Oh well, I wasn't really in the market for another kris

A. G. Maisey · 17th June 2016, 11:57 PM

Jean, kayu pelet is not a species of wood, it is a wood pattern. Any wood at all, from any tree at all can be pelet. The word pelet refers to the combination of light and dark patterns in the wood.

I do not know of any wood named purnama. The word itself has a sanscrit root and its only normal use that I know of is as "bulan purnama" : "full moon". It is also used as a man's name but not often.

If you are telling me that the gambar on the first scabbard you posted is "kayu purnama", I'm very sorry, but I must disagree. This wood is sono, but it is sono that has a small inclusion of sapwood, the light coloured wood, next to the gandar. The application of the word "purnama" to describe this wood is probably a little bit of poetic licence in likening the small area of white wood to a moon against a dark sky. Once again, we are talking about a wood pattern.

I have just asked 3 native speakers of Indonesian if they know of the word "purnama" used as an adjective or a stand alone noun, they do not, as with myself they can only come up with "bulan purnama". To me "kayu purnama" sounds very much like a dealer's invention.

The naga blade you show is certainly a very nicely made Balinese blade, but I'm sorry, from the pic cannot give any opinion on its age.

As for straight old blades never having a naga, this is not so, I have owned old Javanese and Madurese straight blades with a naga. However they were pretty inferior blades, and logically I would think that a naga should not appear in a straight blade --- but as I have said:- they do, but seldom.

17th June 2016, 11:57 PM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,989	Jean, kayu pelet is not a species of wood, it is a wood pattern. Any wood at all, from any tree at all can be pelet. The word pelet refers to the combination of light and dark patterns in the wood. I do not know of any wood named purnama. The word itself has a sanscrit root and its only normal use that I know of is as "bulan purnama" : "full moon". It is also used as a man's name but not often. If you are telling me that the gambar on the first scabbard you posted is "kayu purnama", I'm very sorry, but I must disagree. This wood is sono, but it is sono that has a small inclusion of sapwood, the light coloured wood, next to the gandar. The application of the word "purnama" to describe this wood is probably a little bit of poetic licence in likening the small area of white wood to a moon against a dark sky. Once again, we are talking about a wood pattern. I have just asked 3 native speakers of Indonesian if they know of the word "purnama" used as an adjective or a stand alone noun, they do not, as with myself they can only come up with "bulan purnama". To me "kayu purnama" sounds very much like a dealer's invention. The naga blade you show is certainly a very nicely made Balinese blade, but I'm sorry, from the pic cannot give any opinion on its age. As for straight old blades never having a naga, this is not so, I have owned old Javanese and Madurese straight blades with a naga. However they were pretty inferior blades, and logically I would think that a naga should not appear in a straight blade --- but as I have said:- they do, but seldom.