FORMING HOT METAL WITH BARE HANDS

David · 19th May 2017, 07:25 PM

[QUOTE=Dominique]

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Interesting subject.

In Jawa there are consistent legends about forging a blade by use of hands alone. I think these are legends, but the legend comes close to reality with the talismanic keris pijit, usually these are keris sombro with paper thin blades and they show indentations where supposedly they have been squeezed and indented by finger pressure.

Alan, I am curious to know if you would consider this keris as pijit. The blade is very thin and flexible towards the point. You can see indentations on both sides.

Dominique, that is an interesting keris. And i very much like the hilt.
A keris picit (pijit, pecit, whatever spelling

) is so-called based upon what appear to be impressions of finger tip in the blade. You say there are indentations on both sides of this blade, but honestly i cannot see them in these photographs. maybe Alan's eyes are better than mine.

Maybe you could try a different angle for your shot. The high-relief pamor pattern on this blade does not make it easy to assess indentations if they are there.

Dominique · 19th May 2017, 07:31 PM

I know, it doesn't look like finger tips, but there are slight indentations, the blade is not flat. I would need to make a pic of the blade profile.
I like the hilt too

A. G. Maisey · 20th May 2017, 08:37 AM

Sorry Dominique, from the pics I cannot tell whether I'm looking at a possible KP or not.

Dominique · 21st May 2017, 08:41 PM

Difficult to make good picture, but you might see with these pictures that the blade is slightly ondulated.

Rick · 22nd May 2017, 01:56 AM

Can we see the blade photographed edge on to see how it looks with that view?

mariusgmioc · 22nd May 2017, 06:06 PM

Even red hot, iron is rather hard to shape and that's why blacksmiths' need the hammer. So I firmly believe that forming red hot iron by simply applying pressure with the fingers is not of this world, but of the world of legends.
However, I wonder if it might be conceivable to produce a depression in the surface of red hot iron by applying a strong an quick blow with the bare fist.

A. G. Maisey · 23rd May 2017, 12:04 AM

Yes Marius, you are correct, to actually shape hot iron with your hands is simply not possible. It is something that is part of a belief system.

However, it is most definitely possible to indent a paper thin piece of hot iron with bare fingers, I can be very positive about this because I have done it. I seem to recall commenting on this in a previous thread some time ago.

21st May 2017, 08:41 PM	#4
Dominique Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Paris Posts: 21	Difficult to make good picture, but you might see with these pictures that the blade is slightly ondulated. Attached Images

19th May 2017, 07:31 PM	#2
Dominique Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Paris Posts: 21	I know, it doesn't look like finger tips, but there are slight indentations, the blade is not flat. I would need to make a pic of the blade profile. I like the hilt too

20th May 2017, 08:37 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Sorry Dominique, from the pics I cannot tell whether I'm looking at a possible KP or not.

22nd May 2017, 01:56 AM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Can we see the blade photographed edge on to see how it looks with that view?

22nd May 2017, 06:06 PM	#6
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,911	Even red hot, iron is rather hard to shape and that's why blacksmiths' need the hammer. So I firmly believe that forming red hot iron by simply applying pressure with the fingers is not of this world, but of the world of legends. However, I wonder if it might be conceivable to produce a depression in the surface of red hot iron by applying a strong an quick blow with the bare fist.

23rd May 2017, 12:04 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Yes Marius, you are correct, to actually shape hot iron with your hands is simply not possible. It is something that is part of a belief system. However, it is most definitely possible to indent a paper thin piece of hot iron with bare fingers, I can be very positive about this because I have done it. I seem to recall commenting on this in a previous thread some time ago.