Gentlemen, thank you again. I do not know how to count numbers of luk. Bali-Lombok? Another new term!
Speaking as a newbie (with some knowledge of metals and 19th century muskets) I assume the two grooves which symbolize Siwa are those about 2-3/8 to 3" (600 - 760 mm) long? The longer one being on the side away from the, ahhh . . . elephant's nose, and rusty appearing in the bottom.
The blade appears to have had some rust at one time. This looks to have been mechanically removed, most of the blade polished and sharpened, leaving some fine pitting. Those two grooves were cut, and then the metal was repatinated. I assume with arsenic and acid. Nevertheless the pattern in the steel goes down into the grooves, and the chemical finish was applied after the grooves were cut.
Sitting on the deck with Dog, idly paring my thumbnail I realize this religious-object-which-is-not-a-weapon sure has a sharp edge. One could well pare more than a thumbnail should one's mind wander.
I became interested in blades in general, looking for something to stimulate this aged mind more than gun collecting. Well, each time Mr. Maisey comes forth I realize I sure have found it.
It reminds me of one college math course when our professor tried to get us to visualize a 4-dimensional object.
Yeah.
That is what all this is to me, coming from a simpler world of Old-Things-That-Go-Bang.
Addicting.
And at this point I can still enjoy the carving on handle and sheath. In the USA, in some other context, this would be regarded as skilled work. Never mind that it took just ten minutes under a palm tree, it is better than I can do.
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