Ian, I cannot comment on this weapon you have purchased, but I can comment on this type of work.
Many different artifacts are made in the same way in Jawa and Bali, including keris and sword hilts.
The hilt is fabricated, then it is embossed or chased and finally it is filled with jabung, probably what we'd call 'cutlers wax' in English:- natural resin + bees wax + terra cotta dust is the most common mix. Stuff that has been in a hilt for a long time does look a bit like stone.
The only solid metal hilts I've seen in Jawa and Bali are souvenir pieces that have been cast.
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