Wooden Selut
 

Has anyone seen a wooden selut on a keris before? Attached are photos of a turned wood selut (perhaps kemuning) on a rather straightforward Balinese keris with a kocet kocetan hilt made of horn. If this is a traditional, albeit uncommon treatment, should it have a mendak also? The turning is carefully and well done. Due to the loose fit I don't think the scabbard is original to the blade.
Sincerely,
RobT

I believe it should have a mendak too. Looks nicer...;)
Click here for an example. Nice simple keris.

From the current pictures, it hard to determine the wood of the warangka.
If you could have a closer shot of the warangka with the wood grain visible,
maybe I can identify it. ;)

Hi Rob,
Wooden "seluts" are not that rare, but i don't think this one belongs with this hilt. When i have seen them they usually allow for a jewelled ring to fit between it and the rest of the hilt. I have one like this, i'll see if i can get a photo up soon.
As for the mendak (uwer), i also think a keris like this looks better with. It seems a lot of Balis show up without them, but i don't believe this is by design. A mendak completes the ensemble. :)

Thanks for the info
 

Alam Shah,
Wranka close up coming up.
Nechesh,
I would really appreciate any photos you have.

Thanks to you both. I'm so happy that the wooden mendak is appropriate. I really like it.
Sincerely,
RobT

sheath material...
 

IMHO, the balinese warangka gayaman is made of timoho wood (Kleinhovia Hospita). The gandar is made of timoho pelet wood. ;)

Good to Know
 

Alam Shah,
Thanks for the info. I keep a brief description of all my blades and I will add those wood names to this. Another nugget of knowledge to put into my small (but growing) hoard to be applied in future blade analysis.
Sincerely,
RobT

Rob, here's my Bali hilt w/a wooden "selut" (i'm sure it's called something else. Anyone?). As i stated before, the bottom and top pieces fit together so as to allow a space for the hilt ring (there is probably a name for this as well) to fit inbetween. I think yours may have belonged to such a hilt. It doesn't seem to really fit with the horn hilt you have now.

Resolution Obtained
 

nechesh,
Perhaps you have supplied the complete solution. I have wondered why the kocet kocetan hilt didn't fit the selut well. I think that, with the addition of that large metal ring (uber mendak?) between the hilt and the selut, the fit will be correct and the addition of a mendak below the selut will complete the ensemble. With the picture you posted as a guide I will see what I can do to get the necessary metal fittings made up. Thanks a million. You provided the information needed to get me on the right track.
Sincerely,
RobT

Hey Rob, that's the same track i followed with this hilt. I think these rings and mendaks often go missing on Bali pieces because they are often made of precious metals and at least low grade gems that people can sell off. I got this hilt without this ring, but it was obvious it had one. A cilinder from the top fit into the bottom leaving a groove for the ring to ride in. So i had this ring commissioned by our own Battara. I gave him a lot of trouble making this ring right ;) but i'll bet he would be willing to do the same for you now that he's had a bit of practice making them. :D