[Wayan]

Well, this is all interesting. I would like to see a kris from the Philippines without its hilt, in order to judge the size of the tang in relation to the blade.

Thinking of an Indonesian kris on “steroids or growth hormones” is not something I care to envision. In Indonesia, and particularly in Bali, the kris is regarded as pusaka, a revered work of the gifted Empu who wrought it, and its powers are not defined by drugs or hormones.

In Indonesia, a kris is a work of art. Many Indonesians would say it is the ultimate work of art, and given the incredibly beautiful sarongs, or sheaths that have been made here, wrought with silver or gold, and adorned with Kalimantan diamonds, rubies and sapphires from India, combined with equally outrageous hilts, it’s fairly evident that the extent of admiration we have here in Indonesia for our kris pusaka transcends thinking of our kris as mere weapons.

For a man in Indonesia, his kris is his soul, and a direct extension of his body. I can assure any reader of this forum that no serious Indonesian collector of kris would even pass a thought of including a kris such as this Philippine kris in their collection. A kris without perfect grace and elegance is merely a dead piece of iron.