Bugis Keris with unusual blade

[RSWORD]

I find the blade on this Keris quite atypical not only for the type of dress but for Keris in general. Am interested into thoughts about the blade and if it looks unusual to your eyes as well and if so what features do you find different?

[Gustav]

A beautiful Keris from Northern Malay Peninsula, perhaps Kelantan. Unusual at some degree is actually only the VERY strong cetral ridge (Odo-Odo in javanese terminology) till the tip.

Congratulations!

[David]

I believe this would qualify as a sepokal blade. Not really that unusual, though as Gustav has pointed out, the very pronounced center ridge is not often seen on this dhapur. Beautiful execution of line and form, though, makes this piece exceptional.

[RSWORD]

Thanks for the feedback. Good to hear it isn't "abnormal". What caught my eye as unusual was the pronounced ridge line and secondly was how the blade was forged. It is not a layered or pamor blade. Rather, it is a homogeneous steel with hardened edges. If you look closely you can see the darkened zone along each edge. Curious how this would have been forged. But you are right David the lines are georgeous!

[David]

Originally Posted by RSWORD

It is not a layered or pamor blade. Rather, it is a homogeneous steel with hardened edges. If you look closely you can see the darkened zone along each edge. Curious how this would have been forged. But you are right David the lines are georgeous!

Admitted, the technical aspects of forging blades is not my strong point. However, while this blade displays no contrasting pamor i am not convinced that it is not a layered blade forged in the same fashion of most keris, just without any contrasting materials involved. In Jawa this would be referred to as pamor sanak, just plain iron with a steel core. It seems to me that the majority of Peninsula keris are sanak blades.

[Bjorn]

It's my impression as well that many peninsular blades are sanak ones. Your particular blade is indeed very attractive. The interplay of lines is very pleasing to the eye. I agree with the earlier opinions that the pronounced ada-ada sets it apart. A gorgeous blade!

[Gustav]

The blade has a very good finish, so it is not possible to be 100% certain, yet I also would say it most probably is a layered material, although homogenous material theoretically was already available (I would give beginning of 20th cent. for this blade).

The play of shadows of different darkness is due to hardening and possible tempering+differences in thickness of blade.

[Sajen]

Hello Rick,

beautiful Peninsula blade, pleasing to the eye and the strong ada ada is indeed not often seen. Congrats!

Regards,
Detlef

[Marcokeris]

Originally Posted by RSWORD

I find the blade on this Keris quite atypical not only for the type of dress but for Keris in general. Am interested into thoughts about the blade and if it looks unusual to your eyes as well and if so what features do you find different?

Beautiful keris!!

[Jean]

Originally Posted by David

In Jawa this would be referred to as pamor sanak, just plain iron with a steel core. It seems to me that the majority of Peninsula keris are sanak blades.

Pamor sanak or kelengan?
Regards

[David]

Originally Posted by Jean

Pamor sanak or kelengan?
Regards

Perhaps someone could spell out the real differences between the two. I gather that "kelengan" has slightly different meaning depending upon where in Indonesia the word is used. I felt comfortable calling this pamor sanak, but perhaps i have misunderstood the term.
I found this from a post by Marto Suwignyo back in 2005:
Pamor:- the word "sanak" mean "relation" or "relative" so if we say "pamor sanak" we mean the pamor material all related and not mixed with material that not iron. The word "pamor" mean "blend" or "mix". So pamor sanak make from all iron, just different kind of iron some white iron, some dark iron. Pamor keleng really not quite right. The word "keleng" mean "black". Really is no pamor keleng, but is Mpu Keleng who tradition tell us from Pajajaran.Also is kelengan iron . This iron very black and have a very rough open grain . It is not good iron. Also in Malaysia people call a black keris, " keris kelengan ", but in Jawa we call keris like this "pangawak waja".

[Jean]

Originally Posted by David

Perhaps someone could spell out the real differences between the two. I gather that "kelengan" has slightly different meaning depending upon where in Indonesia the word is used. I felt comfortable calling this pamor sanak, but perhaps i have misunderstood the term.
I found this from a post by Marto Suwignyo back in 2005:
Pamor:- the word "sanak" mean "relation" or "relative" so if we say "pamor sanak" we mean the pamor material all related and not mixed with material that not iron. The word "pamor" mean "blend" or "mix". So pamor sanak make from all iron, just different kind of iron some white iron, some dark iron. Pamor keleng really not quite right. The word "keleng" mean "black". Really is no pamor keleng, but is Mpu Keleng who tradition tell us from Pajajaran.Also is kelengan iron . This iron very black and have a very rough open grain . It is not good iron. Also in Malaysia people call a black keris, " keris kelengan ", but in Jawa we call keris like this "pangawak waja".

According to the book Keris Jawa (pages 411 & 412), pamor keleng means "without pamor" and pamor sanak "pamor with a colour mainly looking like iron". According to the EK, pamor sanak looks indistinct because the pamor materials is of low quality (another type of iron with a low nickel contents?).
I attach the pic of a blade with some similarities with the blade from Rick but with a simpler dapur and attributed to East Sumatra (any comment will be welcome). The scabbard was recently made and the blade looks shiny after cleaning in vinegar.
Regards