Hi guys
From what I know keris was a lot in use as a weapon in the island of Madura.
Maduranese people were mostly poor in the contrary with the Javanese people, so evrything they made (from the material to the spiritual) was very strong and ready for use.
This is the case in many Maduranese keris that I have seen (I speak only for the old ones) and in fact the only Maduranese I have in my possesion (the one in my avatar
) indicates exactly this as a fact. It is a little longer from the original Javanese keris, very strong construction, and has a kind of smooth "nerve" all the way the blade something that you never see for example in a Tuban tilam upih. You just know that it was a weapon a long time ago the same time you'll touch it.
Maduranese people were (and in many cases still are) mostly warriors and everything they made was strong and practical. Their keris are in many cases havier and very solid and combact.
Of cource many keris are not weapons (like the one I posted some time ago in the "Raja Gundala thread"), are very delicate, soft and light constracted.
In all I know, the knife is mostly a weapon of surprise attack and it is a stubbing weapon. No nead to cut with it or to be sharp for that reason. Most combat knives all around the world are for stubbing purposes.
The keris in generall seems not to be a weapon for war, but this is not applied to all the blades.
Excuse my bad English (but I am in a harry for now)...
Take care