Hi Kerislovers,
it seems its necesary to made a comment because there is nothing to congratulate on this blade, even I´m contrary of all my fellow forumites and all yelling on me.
First I´m sure this is an new or let`s say not more then 5 years old blade of typical Maduran origin and not the work of an Empu but a Pande.
Important to say is: blades with a pamor miring without a slorok (steelcore) are always in danger of breaking. Especially if the iron used is a modern material and this is the case for blades like this. The reason is the smith starts with 11 layers of 1 to 2 mm thick iron plates and 10 layers of nickle plated rim stripes of a thickness of about 1 mm. In two welding the result is 20 layers of pamor. From one welded staff sometimes the make two keris blades. So you save time and material (charcoal is expensive) and labour expences. Its an economical calculation because ther are many Pandes in Madura and every Pande is under pressure of his colleagues.
Note:
1. the strong etching, typical for new Maduran blades
2. the very thin pamorlayers (made of rims with some microns of nickle on the surface)
3. the greneng looking weared off, but made for looking old
(here comes the question of faking again)
4. If you looking closer you still see the marks of chisels (in the tikel alis and pejetan)
5. the angle between the centerline (straight line from tip to tumpengan or bungkul, not the ada ada) and the ganja. To stiff (typical for Madura)
6. the direction of the handle or better of the pesi (typical for Madura)
7. the outer ridges of the sogokan and tikel alis are to sharp for an old blade.
8. the form of buntut is also strange.
All togther this has nothing and really nothing to do with any kraton (maby this blade has been closest to palace in the shops of the alun alun, there are things like this sold also in wellknown electronical auctions. This might be the only connection to any palace. With the aestethics of a kerisblade has this also nothing to do.
In my eyes this are is no pudak sategal but only lis-lisan because I see the lis-lisan continue from the connection of the blade and ganja further the normal for the pudak sategal. This are not weared off pudak sategal. There do exist special pudak sategal which has no thorn out of the sharpness but their name I have not present at the moment.
I think its useless to discuss the handle or sheet because the are objects of changes by the owner or dealer many times. They could be old which is not uncommon.
I`m sorry if I do not meet what you have expected but as an eyewitness who has studied on the spot may tell the truths even it hurts.
Empu kumis
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