Javanese keris for comment

nechesh · 13th January 2005, 01:20 AM

OK, now that i understand the term pudak setegal (thanks Adni, i found it on your site after asking twice here to no avail and failing to find it in a few books and other web sites

) i will give the subject a shot. I think many diagrams on the parts of the keris don't include this feature because it is fairly rare. I don't see this feature in either Tatyana's keris or the last keris you posted Kai Wee. I believe that sticking out from the profile IS the defining factor here. If it don't, it ain't. Though rarely found on keris, i guess it would be on my ultimate ricikan tricked-out uber-keris.

I agree with Blu that Maduran keris making, with a few other spots, is keeping modern keris making alive. But these keris, for the most part, are not being made to fool collecters into believing they are old. Unscrupulous dealers may do that, but high quality modern keris are being turned out for those who collect such art pieces. Many of these keris are "artificially aged" not to fool anyone, but because this is the style of surface finish these collectors are looking for. So even blade wear is not really a cosequence at all, unless you intend to try to pass the keris off as an old one. As for quality, i am not surprised that some short-cuts are being made. Still, in terms of pamor control i think some (some) of these modern smiths show a higher degree of technical skill than many of the empus of the past. Remember also that these keris are not intended for combat, but as works of art, so blade strenght is not necessarily an issue here.
Sad or not, the art of keris making is an evolving thing. The days of the keris as a true culture icon is wanning. It is now, for the most part, a cultural artifact. It is becoming less and less a part of the society even on the ceremonial level. It is not worn in public anymore and only occasionally in ritual such as weddings. Families sell off their pusaka to make ends meet. The western world creeps in more and more every day. We will not see a return to the old glory days when empus fasted and recited and brought spirit into iron and pamor. A very, very few still know how. I think our best hope for the modern keris is that the artform survives and continues to technically improve and create things of beauty.

13th January 2005, 01:20 AM	#1
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	OK, now that i understand the term pudak setegal (thanks Adni, i found it on your site after asking twice here to no avail and failing to find it in a few books and other web sites ) i will give the subject a shot. I think many diagrams on the parts of the keris don't include this feature because it is fairly rare. I don't see this feature in either Tatyana's keris or the last keris you posted Kai Wee. I believe that sticking out from the profile IS the defining factor here. If it don't, it ain't. Though rarely found on keris, i guess it would be on my ultimate ricikan tricked-out uber-keris. I agree with Blu that Maduran keris making, with a few other spots, is keeping modern keris making alive. But these keris, for the most part, are not being made to fool collecters into believing they are old. Unscrupulous dealers may do that, but high quality modern keris are being turned out for those who collect such art pieces. Many of these keris are "artificially aged" not to fool anyone, but because this is the style of surface finish these collectors are looking for. So even blade wear is not really a cosequence at all, unless you intend to try to pass the keris off as an old one. As for quality, i am not surprised that some short-cuts are being made. Still, in terms of pamor control i think some (some) of these modern smiths show a higher degree of technical skill than many of the empus of the past. Remember also that these keris are not intended for combat, but as works of art, so blade strenght is not necessarily an issue here. Sad or not, the art of keris making is an evolving thing. The days of the keris as a true culture icon is wanning. It is now, for the most part, a cultural artifact. It is becoming less and less a part of the society even on the ceremonial level. It is not worn in public anymore and only occasionally in ritual such as weddings. Families sell off their pusaka to make ends meet. The western world creeps in more and more every day. We will not see a return to the old glory days when empus fasted and recited and brought spirit into iron and pamor. A very, very few still know how. I think our best hope for the modern keris is that the artform survives and continues to technically improve and create things of beauty.