Bali Keris #3

A. G. Maisey · 13th June 2014, 03:12 AM

Know anything?

No, not really.

In sociological terms, little keris = little (as in low ranking) man. Very ordinary sort of keris, I've seen many like this over the years. I'd agree with ngulit semangko as pamor. Perhaps it should be repolished and restained, but in truth, it is probably not worth the effort --- many years ago when I was inexperienced with keris I would have put the time in on it, simply for the joy of learning, but these days I wouldn't bother. Its probably best left just as it is.

GIO · 14th June 2014, 03:16 PM

No, I do not use pins to secure the ganja. I get a small deformation on the ganja around the peksi, so that the ganja is firmly fixed.
The same principle is applied in Japan to adapt tsubas on the blades.
I am sure Alan has never seen such a system: it is my personal clumsy work to avoid the use of glue. In my defence I would emphasize that the result is invisible (also because hidden by the mendak) and reversible.
When a pin is present, I obviously use it. If it is worn out, I make a new one.

A. G. Maisey · 14th June 2014, 09:13 PM

Please accept my apologies Giovanni.

I misinterpreted your sketch:- I thought that the black spots surrounding the tang were holes to accept pins.

Yes, tightening a gonjo by working around the tang and punching the top of the gonjo is a valid way to fit a gonjo, I've often found this method used on Bugis and Peninsula keris, but I cannot recall ever having seen it used on a Javanese or Balinese keris.

GIO · 16th June 2014, 05:43 PM

Alan, you absolutely must not excuse yourself.
In fact I am rather flattered becoming aware that the procedure I follow to fix a ganja is being utilized in Indonesia too. At the end my work is not so clumsy and rough !

A. G. Maisey · 17th June 2014, 12:00 AM

Yes, I believe your finished job would be neat.

However, this type of fit can only be used when the hole in the gonjo is a neat fit to the tang.

13th June 2014, 03:12 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Know anything? No, not really. In sociological terms, little keris = little (as in low ranking) man. Very ordinary sort of keris, I've seen many like this over the years. I'd agree with ngulit semangko as pamor. Perhaps it should be repolished and restained, but in truth, it is probably not worth the effort --- many years ago when I was inexperienced with keris I would have put the time in on it, simply for the joy of learning, but these days I wouldn't bother. Its probably best left just as it is.

14th June 2014, 03:16 PM	#2
GIO Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 328	No, I do not use pins to secure the ganja. I get a small deformation on the ganja around the peksi, so that the ganja is firmly fixed. The same principle is applied in Japan to adapt tsubas on the blades. I am sure Alan has never seen such a system: it is my personal clumsy work to avoid the use of glue. In my defence I would emphasize that the result is invisible (also because hidden by the mendak) and reversible. When a pin is present, I obviously use it. If it is worn out, I make a new one.

14th June 2014, 09:13 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Please accept my apologies Giovanni. I misinterpreted your sketch:- I thought that the black spots surrounding the tang were holes to accept pins. Yes, tightening a gonjo by working around the tang and punching the top of the gonjo is a valid way to fit a gonjo, I've often found this method used on Bugis and Peninsula keris, but I cannot recall ever having seen it used on a Javanese or Balinese keris.

16th June 2014, 05:43 PM	#4
GIO Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 328	Alan, you absolutely must not excuse yourself. In fact I am rather flattered becoming aware that the procedure I follow to fix a ganja is being utilized in Indonesia too. At the end my work is not so clumsy and rough !

17th June 2014, 12:00 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Yes, I believe your finished job would be neat. However, this type of fit can only be used when the hole in the gonjo is a neat fit to the tang.