Help with Keris ID?

Justin · 30th May 2005, 02:44 PM

littledirtnap :This does look like a very old and authentic knife ,but the hilt and blade dont match at all, the hilt looks like a gunong grip from the Philippines.

As to the meteorite question, this is one of those things that got mentioned one time in a book and now everybody thinks all keris are made from meteors.Aside from some testing of the content of the steel I dont think there is any way to tell.I seriously doubt that there are many keris that were actually made from meterites,and by many I mean very ,very ,very few.

Spunjer · 30th May 2005, 02:55 PM

the handle is most likely moro. it's posssible it's made out of banati wood. to be specific a gunong knife handle. there are some recent threads pertaining to gunongs. looks nice, tho...

littledirtnap · 30th May 2005, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

littledirtnap :This does look like a very old and authentic knife ,but the hilt and blade dont match at all, the hilt looks like a gunong grip from the Philippines.

I seriously doubt that there are many keris that were actually made from meterites,and by many I mean very ,very ,very few.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spunjer

the handle is most likely moro. it's posssible it's made out of banati wood. to be specific a gunong knife handle. there are some recent threads pertaining to gunongs. looks nice, tho...

Thanks for the help guys!
As much as I'd like to believe the folklore that has been passed along with it, that it was an athame forged in Iceland from meteorite iron, I'd rather know the truth as much as possible. If anything, I'm very excited that this knife traveled that much farther to reach me, and I am taking very good care of it. I am tossing the idea around of making a replica-type of sheath for it. If I do so, I'll research for some time before beginning.
Yes, this handle is beautiful, and seems to me a bit younger than the blade.

Rick · 30th May 2005, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littledirtnap

Thanks for the help guys!
As much as I'd like to believe the folklore that has been passed along with it, that it was an athame forged in Iceland from meteorite iron, I'd rather know the truth as much as possible. If anything, I'm very excited that this knife traveled that much farther to reach me, and I am taking very good care of it. I am tossing the idea around of making a replica-type of sheath for it. If I do so, I'll research for some time before beginning.
Yes, this handle is beautiful, and seems to me a bit younger than the blade.

Whoo , someone's got their geography mixed in the telling of the tale .

Pick up a copy of THE KRIS by Edward Frey from amazon.com
A very good place to start .

Use this site's search feature for keris ; that is mostly how we refer to them here .
You'll find a LOT of info .

littledirtnap · 30th May 2005, 07:12 PM

Here is another try at decent images..hope this helps!

I'm dying to know what this pamor means, and the number of waves.I'll also keep reading on my own (thanks for the recommendations)

tom hyle · 30th May 2005, 08:30 PM

Sure does look like a Moro gunong handle. It's possible the "assembly" was made in Iceland, but it is worth noting that there is a thick layer of some kind of black substance between blade and hilt, and it sure does look like boiled down pitch. European cutler's pitch I've seen has a "blond" colour. I propose that this is an Indonesian blade traded/stolen/whatever to Moroland and hilted by a Moro?.....

littledirtnap · 30th May 2005, 09:37 PM

Looking at it first hand, the black substance looks like a leather separator soaked in pitch..Thanks for the input!

30th May 2005, 07:12 PM	#5
littledirtnap Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 10	Here is another try at decent images..hope this helps! I'm dying to know what this pamor means, and the number of waves.I'll also keep reading on my own (thanks for the recommendations) Attached Images

30th May 2005, 02:44 PM	#1
Justin Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 180	littledirtnap :This does look like a very old and authentic knife ,but the hilt and blade dont match at all, the hilt looks like a gunong grip from the Philippines. As to the meteorite question, this is one of those things that got mentioned one time in a book and now everybody thinks all keris are made from meteors.Aside from some testing of the content of the steel I dont think there is any way to tell.I seriously doubt that there are many keris that were actually made from meterites,and by many I mean very ,very ,very few.

30th May 2005, 02:55 PM	#2
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	the handle is most likely moro. it's posssible it's made out of banati wood. to be specific a gunong knife handle. there are some recent threads pertaining to gunongs. looks nice, tho...

30th May 2005, 08:30 PM	#6
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Sure does look like a Moro gunong handle. It's possible the "assembly" was made in Iceland, but it is worth noting that there is a thick layer of some kind of black substance between blade and hilt, and it sure does look like boiled down pitch. European cutler's pitch I've seen has a "blond" colour. I propose that this is an Indonesian blade traded/stolen/whatever to Moroland and hilted by a Moro?.....

30th May 2005, 09:37 PM	#7
littledirtnap Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 10	Looking at it first hand, the black substance looks like a leather separator soaked in pitch..Thanks for the input!