Small keris Bugis (?) from e-bay

[BigG]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello BigG,

thank you for your further comments... I start to clean the blade (not yet finished) and here some pics...

In my honest opinion the value of this blade lies in its quality as a fighting piece. ie... in Malay kerisology... though the keris has mutliple cultural functions as an artifact of material culture, and can be valued for asthetics, as well as talismanic reasons much like the Kejawen (Javanese influenced) pieces, its value as an effective weapon must not be underestimated. Pieces that do not have high asthetic points may score well in terms of its robustness and real or perceived efficacy as a weapon such as this blade.

Firstly, if am right in assuming that the sheath fits well and is original to the piece, then it would tell us a fair bit about the intended character of the keris as a whole. The sheath and hulu is made very functional with the prerequisites of a good fighting blade dressing all there. A functional hard wood material for the sampir and probably the huu too, without too much showiness in grains and decorative natural patternings... the sena stem again with minimum asthetics and also a prerequisite material for the dressing of a fighting blade and no ostentatious refinement to the sampir.

The blade has luk 5... effective fighting blades is usually deemed to be have between 3-5 blades. The blade is likely to be light in the hand but very sturdy. The width of the luks are not too deep and neither is it too shallow. Making it ideal for stabbing as well as slashing at very close quarters...

If you notice, the edges of the blades has rough serrated edges. These are not the results of weathering but deliberately designed to increase the efficacy of the blade in combat. Based on oral traditions of Malay Silat practitioners, seasoned collectors and academics who have done researched on this that I have met as well as my own experimentations, The serration would cause increase tissue trauma during the entry of the blade as well as during its exiting.

So congrats... a piece that lacks ostentatious refinements but a very good fighting man blade... no frills but likely to be deadly... probably a what is deemed by malay collectors as a "Bilah Berjasa", A Blade That Performed Its Intended Duty ... ie a blooded blade...

[Sajen]

I think that the sheath is the original one to the bilah, look the pic.

[PenangsangII]

Thks BigG for lengthy explanation on combat worthiness of this keris, and Malay/Bugis pieces in general.

Back in the olden days of Majapahit and Demak, Jawanese keris were indeed very effective weapons esp. in close quarter combat. These were described in many babads and kidungs. The difference between Malay and Jawanese fighting styles could be seen from the blade and hilt designs. Malay were more inclined towards stabbing techniques as opposed to Jawanese preferences on slashing/slicing techniques.

[kai]

Hello PenangsangII,

The difference between Malay and Jawanese fighting styles could be seen from the blade and hilt designs. Malay were more inclined towards stabbing techniques as opposed to Jawanese preferences on slashing/slicing techniques.

On what data is this comparison based, please?

Regards,
Kai

[PenangsangII]

Originally Posted by kai

Hello PenangsangII,


On what data is this comparison based, please?

Regards,
Kai

Hi Kai,

No specific data obtained, the comparison is very general based on own experience in Malay/Bugis fighting style using keris (yes, the art is still alive in this part of the world) and Jawanese keris fighting style was based from several babads / kidungs. Slashing here doesnt mean cutting the opponent using the entire keris edge, slashes were made at the pucuk part of the keris (whisking/ light sweeping movement). The targets were usually opponent's neck, belly or anywhere we could lay eyes on)