FORMING HOT METAL WITH BARE HANDS

[David]

[QUOTE=Dominique]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Interesting subject.

In Jawa there are consistent legends about forging a blade by use of hands alone. I think these are legends, but the legend comes close to reality with the talismanic keris pijit, usually these are keris sombro with paper thin blades and they show indentations where supposedly they have been squeezed and indented by finger pressure.

Alan, I am curious to know if you would consider this keris as pijit. The blade is very thin and flexible towards the point. You can see indentations on both sides.

Dominique, that is an interesting keris. And i very much like the hilt.
A keris picit (pijit, pecit, whatever spelling ) is so-called based upon what appear to be impressions of finger tip in the blade. You say there are indentations on both sides of this blade, but honestly i cannot see them in these photographs. maybe Alan's eyes are better than mine.
Maybe you could try a different angle for your shot. The high-relief pamor pattern on this blade does not make it easy to assess indentations if they are there.