Show us your Talismanic markings on keris blades

[Jean]

Originally Posted by Gustav

Yes, we see them quite often on Malayan Keris.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=vice+marks

The magic of modernisation.

Thank you Gustav, it was an interesting discussion!

[Jean]

I own this old Batak chopping knife, the strong blade has one cutting edge and a convex section, and it shows irregular crisscross lines on a significant part of the surface. By close examination it seems that the entire surface was initially crisscrossed but it was polished towards the edge probably for maintaining the sharp cutting edge.
These lines were clearly incised for any reason and not imprinted by a vice or other clamping tool.
Regards

[drdavid]

Jean, what are the dimensions on this piece. I have previously owned a couple of knives that had been made from old files. They still had a little cross hatching visible over a fair amount of the blade
Drd

[Rick]

It looks like it's made from an old wood rasp to me.

One flat side; one convex side.
Seems like the cross section of a rasp flattened out.

[David]

I'm afraid i am in agreement with both Rick and DrDavid. It appears that you blade was made from a file. I've seen many in my day and the result looks very much like this. Even if this were not the case though, i wouldn't image that a pattern of lines like this would have any talismanic purpose. We often find markings on blades both decorative or practical that do not have any talismanic intent.

[Jean]

Originally Posted by David

I'm afraid i am in agreement with both Rick and DrDavid. It appears that you blade was made from a file. I've seen many in my day and the result looks very much like this. Even if this were not the case though, i wouldn't image that a pattern of lines like this would have any talismanic purpose. We often find markings on blades both decorative or practical that do not have any talismanic intent.

Hi David,
Although I do not believe that this blade is a recycled file or rasp for the reasons explained above, I agree that these rustic markings are more probably decorative or practical than talismanic.
Regards

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Jean

Hi David,
Although I do not believe that this blade is a recycled file or rasp for the reasons explained above, I agree that these rustic markings are more probably decorative or practical than talismanic.
Regards

Hello Jean,

disagree with you, sorry. I also own some old blades made from files or rasps, it's a typical sign for this. Files/rasps has been high regarded as material for good blades. Good iron material was not found at every corner in old times!

Regards,
Detlef

[Gavin Nugent]

I can see the confusion from who ever noted that the Tajong blade pattern is a talisman in nature. The markings on the tajong blade are to my eye are also that of a vice. The small knife shown later is certainly made from a file as indicated.

Such patterning on the Tajong is known in the Patani/North Malay regions but it does not start and end there. Below is an example from my personal collections that gives a partial indication of how it should look...I say partial as there is much more to these marks than what meets the eye in the image.

Gavin

[Jean]

Originally Posted by Gavin Nugent

I can see the confusion from who ever noted that the Tajong blade pattern is a talisman in nature. The markings on the tajong blade are to my eye are also that of a vice. The small knife shown later is certainly made from a file as indicated.

Such patterning on the Tajong is known in the Patani/North Malay regions but it does not start and end there. Below is an example from my personal collections that gives a partial indication of how it should look...I say partial as there is much more to these marks than what meets the eye in the image.

Gavin

Hello Gavin,
Some of the marks on you blade are clearly located in a cavity, so how could they have been imprinted by a vice?
You are correct that it is difficult to assess and interpret these marks from a picture.
Regards

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Jean

Hello Gavin,
Some of the marks on you blade are clearly located in a cavity, so how could they have been imprinted by a vice?
You are correct that it is difficult to assess and interpret these marks from a picture.
Regards

Jean,

That is the point I make, those on my blade are part of a talismanic pamor, not a vice.

I presented this image for comparison to those on the Tajong above.

Gavin

[Jean]

Originally Posted by drdavid

Jean, what are the dimensions on this piece. I have previously owned a couple of knives that had been made from old files. They still had a little cross hatching visible over a fair amount of the blade
Drd

Hi Drdavid,
The blade is 17.2 cm long by 4.3 cm wide and 4.5 mm maximum thickness (6.8 x 1.7 x 0.18 inch). This appears too wide for a rasp or file (the piece would have been originally wider) and furthermore the crisscross lines near the tang are not parallel to those near the tip (more slanted) which would not be the case if the piece had been made from a rasp or file. There are also traces of crisscross lines on the flat (non-cutting) edge of the blade.
Regards