Kris/Kalis with straight blade

[David]

Originally Posted by kronckew

looking thru the old stuff here, found the attached sundangs with an asang/baca that is not attached to the grip at all, strengthening frederico's assertion they are there to hold the ganja onto the blade and not the blade to the grip.

Wayne, these blades that you have posted on this post are NOT Moro blades. They are modern creations out of Jawa that mimic the Moro (i am not sure i would even call them Indonesian sundangs. They are more like modern repos in my estimate). The reason the asang-asang do not attach to the hilt in these cases is either because they didn't know any better when they were producing these or they found it too much trouble or too difficult to do it the right way. The asang-asang is most definitely intended to hold the hilt to the blade.
You have certain have made you case for asang-asang that travel over the ferrule on traditional Moro blades. However, do note that in each of the examples you posted the strap is fairly flush with the ferrule. On your example this is not the case so i would still stand by my suggestion that this was probably done outside the culture by a non-Moro, especially when you consider the out of place leather wrap. I believe your parts are mostly genuine (hilt, pommel band, ferrule, blade, sheath), but that the refurbishing was done somewhere else in a somewhat untraditional manner.

[Sajen]

Agree with all what David explained very well.

[kronckew]

OK, accepted. just wanted to play devil's advocate & eliminate any confusion. too bad we may never know who 'repaired it or where. one of the evils of ebay is lack of provenance from dealers who have no real interest in the items they flog. anyhow, it was relatively cheap. (those shiny brass scabbard bands really do irritate me and will disappear, the leather less so, but...they too shall pass) maybe rattan on the scabbard and black heavy string on the grip? do they wax it or lacquer it?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kronckew

OK, accepted. just wanted to play devil's advocate & eliminate any confusion. too bad we may never know who 'repaired it or where. one of the evils of ebay is lack of provinance from dealers who have no real interest in the items they flog. anyhow, it was relatively cheap. (those shiney brass scabbard bands really do irritate me and will disappear, the leather less so, but...they too shall pass) maybe rattan on the scabdard and black heavy string on the grip? do they wax it or laquer it?

Don't be disappointed Wayne, I think this kris is very nice and can be easily restored. The gangya from different metal is very nice and unique. Simple brass bands at the scabbard will let look it much better. The leather can be replaced by natural fibre and the upper silver band can be easily attached with silver wire. The kris will look much better and like original.

Regards,
Detlef

[kronckew]

thanks, plain brass bands would be OK, especially after they oxidize a bit. it is the corrugated ones that look odd. it already has one rattan turks head, which may have been original or added after the brass - ? i know how to make those steve ferguson wrote us a nice instruction i have book marked here.

anyhow i've ordered some dark brown 3mm braided natural cord for the grip & i have some silver craft wire already handy too. i'll see what it look like after the leather disappears & see if the baca-baca can be fitted better - or at worst covered up. should hopefully arrive tomorrow so i can start planning after seeing the reality.

[Battara]

Actually there are many Maguindanao (and even some some Maranao) kris that have Baka-Baka clamps with connection straps on the outside of the hilts instead of the inside.

[Battara]

I also wonder if the Ganga is made of a different steel or perhaps a different metal altogether.

I also suspect that the scabbard bands that are not plain are more recent replacements (along with the leather wrap).