Metuk (Iras) as an indicator of quality

[A. G. Maisey]

Thanks mate.

Objectively, my work is quite plain, but in just a couple of areas I did achieve very close to perfection.

However, the thing I am pretty pleased with is this:- except for the blade I made under the supervision of Empu Suparman, and for which we used a blacksmith in the welding, although I worked as striker for that keris, all of the other keris I both forged --- by myself, without the assistance of a striker --- and carved using traditional tools, not electric grinders. Additionally, all my blades have been properly heat treated, which is something that very keris makers of the current era can claim.

I set out to learn how to make keris, not to become a maker of keris, but rather to better understand the keris.

Along the way I also made a lot of mechanical damascus, I made a few blades of welded cable, and a few other nondescript blades using sanmai construction.