Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

A. G. Maisey · 23rd November 2008, 07:53 AM

I'm sorry gentlemen, I moved away from consideration of the keris that began this thread long ago.

To me, the question in respect of this specific keris of Freddy's cannot be settled:- we know too little about it; anything is possible. I'm just not prepared to hypothesise in respect of something that we don't have enough evidence for.I believe I corrected my initial spontaneity in post #20.

What we do know is that keris of this type did on occasion have their hilts mounted in this reverse position.

Did this specific keris of Freddy's have its hilt mounted in reverse position by a past owner indigenous to place of origin of this keris?

I most sincerely doubt if any amongst us can answer that question.

My most recent posts have most definitely been in respect of the keris in general.

In so far as adapability of the Bugis style hilt to both rapier style and icepick style grip. With the hilt in a position where it extends above the gandik, an ice-pick grip is not only possible, but is distinctly comfortable and feels "right", to use this grip with the hilt in this position, the blade is reversed so that the side of the hand rests on the long part of the gonjo.

With a hilt in the reverse position, again, both method of grip is possible.

Personally, I don't think that it would have mattered a great deal how the hilt was fixed:- each person would have fixed it as suited himself, and used it according to his own style. Possibly an ordinary farmer or seaman could have gone through his life without ever drawing blood with his keris, and he probably had only a vague idea of how to use it, on the other hand the professional enforcer, or pirate, or standover man, or bandit, or other frequent user of violence would have had a bag of tricks that allowed him to use any one of a number of grips, as the circumstances demanded.

Many years ago I had the good fortune to be taught just a little of the way in which a professional assassin thinks and works. The principal philosophy of my teacher was that one never exposes onself to risk. One waits until the opportunity presents itself and then does the job. This man was Chinese-Javanese and he was not a user of a keris, but a user of knife. Bearing in mind the principles of Malay and Javanese warfare and personal combat, I doubt that the philosophy of experienced users of the keris in times past would have varied much from those of my teacher. If this is so, it is only reasonable that the professional would not limit his ability to earn his pay by limiting himself to a single method of use of his tools of trade.

It seems that once again I have wandered away from discussion of Freddy's keris. Whatever anybody wishes to propose in respect of that particular keris, I agree with.

However, in respect of the keris in general and its methods of use in historical times, I suggest that although we cannot know anything about these with any certainty, a prudent user would have had flexibility of style.I think that the only thing I cannot agree with is that there might have been a rigid "one style suits all" approach, universally adopted by all users.

23rd November 2008, 07:53 AM	#38
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,697	I'm sorry gentlemen, I moved away from consideration of the keris that began this thread long ago. To me, the question in respect of this specific keris of Freddy's cannot be settled:- we know too little about it; anything is possible. I'm just not prepared to hypothesise in respect of something that we don't have enough evidence for.I believe I corrected my initial spontaneity in post #20. What we do know is that keris of this type did on occasion have their hilts mounted in this reverse position. Did this specific keris of Freddy's have its hilt mounted in reverse position by a past owner indigenous to place of origin of this keris? I most sincerely doubt if any amongst us can answer that question. My most recent posts have most definitely been in respect of the keris in general. In so far as adapability of the Bugis style hilt to both rapier style and icepick style grip. With the hilt in a position where it extends above the gandik, an ice-pick grip is not only possible, but is distinctly comfortable and feels "right", to use this grip with the hilt in this position, the blade is reversed so that the side of the hand rests on the long part of the gonjo. With a hilt in the reverse position, again, both method of grip is possible. Personally, I don't think that it would have mattered a great deal how the hilt was fixed:- each person would have fixed it as suited himself, and used it according to his own style. Possibly an ordinary farmer or seaman could have gone through his life without ever drawing blood with his keris, and he probably had only a vague idea of how to use it, on the other hand the professional enforcer, or pirate, or standover man, or bandit, or other frequent user of violence would have had a bag of tricks that allowed him to use any one of a number of grips, as the circumstances demanded. Many years ago I had the good fortune to be taught just a little of the way in which a professional assassin thinks and works. The principal philosophy of my teacher was that one never exposes onself to risk. One waits until the opportunity presents itself and then does the job. This man was Chinese-Javanese and he was not a user of a keris, but a user of knife. Bearing in mind the principles of Malay and Javanese warfare and personal combat, I doubt that the philosophy of experienced users of the keris in times past would have varied much from those of my teacher. If this is so, it is only reasonable that the professional would not limit his ability to earn his pay by limiting himself to a single method of use of his tools of trade. It seems that once again I have wandered away from discussion of Freddy's keris. Whatever anybody wishes to propose in respect of that particular keris, I agree with. However, in respect of the keris in general and its methods of use in historical times, I suggest that although we cannot know anything about these with any certainty, a prudent user would have had flexibility of style.I think that the only thing I cannot agree with is that there might have been a rigid "one style suits all" approach, universally adopted by all users.