making a kris...

Rick · 22nd December 2024, 03:59 AM

This is not making a keris; it's someone from another culture making a (K.L.O.), keris like object from crucible steel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXQmmvAaiLw
It might win a challenge on the Forged in Fire television series.

sirek · 22nd December 2024, 12:04 PM

In these videos you can see how a traditional keris is made in Bali
(and how much work goes into it)

https://www.youtube.com/@LembuBara/videos

A. G. Maisey · 23rd December 2024, 01:51 AM

Yep, a lot of work in making a keris.

I've made about half a dozen, all of them made with traditional hand tools, no electric tools. Before Empu Suparman took me under his wing & taught me, I'd already made a couple, but they were pretty rough. The first one I made under Empu Suparman's tuition took me 16 days of cold work & about one & a half days of forge work with the help of two strikers.

The longest time it took me was 49 man days of 8 to 10 hours each, that was about 9 days of forge work, 3 men working for 8 hours a day for 3 days, then there was around 40+ days of cold work, again , all traditional tools.

It used to take Empu Suparman about 14 days of cold work to make straight random pamor keris. Empu Suparman also used traditional hand tools, no electric tools.

Virtually everybody now uses electric tools, and I think most makers take about a week to do the cold work.

In GP's three videos we can see Bandi in the first, & Ketut Mudra in the third, I've known both these men for more than 40 years. Both are serious & highly regarded makers. Ketut Mudra is perhaps the only living Pande Keris who knows the old mantras. I also knew Pak Ketut's father, Mangku Pande Made Wija.

Making a keris is pretty serious business, & virtually all keris now are made for the local market.

If one is prepared to pay & can make the right connections, it is still possible to have a keris made that has the potential to become a family pusaka.

David · 24th December 2024, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

This is not making a keris; it's someone from another culture making a (K.L.O.), keris like object from crucible steel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXQmmvAaiLw
It might win a challenge on the Forged in Fire television series.

Yes, FZ Knifes in the second video is a very good modern smith who makes nice modern knives. His video certainly does not belong with the other two videos here that show traditional knife making and what he creates in this video cannot be seriously considered a keris.

22nd December 2024, 03:59 AM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	This is not making a keris; it's someone from another culture making a (K.L.O.), keris like object from crucible steel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXQmmvAaiLw It might win a challenge on the Forged in Fire television series.

22nd December 2024, 12:04 PM	#2
sirek Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 170	In these videos you can see how a traditional keris is made in Bali (and how much work goes into it) https://www.youtube.com/@LembuBara/videos

23rd December 2024, 01:51 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,989	Yep, a lot of work in making a keris. I've made about half a dozen, all of them made with traditional hand tools, no electric tools. Before Empu Suparman took me under his wing & taught me, I'd already made a couple, but they were pretty rough. The first one I made under Empu Suparman's tuition took me 16 days of cold work & about one & a half days of forge work with the help of two strikers. The longest time it took me was 49 man days of 8 to 10 hours each, that was about 9 days of forge work, 3 men working for 8 hours a day for 3 days, then there was around 40+ days of cold work, again , all traditional tools. It used to take Empu Suparman about 14 days of cold work to make straight random pamor keris. Empu Suparman also used traditional hand tools, no electric tools. Virtually everybody now uses electric tools, and I think most makers take about a week to do the cold work. In GP's three videos we can see Bandi in the first, & Ketut Mudra in the third, I've known both these men for more than 40 years. Both are serious & highly regarded makers. Ketut Mudra is perhaps the only living Pande Keris who knows the old mantras. I also knew Pak Ketut's father, Mangku Pande Made Wija. Making a keris is pretty serious business, & virtually all keris now are made for the local market. If one is prepared to pay & can make the right connections, it is still possible to have a keris made that has the potential to become a family pusaka.