Meet my new Keris

[vinny]

Hello

I think this is a Keris Yogyakarta, although I am just going by the clothes. I guess there is a possibility the Keris came from somewhere else, and is dressed in Yogyakarta clothes. Thanks everyone for all your help identifying the Pamor. After a quick look at Dominique Buttin’s Malay Edged Weapons site, I agree the Keris has Dapur Brojol.

I think this Keris is a “good” Keris, may be even a bit special. At first glance, it seems a little crude. The surface is a little rough and almost like raw metal ore! (perhaps the Empu suggesting meteoric origins?). The Keris is heavy, chunky, and feels very substantial, especially compare with my Keris Surakarta (which I may show you later), which has a delicate feel about it. It looks like it may have been slightly over-etched, but I like this overall effect.


The Pamor has crystalline structure, which sparkles, from all angles, glinting like little diamonds in the blade. As you rotate the Pamor creates a hologram effect and the pattern changes in the light. Looks like 3 types of iron, as there is black iron, grey iron and very bright iron and the twinkling parts.

I have taken some photos which you can the Pamor looks different from various angles, and on the close up of the straight part of the blade, you can clearly see layers in the Pamor which are twinkling, although they just appear white on the photo, believe me, the blade really does twinkle). You can see this most in what I think is the last photo.

The Mendak appears to be excellent quality, very intricate with tiny details, the wood also seems very nice quality too, as does the Pendok.

This Keris feels old, the clothes are obviously not new, and the blade looks, feels and smells old - I could just make out the smell of scented oil. I just gave the blade a quick bath in some lime juice, rinsed for a few minutes in water to prevent further etching and oiled with beautifully scented minyak sendana.

Any comment greatly received, especially corrections to my opinion, but please be kind to my Keris and each other!

[Rick]

Hi Vinny , I can see the glitter you refer to .
I have a very old keris that has touches of that type of pamor material also .

The other thing it has in common with your keris is the plain pamorless gangya .

If I recall correctly my keris is reputed to be from the Sultan Agung era ; possibly yours is also that old .

[tom hyle]

Maybe it's just me, but I find that odd little curl at the base of Rick's k(e)ris' blade particularly lovely. I've little doubt but that it is meaningful in some way, as well.

[Alam Shah]

If I'm not mistaken, the shiny silverish part is known as Pamor Akhodiat. In East Java and Madura, it's also known as Pamor Deling. As for the crystalline structures, I've seen many of those in the past. I have one, too.

[nechesh]

I agree with Alam about pamor akhodiat, though it would be pretty tough to determine from the quality of the photos shown.
If i am not mistaken it was forbidden for a time for keris not of the court to have gonjo with pamor. I would need to look up the specifics of when this time occurred.

[rahman]

The bright spots do look like pamor akhodiat -- created when the temperature during forging is 'just right'.

The photo you showed in another thread led me to believe you also have a pamor miang -- the 3D or hologram effect. Unfortunately, that didn't come out in these photos.