To answer your last question first, yes, some would say that it might be considered an "injustice" of sorts to leave a keris without a keris. A keris is generally not considered complete without one. Some would say that the sheath acts as a container for the keris' power and that power will leave an unattended keris. Some would say that the sheath acts as the feminine quality to the male quality of the blade (wilah) and that without it there is no completion. Does this mean that you need to have sheaths comissioned for these blades? Not necessarily, but that all depends on how you choose to relate to these weapons and how much weight you give to their spiritual nature.
I suspect that the mark on the keris picit that looks like a backwards 3 may well be an intentional talismanic symbol, though it could just be a trick of the light.
And yes, nice quality mendaks are readily available. I will PM you a source, though i suspect that is exactly the same info that Rick has already PMed to you.
