[RobT]

Hi All,

I have a dagger with a slanted guard and a serpentine blade that I always thought came from the Philippines. The hilt of my dagger is composed wide bands of horn and four clear plastic washers (Japanese aircraft windshield perhaps). The horn pommel section is slanted parallel to the guard. The through tang is held by a knobbed and rimmed brass washer but the one piece guard/ferrule is some sort of non-ferrous white metal (maybe aluminum). The dagger OAL is about 13.25" (33.65cm) with a blade length of about 8.75" (22.22cm). I never doubted that the hilt and blade were made in the Philippines at the same time during or after WWll.
If efrahjalt's blade dates from on or before the Spanish-American war (1889), it is a lot older than the hilt because, back then, aluminum was so rare that, at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1855, a bar of it was exhibited alongside the French Crown Jewels. As of 1890 it still had 20% of that value. Given the careful quality of the hilt, I believe that, if the sword was rehilted, it was done by a Filipino during WWll. There was plenty of aluminum from downed aircraft lying around and plastic resins were also available.
I have to say that I agree with David and A. G. Maisey. Calling any serpentine blade a kris (or a keris), unless it has the qualifying morphological characteristics can only lead to confusion.

Sincerely,
RobT