Drumstick Kris

[Spunjer]

Yakan, if we go by Cato's classification. handle is made out of carabao horn in a ice cream cone fashion, not necessarily your typical horse-hoof, but most likely a local variation. ivory lid with ivory triangle on the upper part of the pommel. handle is wrapped in jute. being black, it gives an excellent contrast with the ivory deco. nicely done if i may say so.
now the blade is a double fuller twistcore. wonderfully done, and it seems to be a different variation. it looks like standing hair, as oppose to the whorl-y looking types. i thought this was pretty neat. the twistcore stop pretty close to the tip, ending with a naga okir. so looking at the overall pattern, it looks like a naga with scales and all.
on the side note, i notice twistcores would end with a naga okir, giving the illusion that the twistcore pattern/naga okir as a whole is a design by itself.
comments?

[Battara]

Nice piece Ron. Double twistcore - what a great blade. Yakan? - I guess I can see it in the hilt, maybe the blade, but not the scabbard (maybe more Maranao'ish?).

Great to have a complete piece and not in pieces!

[Spunjer]

thanks jose. although it did came with the scabbard, i highly doubt it was original with the kris. for one, the notches for the stirrups don't match.

[David]

Nice puppy!!! But i am missing the "drumstick" reference.

[Spunjer]

the first thing that came to my mind when i saw the pommel was the drumstick ice cream cone for some reason
jose, you mentioned double twistcore: does that mean there were two twistcore rods on the center (perhaps sandwiching a non twistcore piece to produce the ridge??? ???) not too keen about the black magic behind twistcores..

[Battara]

Originally Posted by Spunjer

jose, you mentioned double twistcore: does that mean there were two twistcore rods on the center (perhaps sandwiching a non twistcore piece to produce the ridge??? ???) not too keen about the black magic behind twistcores..

What I am talking about is 2 rows of twistcore, one on either side of the plain middle ridge.

Now if you want black magic, I used to know some people who...........

[Rick]

Originally Posted by Spunjer

not too keen about the black magic behind twistcores..

Can we talk about this black magic perhaps ?

[David]

Originally Posted by Rick

Can we talk about this black magic perhaps ?

Yeah, never heard the twisted core connection….anybody?

[Spunjer]

oops, sorry guys ... it was just a figure of speech. what i meant was i don't have a clue on the science on how twistcores were made.

What I am talking about is 2 rows of twistcore, one on either side of the plain middle ridge

ok, that makes a lot of sense. i keep thinking it was a singular twistcore rod and somehow the ridge was purposely formed in the middle during the smelting process. on what i've seen on other twistcores, the middle part of the blade is flat...

[kino]

Good score on a nice kris with an unusual pommel. It seems to be in great condition with the wrapping intact.
Spunjer, I was in your neck of the barangay a few weeks ago. I didn't see anything to bring home. You must've cornered the Moro sword market there.
Congrats.

[Spunjer]

ho brah, thanks, eh?
yeah, the wrapping is pretty solid. i thought it was re-wrapped at first; not until i took some photos with high megapixel did i noticed it's most likely original. blade's pretty secure to the handle as well...

You must've cornered the Moro sword market there.

lol, not hardly. just don't have too many rivals

[jwkiernan]

Beautiful kris Ron! Thanks for sharing! A piece I need to add to my collection one day...the elusive twist core...great piece! Congrats!

All my best,

John

[Sajen]

Hello Ron,

can only repeat what John have written before. Is it possible that the edges are regrind from a former owner?

Regards,

Detlef

[Ferguson]

That's a stunning piece. Congratulations!
Steve

[Rick]

What the heck is going on here ???
Is this a 4 twist ?

[T. Koch]

Wow, what a beauty, Ron! Beautiful twistcore blade, but I'm particularly in love with the "greneng" and "kambang kacang" (sorry, don't know what the Moro's called them). Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

Rick.... the... same to yours!

You are two lucky dudes!


All the best, - Thor

[Spunjer]

thanks all!

the twistcore on your kris is just unreal, Rick! it does appear to have quadruple twisties and what makes it so amazing is how the two inside twistcores was made to look like the incised arrow found on most krises. pretty slick!

can only repeat what John have written before. Is it possible that the edges are regrind from a former owner?

hello Detlef, which edges are you referring to?

Thor, i wholeheartedly agree. the incisions are very crisp indeed. this particular piece has been taken cared off all these years.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Spunjer

hello Detlef, which edges are you referring to?

Hello Ron,

all plain areas of the blade look like fresh polished and the edges look very sharp and the engravings near the tip of the blade which look a little bit sanded down let me ask this question. Don't understand me wrong, when it was done, it is very professional done.

Regards,

Detlef

[CharlesS]

Another awesome piece Spunjer. Thanks for sharing!

[Spunjer]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello Ron,

all plain areas of the blade look like fresh polished and the edges look very sharp and the engravings near the tip of the blade which look a little bit sanded down let me ask this question. Don't understand me wrong, when it was done, it is very professional done.

Regards,

Detlef

oh ok, i see what you're saying, Detlef.
the fine scratches that you're seeing are most likely done by the original owner. if you notice, the color of the metal is uniform throughout, even the ones that's on the higher points (ridges) in the triangular incision, the "armpit" (were the baka-baka's narrowest part would normally clamps on the blade), and also around where the tang starts. That would tell me the grinding was done a long time ago, perhaps to sharpened the edges. it appears that the whole blade has aged uniformly. had the sharpening of the edges and point been done at a different time frame, the metal where it was grounded would be of a different shade, even if it was etched after. just for the sake of argument, say, it was indeed sharpened recently, it would be redundant, and not to mention a heck of a task to make everything look uniform, reapply those black patina in the recesses of the center panel, and then just leave the fine scratch marks.
i see your point on the naga okir looking worn out. i'm attaching a couple photos comparing this particular kris with another that has the same fine scratch markings. notice that the naga okir on the other one is pretty worn out as well.
hope this explains it...