Keris Hilt: A Kemo Kerdas/Bugis Hilt (Help Needed)

rasdan · 30th March 2005, 06:26 AM

Hi guys,

I just acquired a bugis kerdas kemoh hilt. Will post the pictures tomorow. Looks old and I had already cleaned it. Do u think polishing the hilt is a good move? I read that Blu mentioned that newly made kemo hilts are highly polished. How to determine the age? Does the unusual shape of this kemo is a sign that it is recently made? Anybody had ever seen a kerdas kemo? I'm quite puzzled now. Help please..

Sakhti777 · 30th March 2005, 09:28 AM

I have never witnessed any kerdas kemo hilt ever since my long pursuance of this form 10 yrs ago but your finding is sure something alarming. Do not confuse with kerdas bone hilts. It doesnt matter, old or newly made because owning kemo as hilt form is damn lucky. Nobody would want to do it for you, longer time taken and too complex doing it. I am a great collector of this hilt, presently owning 3 jawa demam kemos. I even tried to make one out my giant kemo but honestly speaking, it needs real patience and skill. Cutting is a problem, shaping is another. Hard but breakable. As far as I know, Kemo hilts existed as early as 1700s, nearby sea surrounding countries esp. Sulawesi, Patani,Trengganu. The only disadvantage is that it looks horrible without polishing it. How sure yours is kemo? Bone?

put up pictures.

rasdan · 30th March 2005, 09:51 AM

Thanks Sakhti, so, do i need to polish it? Does others agree?

Sakhti777 · 30th March 2005, 11:48 AM

Rasdan, if yours is kemo, soak it lime juice and clean wash and try waxing it and see the effect, otherwise let it be in original state. it will look dull though

. To some people, kemo has element of medicinal energy too and other fortune or good luck mystical properties.

Alam Shah · 30th March 2005, 11:57 AM

Rasdan, where's the piece?... you can post the 'before' first...
I

nechesh · 30th March 2005, 12:44 PM

Hi Rasdan. Is this the hilt that MyKeris sold in the swap forum?

mykeris · 30th March 2005, 02:38 PM

Nechesh, the clam hilt that I posted in the swap forum was a large Pekaka motif, as according to Paul (message). I suppose, Rasdan`s hilt will be a different one.

nechesh · 30th March 2005, 10:15 PM

Cool. I just thought that if we were talking about that hilt there woulde already be a photo posted to refer to.

rasdan · 31st March 2005, 02:46 AM

Hi guys

,

Heres the hilt. I only cleaned it from dirt and what ever it is that makes it looks dirty. Sorry, improper lighting. Took it last night. But i think its the low light that depicts the tru state of the hilt. Its a bit brighter than that however.

Sakhti777 · 31st March 2005, 04:45 AM

Great kerdas form but bit skeptical on its kemo origin unless you exhibit more close-up pictures revealing its natural genetic lines or else could be synthetic / animal bones /mixture of natural and non-natural elements processed in Thailand. High grade kemo hilts should emphasize the following: heaviness, color, natural lines and clarity.

rasdan · 31st March 2005, 07:34 AM

Hi Sakhti,

I'm still learning how to use the camera properly. All those apature and ISO setting really confuses me. Will try to take better ones.

BluErf · 31st March 2005, 03:25 PM

Notice the black inclusion on the hilt. Mine has those too. So does the one Dave posted a while back. I think it's real kemoh.

The form of the kerdas hilt is ok, but not great. But of course, we must take into consideration that kemoh is very difficult to carve.

rasdan · 1st April 2005, 03:18 AM

Thanks Blu,

The hilt does have some carved lines like the tyical Bugis hilt, but it is barely visible. The lines are at the "cheek" , back of the balung and the forehead. Any idea to determine wheather is old or new?

Battara · 1st April 2005, 09:51 PM

For the phenominally ignorant, what is kemoh?

nechesh · 1st April 2005, 10:09 PM

Come on Jose, don't you know by now that we keris enthusiasts love to use all kinds of words and terms to keep the uninitiated in the dark?

Really, i believe it is just a local term for the type of giant clam shell used for this hilt. Then again, it could really mean.......

rasdan · 2nd April 2005, 03:21 AM

Hi Jose,

Actually even kemoh is a north eastern dialact. The accepted malay word is Kima. In English it is Tridacna. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

BluErf · 2nd April 2005, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rasdan

Thanks Blu,

The hilt does have some carved lines like the tyical Bugis hilt, but it is barely visible. The lines are at the "cheek" , back of the balung and the forehead. Any idea to determine wheather is old or new?

Heheh... I've given up trying date kerises and keris parts except for the obviously new ones.

Sorry, can't help much.

30th March 2005, 06:26 AM	#1
rasdan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 368	Keris Hilt: A Kemo Kerdas/Bugis Hilt (Help Needed) Hi guys, I just acquired a bugis kerdas kemoh hilt. Will post the pictures tomorow. Looks old and I had already cleaned it. Do u think polishing the hilt is a good move? I read that Blu mentioned that newly made kemo hilts are highly polished. How to determine the age? Does the unusual shape of this kemo is a sign that it is recently made? Anybody had ever seen a kerdas kemo? I'm quite puzzled now. Help please..

30th March 2005, 11:57 AM	#5
Alam Shah Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,248	Rasdan, where's the piece?... you can post the 'before' first... I Last edited by Alam Shah; 31st March 2005 at 03:12 AM.

31st March 2005, 02:46 AM	#9
rasdan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 368	Hi guys , Heres the hilt. I only cleaned it from dirt and what ever it is that makes it looks dirty. Sorry, improper lighting. Took it last night. But i think its the low light that depicts the tru state of the hilt. Its a bit brighter than that however. Attached Images

31st March 2005, 03:25 PM	#12
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Notice the black inclusion on the hilt. Mine has those too. So does the one Dave posted a while back. I think it's real kemoh. The form of the kerdas hilt is ok, but not great. But of course, we must take into consideration that kemoh is very difficult to carve. Attached Images

30th March 2005, 09:28 AM	#2
Sakhti777 Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Penang Posts: 14	I have never witnessed any kerdas kemo hilt ever since my long pursuance of this form 10 yrs ago but your finding is sure something alarming. Do not confuse with kerdas bone hilts. It doesnt matter, old or newly made because owning kemo as hilt form is damn lucky. Nobody would want to do it for you, longer time taken and too complex doing it. I am a great collector of this hilt, presently owning 3 jawa demam kemos. I even tried to make one out my giant kemo but honestly speaking, it needs real patience and skill. Cutting is a problem, shaping is another. Hard but breakable. As far as I know, Kemo hilts existed as early as 1700s, nearby sea surrounding countries esp. Sulawesi, Patani,Trengganu. The only disadvantage is that it looks horrible without polishing it. How sure yours is kemo? Bone? put up pictures.

30th March 2005, 09:51 AM	#3
rasdan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 368	Thanks Sakhti, so, do i need to polish it? Does others agree?

30th March 2005, 11:48 AM	#4
Sakhti777 Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Penang Posts: 14	Rasdan, if yours is kemo, soak it lime juice and clean wash and try waxing it and see the effect, otherwise let it be in original state. it will look dull though . To some people, kemo has element of medicinal energy too and other fortune or good luck mystical properties.

30th March 2005, 12:44 PM	#6
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Hi Rasdan. Is this the hilt that MyKeris sold in the swap forum?

30th March 2005, 02:38 PM	#7
mykeris Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 278	Nechesh, the clam hilt that I posted in the swap forum was a large Pekaka motif, as according to Paul (message). I suppose, Rasdan`s hilt will be a different one.

30th March 2005, 10:15 PM	#8
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Cool. I just thought that if we were talking about that hilt there woulde already be a photo posted to refer to.

31st March 2005, 04:45 AM	#10
Sakhti777 Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Penang Posts: 14	Great kerdas form but bit skeptical on its kemo origin unless you exhibit more close-up pictures revealing its natural genetic lines or else could be synthetic / animal bones /mixture of natural and non-natural elements processed in Thailand. High grade kemo hilts should emphasize the following: heaviness, color, natural lines and clarity.

31st March 2005, 07:34 AM	#11
rasdan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 368	Hi Sakhti, I'm still learning how to use the camera properly. All those apature and ISO setting really confuses me. Will try to take better ones.

1st April 2005, 03:18 AM	#13
rasdan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 368	Thanks Blu, The hilt does have some carved lines like the tyical Bugis hilt, but it is barely visible. The lines are at the "cheek" , back of the balung and the forehead. Any idea to determine wheather is old or new?

1st April 2005, 09:51 PM	#14
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	For the phenominally ignorant, what is kemoh?

1st April 2005, 10:09 PM	#15
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Come on Jose, don't you know by now that we keris enthusiasts love to use all kinds of words and terms to keep the uninitiated in the dark? Really, i believe it is just a local term for the type of giant clam shell used for this hilt. Then again, it could really mean.......

2nd April 2005, 03:21 AM	#16
rasdan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 368	Hi Jose, Actually even kemoh is a north eastern dialact. The accepted malay word is Kima. In English it is Tridacna. Sorry for the misunderstanding.