Bali Keris for Comment.

[A. G. Maisey]

The hilt name is probably more correct given as "cenangan".

It is not usual for Balinese people to wash their keris, as is done in Jawa, periodically they polish them with powdered limestone, then restain with warangan. The hole in the wadidang would have been worn through, not eroded away.

Actually, the name "cenangan", and its variations don't make a lot of sense to me, because the part of a Balinese keris hilt that is normally gripped is called "cenang", that is to say, the part of the hilt between what we would call the pommel, and the swelling that prevents the hand slipping forward when wet with blood.

The Australian artist Donald Friend lived in Bali for an extended period, and during his stay there he collected a very large Balinese keris with one of these hilts. Eventually it finished up in an Australian collection.

That hole is not a "combong" (or complong, compong) it is just a hole, no special name.

A combong occurs in the actual body of the keris, normally where a weld joint has not come together, usually this is accidental, but the really highly valued combong is the one that has been intentionally made for talismanic effect.

A good combong is highly valued for its power in securing the affections of beautiful women, however, like any talisman, it only has an effect when you truly believe it will. Maybe all one needs is self confidence.