Hi Alan
I recently read Skeat's "Malay Magic". Close to the end of the book he has a section entitled 'War and Weapons'. In this he quotes "A translation of Malayan MS on Krises and Process of Damasking" from Newbold's "British Settlements in the Straits of Malacca:- Here is the translation
"Measure the kris with a string below its aring (a jutting out of the blade near its bottom) to its point; cut the string and fold it trebly; cut off one of the trebles and with the remaining two measure up the blade of the kris, then make a mark how far the string reaches. Measure the blade across at this mark, and find how many times its breadth is contained in the two-thirds length; cut the string into as many pieces. These form the sloca, or measure, of which the kris consists. If none of the string remains over the blade is perfect, if a minute portion remain, it is less perfect, but if half the breadth remain or more, it is chelaka, unlucky."
I have not chased up the Newbold book to find out when it was published but Malay Magic was originally published in 1900 so this description of a Malay measurement method is over 100 years old. The text does not quite make sense to me although I think we can understand what is being said. Also you have to wonder whether in this description the measurement of length is along the edge or the centre of the blade. I am going to measure a couple and see if it is possible to convert a blade from perfect to unlucky and visa versa depending on this factor.
cheers
DrDavid
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