have been done with keyway and key (pin), on the other hand, if it is not old and genuine, perhaps the maker may have tried to fit with a key, but found he had made the ganja hole insufficiently neat to allow a key fitting, so he resorted to using a slip, or a wedge of metal, as we can see.

Thanks, for the explanation Alan,
It is still difficult to convince me that this blade is not old. The light material I feel in my hand is one thing, and the "wasuhan" (quenching) technique of the upper blade is another thing. And I am still quite sure too, that this not "maduran sundang". Except, if one trace the origin of this blade from the warangka, and not from the blade...

GANJAWULUNG

Pak Ganja, you have it in your hand.

Without doubt other experienced people would have seen the actual blade and given an opinion.

All we can see here is an image on a computer screen.

Based on that image I have the impression that this blade is recent, but it is more than probable that were I to hold it in my hand I would reverse that opinion.

In many cases the use for photos displayed on computer screens is worse than useless for any meaningful comment on a keris.The best we can hope for when we comment based on computer images is an impression created by that image, and the image is no substitute for the real thing.