Thanks for your input, Ian!
That's a really sweet barung! Could you please post a view of the "top" of the pommel, please?
I don't think your blade exhibits the blotches I was speaking of - I'd describe this pattern as resembling clouds (achieved by forging laminated steel). [There might be a single "real" blotch over the circular forging flaw(?) close to the middle of the left side.]
The blotches in the other two examples are real and not just an artifact from surface treatment; they seem to originate from introducing rather large bits of high-carbon steel into a matrix of milder steel (with apparently only limited forging afterwards). I've seen a few of these blades - they are not common though.
Regards,
Kai
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