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Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey
Harry, one of the things I do when I appraise a keris is to examine it very closely using a 3X loupe under good natural light. You can see a lot that you cannot otherwise see.
I suggest you have a close look at the gold that has been applied to the surface of this blade.
There are several different ways to attach gold to the surface of a blade, it is probable that the gold on your blade is a very, very thin layer of foil that has been attached in a similar way to koftgari. Sometimes a little bit of adhesive might be used where where the foil will not stick.
The total weight of the gold will be very small.
This keris is a bit heavier than your others because it is a current era keris, and the raised areas of carved steel, needed to support the gold add to the weight.
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I am sure you are right. It is difficult for me to tell looking at it under magnification, but I can take some gold off with edge of a dime. I have to be a little vigorous but it does come off, so it probably is pretty thin. Here are some macro photos that might help. Many thanks for your help!