Topographic pattern on kris
 

Apologies for the bad photos. I am about to clean this up but am curious about the slightly raised patterning on this kris. I'm tempted to polish but wanted to see if others have experienced this with Moro kris. Hope the pictures demonstrate what I am describing. The raised material is enough to feel with fingernail but not enough to "catch" it.

Hi Jeff.

A 20th C Mindanao kris that seems to have been over-etched. I had a barung that was treated similarly. I think it may now belong to a fellow forumite.

The extent of over-etching starts at the tip of the "arrowhead" of the blade and extends down the blade. There is nothing above that line to suggest any etchant was used.

Hi Ian,

Do you mean the barung you sold me via ebay 15-20 years back? ;)

Regards,
Detlef

Hi Jeff,

I guess that Ian means me, I bought a similar over etched barung from him via ebay years ago. I've thought about to repolish the blade but I have enough other projects which seems more important to my eyes! :D
Your kris blade looks very interesting in this state, I would let it in this state.

Regards,
Detlef

Yes, Detlef, that's the one--right before I came down with an illness that kept me off these pages for several years. I've never seen another barung treated in that manner.

Long ago but I still have it and was able to add a scabbard to it, it was my first barung. Will post pictures tomorrow for comparison.

Regards,
Detlef

Here you go! Like said before, I was able to give the blade a fitting scabbard.
The blade is different from the kris blade in question, but over-etched for sure but I am sure that it would be possible to make the blade very nice again, you just need to polish the blade.

Regards,
Detlef

Nice match with the scabbard, Detlef. Correct era too.

Hi Ian,

Jep, it was great luck to find this scabbard and the fit is not bad!

Regards,
Detlef

Wow, that rarely happens! Thx for posting. Yes, I think I will polish it and light etch to show that cool pattern. Ian - you said 20th C, would that be pre-war. The ganja is separate, nice sword.

Jeff,

Yes, I think pre-WWII

Ian

Hi Jeff,

And unbelievable, this was the second time I've had this luck.

And yes, I think it's a good idea to repolish the blade of your kris.

Regards,
Detlef

Hi Detlef,


I don't want to hijack Jeff's thread, but that second barung is older than your first, judging from the pommel, and you matched it with an older style of scabbard. Was that intentional or just happenstance?

Hi Ian,

I also won't hijack Jeff's thread but I am nearly sure that he doesn't mind. ;)
I bought the scabbard years ago for peanuts from a weapons forum in Spain (!), the Sulu barung, it's a shandigan blade, I bought years later at an auction and I was very surprised that the scabbard fits the blade nearly perfectly. And I think that it's a matching pair.

Best regards,
Detlef