Kikik added to an older blade?

[kai]

Hello Bjorn,

I have a small keris with a kikik, which I recently cleaned. After cleaning, I noticed a line going across the sorsoran, starting at the neck of the kikik and then cutting across the sokogan depan. This line is found on both sides of the blade.

I agree that this is a very unusual construction!

Does this mean that the blade has been altered in some way? Perhaps to add a kikik to a blade that originally didn't have one?

It does look suspicious - however, a waving red flag would be pretty counterproductive for concealing any add-on...

From what I can glean from the pics, the lower part of the kikik seems to be continous with the central part of the blade on both sides and there also doesn't seem to be a seam across the kikik either. Good close-ups, especially of the standard side (i. e. gandik pointing left), might help.

A full stain might also help to differentiate different iron alloys. (I'm not convinced the gonjo is original.)

Regards,
Kai