new find (seem like betok)
 

I'd like to share this pidtures with you guys.
this seem like a betok with pamor.
round healthy pesi
blade lenght : 23 cm

the pictures speak for it self.
I welcome any comment on my keris.
please....

FERRYLAKI
Jakarta

the mendak is a new made brass mendak.
nothing special with this keris.
I just wonderign about the iron...

That's a nice little keris, Ferry. I don't think we can call it a betok, though. Betok are usually considered to be a bit more broad across. To me, it looks like it might have been made simply as a short keris, or maybe shortened during its life.

I would not be confident to comment of the quality of the iron just from a photograph.

Tell me, can you give us a photo of the top of the gonjo?

here we go...
the gonjo part.
This is the best picture I can show to you.

Sorry Ferry, its not really good enough.

Tell me, is the buntut urang nguceng mati ?

the buntut urang is 3mm wide.

OK---thanks.

What tangguh do you think it might be?

Its too hard to guess from the pics. Its not a typical form and the proportions are peculiar. If you can lay a supportable tangguh onto it, you might be able to form an opinion as to whether it was made like this, or it has been shortened.

I would say its tuban, for the thickness of the keris.
has been shortened??? if only it has been shortened, then it might also been re shape though???

Yeah, it looks a bit Tubanishy, but I can't see if the sirah cecak is the right shape---looks a bit that way, but you really need to look straight down on it. A Tuban buntut urang is not quite nguceng mati, but it sure isn't nyebit rontal---its a straight,heavy, pretty ugly gonjo that looks like the tail has been cut off, which results in it looking like a shortened nguceng mati---that is, if it was longer, it would be.
However the iron looks too black for Tuban. The Pawakan will be more or less ovoid if its Tuban.
This blade seems to have some Tuban characteristics, but as always, its a bit hard to tell from a photo.
Yeah, I'd say it could have been reshaped---the pawakan is out of balance---see the way it tends to sort of lean forward, but its not really leaning forward? Proportion and balance is wrong.
But even so, its still not a real bad thing--- it all depends on whether you like it or not, and how much you paid for it. You'd be surprised at some of my favourite keris.

the"pijetan" looks suspicious to me.
basicly, I do not hate reshape kerises.
but like every body else, I prefer an original piece.
I do have a doubt at this moment.
Thanks a lot for your comments...

Ferry, we do what we can.
As I said, some of my favourite keris would surprise you. Its all a matter of if you like it. Recognise what we have and like or dislike according to feeling. This is different to forming an opinion based upon appraisal.

What do you mean by the pijetan looks suspicious?

the pijitan looks smooth and shallow.
and also the gandik looks too smooth.
I've been watching this keris for 3 weeks before I decide to buy it.
I found the iron is fascinating, the hardness and the sound of the iron.
I never mind about the pamor and any possibility of reshaping.
Like you said, Its ok for me and I like it a lot.
I really should use my feeling on choosing a keris, then it would come to fact that I like a keris when I really sure that I like it.
not to form an opinion based upon apprisal, like you said...you're right.
an appraisal would only result on a confuseness.
I'm waiting for a segaluh keris right now, hope it will soon arrive.
and after a proper cleaning,etching and picture taking I would like to share it with you guys...
Hope it arrive today...thank you.

FERRYLAKI
JAKARTA

Thanks Ferry.
So you think this part of the blade is smoother than the rest?

Too hard to see this from pics, but in a keris like this, does it matter? I don't think it would worry me.

Segaluh have got personality. I like Segaluh, and generally speaking, they are affordable.

I must agree with your last statement.
they are affordable...
this segaluh comes as a naked keris. So I have to find a proper warangka and its handle, mendak, pendok .
this would be my first segaluh. I hope it gonna be a healthy keris.
I saw it when it was cleaned ( whole white keris ) its now being ecthed .
I barely patient waiting this segaluh.

FERRYLAKI

Alan, i realize that you are communicating to Ferry in terms that you think he will best understand, but i, for one, am not too proud to admit that i don't really understand these terms and i suspect that there may be others who also don't. Can these characteristics be described in English? :)

Yep, it can be done, but it really cannot be done with any facility in keris discussion, especially with somebody who is Javanese.Its really just a part of basic keris vocab; you could probably find it Ensiklopedi or one of the other standard references. I'll give meanings, rather than translations, which could result in even more confusion. I'll include the other foriegn words too just in case any new comers might be wondering what we're waffling on about. I'm always in favour of using English words rather than foriegn words, when English words are available, but sometimes they are not, so we just need to learn the correct technical terms.


nguceng mati--- refers to a gonjo shape, from the top looking down onto it, that has a pointed buntut urang
nyebit rontal---refers to the gonjo shape that curves in between the pesi and the buntut urang, and the buntut urang flares out a bit.
tuban--- a tangguh, or classification
sirah cecak --- the end of the gonjo above the gandik
buntut urang --- the other end of the gonjo
pawakan--- overall visual impression, but in this instance it refers to a part of the pawakan, which is the cross section
pijetan--- blumbangan--- depression at blade base
gandik--- raised roundish lump in front of blumbangan
segaluh--- a tangguh , or classification

"nguceng mati"; an "uceng" is a little fish, add the "ng" and it indicates "like", "mati" is "dead", so "like a little dead fish" which describes perfectly the shape of this type of gonjo.

"nyebit rontal" is ny (s)ebit ron tal; sebit is a variation of sebet, nyebet means "torn off" , ron is krama for godhong which means "leaf" , tal is the lontar palm which is what used to be used for writing leaves. So "nyebit rontal" means "a piece of lontar palm leaf". This leaf has a slight curl, and this curl approximates the curve between the part of the gonjo with the pesi hole through it, and the buntut urang.

David, I really sorry if my writings tend to make more confuseness.
I always try to use the easy vocabulary in keris discussion.
I realize that if only I could provide better pictures for every discussion it would be easier for us to understand.
In this case I believe Alan is the best person to describe those terms in keris vocabulary. as we all know, in javanese vocabulary there are inconsistency in the writing and spelling matter.
even for a javanese like my self still need the keris ensiclopedia to ensure that I do not make a missunderstand.

FERRYLAKI
JAKARTA

Thanks Alan for taking the time to describe these terms. It was really just the first 2 referring to gonjo shapes that were unfamiliar to me, but it doesn't hurt to define the others as well. :)

Yeah, I knew you'd know all the others David, but I think we get a fair few visitors who would not know the meanings.

Actually, you'll find a fair sort of a glossary here:-

http://kerisattosanaji.com/kerisglossary.html