Thumbprints on keris blade
 

On some rare keris there are markings which I have heard called thumbprints. I have only seen these markings on straight keris blades but was wondering if they are ever on wavy keris blades?
Supposedly when the empu is forging the blade he pinches the blade a number of times along the length of the blade whilst still red hot.
What is the meaning behind these markings and is the number of thumbprints symbolic like luk number?

I think that it's not so rare to find a picit keris. I have one!But it certainly means that the empu is high skilled, with paranormal abilities.
He leaves his thumpprints while the blade is still hot!! Even better, I was told that there are a few keris, with tongueprints!!

george

I also own a keris picit. Now you mentioned it, mine is also straight bladed.

The finger prints on mine keris is like the empu pinched the red hot blade with one hand. Four fingers on one side and the thumb on the other side.
I've read that the meaning behind these markings is, the projection of the Isi into the keris by the empu. The empu who is able to perform this action is as Pakana said high skilled with paranormal abilities.

I have seen a blade with markings which looked like they were made with the maker's lips. Someone told me before there are blades made by female Empu with markings made by their vul**. Paranormal? or abnormal?

By pinching his or her tumbprint on a red hot keris blade, the empu is transfering his energy or magical properties onto and into the keris. Similarly, by using his lips (that were used to chant mantras) on to the keris, the keris is supposed to be more ampuh (some say this process is actually sepuhan batin - hardening the isi).

Firstly do all picit keris have straight blades and if so why?
Secondly I have never seen a keris which has high quality pamor/dapur and was also a picit keris, usually picit keris are not the most highly crafted of keris.
Could this phenomena be caused by uneven heating/cooling of the blade and have nothing to do with fingerprints, all the picit keris I have seen had relatively thick and wide blades.
Thirdly if you were an empu and you intended on empowering a blade, a time consuming process would you not also insure that the craftsmanship was also of a very high level?

Keris picit is forged mainly to serve as talisman, so the end result does not really matter.

I would like to add here that in some cases the pamor also refers to something "from above". For example there are keris picit with pamor Tiban (or Tuban?) which means that the final decision for the keris power is determined by "above", in addition with the thumbprints of the mpu.

George

Perhaps, we discussed it broadly long time ago.

OeS

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