How did Empus obtain steel?

Ian · 26th November 2015, 02:09 PM

The folly of the Dutch in laying good raw materials on the ground that could be used by the locals was repeated elsewhere by the British. Railway tracks were used in India and Burma for making steel tools and weapons, and the Naga were known to appropriate plantation tools to create their dao. The Burmese also used anchor chains as a source of high quality iron.

Resourceful folks.

Ian.

rasdan · 27th November 2015, 10:56 AM

Not about keris, but while we are in this topic, I think I'll include this discovery as well.

Iron smelting site in Peninsular Malaysia dating 3 - 5th CE. Artifacts that had been found include 1.7 tonne of iron slag, 800+kg of iron tuyere and 150kg iron ore.

Research paper entitled "THE ANCIENT IRON SMELTING IN SG. BATU, BUJANG VALLEY, KEDAH"

http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/ant/Postgradu...kmaMOKHTAR.pdf

The following is a documentary about Sungai Batu. It is in Malay, but it have a reasonable English subtitle.

Very interesting as this civilization is actually older than Angkor Wat where some sites may go back as old as 500BC. 2500 years old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oAbe-mKxSE

Pusaka · 14th December 2015, 11:03 PM

Traditionally there are said to be 16 types of besi available to empu and they would make a keris by blending three or more of these besi, thats what I was told anyway. Some of those besi came from Cambodia (Kamboja besi).

1 Karang kijang = like the sound of buzzing bees
2 Puraseni = Gurrr
3 Mangkang Laki Laki = Drung
4 Mangkang Perempuan = Like rubbing salt together
5 Walulin = Gung
6 Ktub = Kun
7 Kamboja = Hub
8 Ambal = Da
9 Windudi = Kha
10 Tumpang = Aba
11 Werani = Um
12 Welangi = Om
13 Tarte = Jan
14 Melelo = Za
15 Kenur = Mak
16 Palitung = Va

27th November 2015, 10:56 AM	#2
rasdan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 369	Not about keris, but while we are in this topic, I think I'll include this discovery as well. Iron smelting site in Peninsular Malaysia dating 3 - 5th CE. Artifacts that had been found include 1.7 tonne of iron slag, 800+kg of iron tuyere and 150kg iron ore. Research paper entitled "THE ANCIENT IRON SMELTING IN SG. BATU, BUJANG VALLEY, KEDAH" http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/ant/Postgradu...kmaMOKHTAR.pdf The following is a documentary about Sungai Batu. It is in Malay, but it have a reasonable English subtitle. Very interesting as this civilization is actually older than Angkor Wat where some sites may go back as old as 500BC. 2500 years old. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oAbe-mKxSE Last edited by rasdan; 27th November 2015 at 11:42 AM.

26th November 2015, 02:09 PM	#1
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,399	The folly of the Dutch in laying good raw materials on the ground that could be used by the locals was repeated elsewhere by the British. Railway tracks were used in India and Burma for making steel tools and weapons, and the Naga were known to appropriate plantation tools to create their dao. The Burmese also used anchor chains as a source of high quality iron. Resourceful folks. Ian.

14th December 2015, 11:03 PM	#3
Pusaka Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 341	Traditionally there are said to be 16 types of besi available to empu and they would make a keris by blending three or more of these besi, thats what I was told anyway. Some of those besi came from Cambodia (Kamboja besi). 1 Karang kijang = like the sound of buzzing bees 2 Puraseni = Gurrr 3 Mangkang Laki Laki = Drung 4 Mangkang Perempuan = Like rubbing salt together 5 Walulin = Gung 6 Ktub = Kun 7 Kamboja = Hub 8 Ambal = Da 9 Windudi = Kha 10 Tumpang = Aba 11 Werani = Um 12 Welangi = Om 13 Tarte = Jan 14 Melelo = Za 15 Kenur = Mak 16 Palitung = Va