New Keris Owner - Page 2

nechesh · 18th May 2006, 08:12 PM

Jeff, though the dress on your keris is somewhat "touristy" that looks like a nice solid Balinese piece, though i wouldn't pay as much as it sounds like you may have paid for it. The the blade looks like nice quality from this distance.

Rick · 18th May 2006, 08:29 PM

Agreed !

I think both of you guys did okay compared to my first keris ..

A. G. Maisey · 18th May 2006, 10:28 PM

Mr. Doecon, I thank you most sincerely for your considered opinion that this keris does not possess nginden pamor.That which is so obvious to you, is not yet obvious to me.

As I have already stated, and as I believe other people here agree, the photographs are insufficiently clear for any appraisal.

However, if you look carefully at the pamor surface you will observe a number of pale lines running across the face of the pamor at an angle. I can count perhaps 6 or 8 of these lines.

These lines may indicate that surface manipulation was undertaken and has resulted in a nginden effect, or they may not, but whether they do indicate nginden or not, there can be no argument that they are there to be seen.

Since these lines exist, it would seem reasonable to me that the blade should be viewed in a way that will allow confirmation or otherwise of this possibility.

A. G. Maisey · 18th May 2006, 10:47 PM

Regarding keris information.

Mr. Scatteredminds, if you care to email me I will provide you with a link to a list of reading matter that will supplement the list to which you have already been referred.

I cannot provide the link here, as it is to a commercial site.

Rick · 19th May 2006, 01:17 AM

From looking at this picture I'm going to toss out my 'scattered rice grains' pamor idea .

I appears to me that there are two diagonal indents in the surface of this area going in opposite directions .

Mike can you confirm any shallow diagonal indents in this pic ?

BluErf · 21st May 2006, 06:40 AM

Hey Scattered,

Its a nice keris. It has a good sheath with nice pelet wood, a decent silver oversheath profusely repoussed with vegetation and animals. The hilt is of a good form, with well-carved patra. The mandak fits, and the blade looks late 19th century - mid 20th century. It has been recently re-washed, so it looks 'new'. You could have done a lot worse buying from some dealers elsewhere.

Anyway, your 1st keris is much better than my 1st keris, so appreciate and enjoy it!

There's always a 'better' keris of a 'cheaper' keris, just like there will always be a more beautiful person or a richer person. So how to we get settled down with that one special person who is neither the most beautiful, the smartest or the richest and still be happy? I guess its the same principle here.

At any rate, it does not need further cleaning. Do remember to oil it regularly, but remember to clean off all the oil you can before putting it back in the sheath; you don't want to end up staining the sheath with oil. Anyway, a keris blade cleaned with oil and blotted dry will stay rust-free longer than a blade with oil left on it. That tends to attract dust and the residual gunk when it dries promotes rust.

In short, you have a respectable keris.

Jeff - your keris may have a terrible sheath and hilt, but it has a beautiful blade. I think you might not have had such a bad deal. Just get it redressed in traditional sheath and hilt forms and you are going to have a very nice appropriate keris.

BluErf · 21st May 2006, 06:47 AM

Scattered,

One more thing - remember to use a bit of wood oil to nourish the hilt and the sheath once every couple of months. You don't want the wood to dry out and start to warp and crack. That would be a terrible shame!!

Jeff,

Corrections - your blade is not just beautiful - it's very graceful. Notice the sweet manner in which the luks meanders, the good spine on the blade which would have taken a long time to polish out of the billet, and nice arch to the ganja, the gracefully curling yet meaty kembang kacang (classical feature in good Balinese blades), and finally notice the way the sogokan follows the first luk.

Try to have a proper sheath and hilt commissioned for it; it deserves it.

nechesh · 21st May 2006, 02:56 PM

Hi Scatter. Now that we've had a better and closer look at this keris i just wanted to adjust my original guesstimate that i gave you over at Sword Forum so that you can see that most of us here are in general agreement. The closer view does indicate to me that this is an older blade then originally suspected and i think Blu puts it in the right time frame. And now that we can see the pamor better it no longer appears that it could be "golden rain" to me, though i am not certain exactly what pamor you have. I do not know if you have checked the blade for pamor nginden as Mr. Maisey has suggested. You could have done much worse for your first keris.

19th May 2006, 01:17 AM	#35
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,290	From looking at this picture I'm going to toss out my 'scattered rice grains' pamor idea . I appears to me that there are two diagonal indents in the surface of this area going in opposite directions . Mike can you confirm any shallow diagonal indents in this pic ? Attached Images

18th May 2006, 08:12 PM	#31
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Jeff, though the dress on your keris is somewhat "touristy" that looks like a nice solid Balinese piece, though i wouldn't pay as much as it sounds like you may have paid for it. The the blade looks like nice quality from this distance.

18th May 2006, 08:29 PM	#32
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,290	Agreed ! I think both of you guys did okay compared to my first keris ..

18th May 2006, 10:28 PM	#33
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,879	Mr. Doecon, I thank you most sincerely for your considered opinion that this keris does not possess nginden pamor.That which is so obvious to you, is not yet obvious to me. As I have already stated, and as I believe other people here agree, the photographs are insufficiently clear for any appraisal. However, if you look carefully at the pamor surface you will observe a number of pale lines running across the face of the pamor at an angle. I can count perhaps 6 or 8 of these lines. These lines may indicate that surface manipulation was undertaken and has resulted in a nginden effect, or they may not, but whether they do indicate nginden or not, there can be no argument that they are there to be seen. Since these lines exist, it would seem reasonable to me that the blade should be viewed in a way that will allow confirmation or otherwise of this possibility.

18th May 2006, 10:47 PM	#34
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,879	Regarding keris information. Mr. Scatteredminds, if you care to email me I will provide you with a link to a list of reading matter that will supplement the list to which you have already been referred. I cannot provide the link here, as it is to a commercial site.

21st May 2006, 06:40 AM	#36
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Hey Scattered, Its a nice keris. It has a good sheath with nice pelet wood, a decent silver oversheath profusely repoussed with vegetation and animals. The hilt is of a good form, with well-carved patra. The mandak fits, and the blade looks late 19th century - mid 20th century. It has been recently re-washed, so it looks 'new'. You could have done a lot worse buying from some dealers elsewhere. Anyway, your 1st keris is much better than my 1st keris, so appreciate and enjoy it! There's always a 'better' keris of a 'cheaper' keris, just like there will always be a more beautiful person or a richer person. So how to we get settled down with that one special person who is neither the most beautiful, the smartest or the richest and still be happy? I guess its the same principle here. At any rate, it does not need further cleaning. Do remember to oil it regularly, but remember to clean off all the oil you can before putting it back in the sheath; you don't want to end up staining the sheath with oil. Anyway, a keris blade cleaned with oil and blotted dry will stay rust-free longer than a blade with oil left on it. That tends to attract dust and the residual gunk when it dries promotes rust. In short, you have a respectable keris. Jeff - your keris may have a terrible sheath and hilt, but it has a beautiful blade. I think you might not have had such a bad deal. Just get it redressed in traditional sheath and hilt forms and you are going to have a very nice appropriate keris.

21st May 2006, 06:47 AM	#37
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Scattered, One more thing - remember to use a bit of wood oil to nourish the hilt and the sheath once every couple of months. You don't want the wood to dry out and start to warp and crack. That would be a terrible shame!! Jeff, Corrections - your blade is not just beautiful - it's very graceful. Notice the sweet manner in which the luks meanders, the good spine on the blade which would have taken a long time to polish out of the billet, and nice arch to the ganja, the gracefully curling yet meaty kembang kacang (classical feature in good Balinese blades), and finally notice the way the sogokan follows the first luk. Try to have a proper sheath and hilt commissioned for it; it deserves it.

21st May 2006, 02:56 PM	#38
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Hi Scatter. Now that we've had a better and closer look at this keris i just wanted to adjust my original guesstimate that i gave you over at Sword Forum so that you can see that most of us here are in general agreement. The closer view does indicate to me that this is an older blade then originally suspected and i think Blu puts it in the right time frame. And now that we can see the pamor better it no longer appears that it could be "golden rain" to me, though i am not certain exactly what pamor you have. I do not know if you have checked the blade for pamor nginden as Mr. Maisey has suggested. You could have done much worse for your first keris.