small twist core moro kris ?
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Hi Firstly id like to introduce myself as im new to this forum , my name is tom and i like allsorts of weapons from african/pacific island clubs to swords from around the world etc etc,
My newest purchase is this very small moro kris sword , ive been after one of these for years and liked the twist core blade , my knowledge is very limited but i believe is quite an old one , i have only given it a gentle clean with wire wool and oil to remove the surface rust , i darnt over clean it as i guess this could devalue it ? anyway i will interested to see what you guys think about it , Thanks |
Hi Tom. Welcome to the forum.
Very nice old Moro kris. Within the culture it was common to polish kris and etch them to show the pattern. This is still done today. I suspect that this one will show a lot of pattern if etched. Regards, Ian |
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I have just looked up how to etch blades and i would be a bit nervous how to exactly go about it , Is it advisable to sand down a blade like this , or is there a way of lightly etching it maybe ? also i wondered that this is such a small blade could it be for a youngster as the wole sword only measures 53cm and is very dainty , i can oly manage to grip the hilt with three fingers ,though i do have big hands |
I think it is lovely just as it is. If you sand it, you may change the pattern.
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You got a beauty there. 3 waved Kris blades are hard to come by and to have it be a twist core, impossible for me.
What’s the blade length? It it were mine, I would clean it up a bit and apply a coat of Ren wax and enjoy. |
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It looks very similar to Charles’ damascus barong discussed here recently. Twist core wall to wall.
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Ivory pommel
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Just to say the pommel is made from ivory though the patination made it look like a dark wood , one side is darker than the other , i have added a couple of pics
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What a wonderful example!
The blade looks Sulu to me and the patina and pattern on the pommel does look to be ivory to me. |
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I don't know what you found when you looked up how to etch blades, but generally the etch done on Moro blades is a light etch. When i have done this i have used vinegar, which acts slowly and relatively gently. As advised, i would certainly not sand the blade in any way. You don't want to remove the topography that currently exists on the blade. But if you were to etch in in vinegar you could use a toothbrush to work along the blade. Even more fine grades of steel wool would help to clean our crevices before etching without removing any steel or wearing down the surface. A good cleaning and light etch will indeed make this pattern pop better. But if there is no rust and you are happy with the current look i think that is also fine. I agree with Jean that this pommel is definitely old ivory, not bone. while the hilt and pommel are probably more recent than the blade i think this hilt might be a bit older than originally suspected when it first appeared to be wood. Have you been able to identify the material of the ferrule? Is it actually silver of some other white metal? |
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I believe the ferrule is silver , it was very black in colour and so i used some metal polish which shone it up |
David,
I would say, staining blades dark most probably didn't had the importance like on Java and Bali, but there are blades which retain old staining. I have posted somewhere a kris from Munich, collected in 19th cent., with silver inlays, stained pitch black. It surely makes more sense to stain blades with inlays then ones with already visible topographically etched twisted bar pattern. |
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"Acidic chemical agents, such as various indigenous citrus fruits, were used on the blade right after completion, and in later cleaning. These substances darkened the overall surface of the blade, while at the same time, highlighting the layers of various metals within it." "The Moros were quite content with the darkened appearance of these lamination patterns...it was because of this, that the Moro warrior could better maintain his stealth in the bush..." "Most of the krises, barungs and kampilans found today in the US were brought here...by American veterans...many of these new owners set about the task of bringing their war relics to the requisite brightness that most Westerners admire. This probably explains why the beautiful designs which were produced by the Moro pattern welding process are so often obscured." |
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Here’s a kris with a darkened blade.
Awhile back Battara posted a photo of a man wielding a Jungayan (sp), Kris with a dark blade. |
Hello Tom,
Welcome to the forum! :) You have a very nice archaic kris there, I agree with Jose that the pommel is ivory and I doubt that etching will bring out the pattern more, I just would clean the blade a little bit more with steel wool. Regards, Detlef |
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Yes i think your right just a little clean up will do , I will then hang it up and enjoy it , better than watching tv ! regards tom |
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Regards, Detlef |
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