A Keris for slashing...

[mrwizard]

Hello David,

I already expected that someone would use this opportunity to push me again in the direction of dressing this keris properly

But there might be a problem doing this. The pesi of this keris is 113mm (4.4'') long. This might be the actual reason why the wooden piece was added in the first place. Finding a proper hilt (or a very large mendak) of this size might take a while...
Until then the keris will keep its silly and well worn dress

Of course, i'm well aware that a keris is not a slashing weapon. But the fittings and the weight of this keris almost encourage everyone who holds it in his hand to slash at something. And obviously someone did...
The title "a keris for slashing" was meant as a pun (slashing instead of sharing).

Best Regards,
Thilo

[David]

Originally Posted by mrwizard

Hello David,

I already expected that someone would use this opportunity to push me again in the direction of dressing this keris properly

But there might be a problem doing this. The pesi of this keris is 113mm (4.4'') long. This might be the actual reason why the wooden piece was added in the first place. Finding a proper hilt (or a very large mendak) of this size might take a while...
Until then the keris will keep its silly and well worn dress

Of course, i'm well aware that a keris is not a slashing weapon. But the fittings and the weight of this keris almost encourage everyone who holds it in his hand to slash at something. And obviously someone did...
The title "a keris for slashing" was meant as a pun (slashing instead of sharing).

Wow, that is a rather long pesi. It is, in fact, unlikely that you will find a Jawa Demam that would fit on such a long tang. Again, perhaps some of our Malaysian collectors have a viable option.
Frankly i'm not trying to push you in any particular direction. It's your keris to be dress how ever you see fit. But i am fairly certain that it was never intended to have a hilt set up like this no matter how long the pesi is and i would image it was probably devised by a colonial rather than a native.
I brought up the slashing not so much because of your title, but because mention of slashing with this keris was also repeated later in the thread. I'm not convinced that the edge damage was done by slashing, though it is possible. Even with the added piece i would think that slashing would do more damage to the pesi than the edge.

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by mrwizard

Until then the keris will keep its silly and well worn dress

Hear hear !!!

[Alam Shah]

Hi, looking at the blade (including the tang), I feel that it is most likely from Sumbawa. The blade form in general can be found along Sumatra and along the Straits of Malacca and Sumbawa. I've seen example of this form in what seems to be authentic fitting dress. How this piece gets its current fittings, I've no idea, although other members had presented with some nice ones..

What makes me think its probably Sumbawa are.. the indicators from the blade base area, includes the awkward form at the gandik area, the sogokan, the greneng area and the long tang. The blade doesn't fit that well in the sheath. The mouth where the kembang kacang (belalai gajah) is, needed to be made bigger to accommodate the blade to fit the sheath (post #10).

[David]

Here is an interesting thread on Sumbawa keris. If indeed it turns out that this keris is from there it might give you some ideas.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...8&page=1&pp=30

[Gustav]

Originally Posted by David

Here is an interesting thread on Sumbawa keris. If indeed it turns out that this keris is from there it might give you some ideas.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...8&page=1&pp=30

David, perhaps you missed it, yet I already posted a link to this thread in #16.

[David]

Originally Posted by Gustav

David, perhaps you missed it, yet I already posted a link to this thread in #16.

Yes, i did miss that Gustav.
So you also suspect a Sumbawa origin then...

[mrwizard]

Hello everyone,

Yes, the keris looks a lot like the Sumbawa types shown in the thread referenced twice. And the pictures in post #1 show how i can hide the damage to the sheath.

But, regarding the historic background of whom i got this keris, i suspect (the also mentioned) central sumatra to be more likely the point of origin. As i have written in the first post, the family i got it from had relatives in Padang. Further research revealed that they moved there before 1831 (first recorded birth) and lived there for at least the next 120 years (last recorded death 1949).
Of course, considering that both Padang and Batavia where important harbours, the keris can still come from Sumbawa or from the Peninsula.

@Alam Sha
Yes, on the photo it might look like that, but the kembang kacang area fits sheath nicely. It just doesn't get fully in because the Warangka is not cut deep enough. The gonjo stands out 5mm to accomodate the strange wooden hilt piece. Therefore, i suspect that the sheath has been made for exactly these fittings.
Since you have seen similar keris with such a long tang. What did the dress look like? Did they have overly large hilts or large mendaks?

Edit: Ooops sorry, Gustav just pointed out in PM that the referenced thread already has some examples of keris with very long pendokok (e.g. post #51) and examples that would accomodate very long pesi (#52 ).

Best Regards,
Thilo