My Newly Restored Moro Kris Swassa/Silver
 

Greetings again folks,

Here is a kris that was many years in the making.

First I got the blade from Spunger (salamat Ron). So I took rust off the blade and restored the silver inlays. Afterwards I etched the blade. In one of the pictures you can see almost a Tibetan hairpin turn lamination at the tip. The center of the blade has many laminations.

Second, I purchased a pommel from eBay in very bad shape. I restored it, but had to use an old Moro form of repair by covering over destroyed parts with swassa covered brass.

Third, the hilt also came a few years later from Spunger. I used the silver woven bands but I made the swassa on brass bands. The bands are in Maguindanao okir and based on those of my original hilt made of the same stuff (but this original kris was stolen years ago).

Finally I made the baka-baka clamp from silver.

Once a week I work on my own stuff. So enjoy!

Here are pictures of the blade.

It looks amazing!

Do you have any pictures of the components before restoration? I'm curious to see the difference.

Stunning work, thank you for sharing!

My jaw just dropped.

Excellent work.

Excellent work!

“I made the swassa on brass bands”, it’s gold plated?

Thank you folks.

Werecow - Here are pictures of how I got the pieces (except the pommel).

You can see missing silver from empty grooves in the blade, and not much on the hilt except the woven silver bands. At the top of the hilt is a piece of kamagong/makassar ebony.

Kumusta Albert!

Yes the okir bands are 14k rose gold filled (thicker than plating) bonded to brass beneath.

Very nice!

Nicely done, congrats Jose! Can I assume that both crests of the ivory pommel are damaged?

Regards,
Detlef

Hi Detlef - yes both beak and tail are damaged. So in accordance to Moro tradition, I covered the damage with gold plated metal with okir design.

Here are pictures of the scabbard I made. The top wranga is made of burled walnut and the rest is made of walnut. Bands are made of silver.

wow! that was an amazing work! any youtube video on your restoration work!

Thank you. No not yet, but you are not alone in encouraging me to do Youtube.

For one, if you were to start a channel Jose, I will subscribe immediately. Your craftsmanship is spectacular and your restorations are done in a way that is culturally and historically respectful to the weapons, the way it should be done.

I'm honored, Thank you! :)