Malay-style keris done up modern

[J W Bensinger]

A little Malay straight keris in modern materials-one of the new designs I'll have at BLADE.
I've been putting this project off for about five years now because the forging is a PITA.

 

[1066vik]

the top edge looks hollow ground is that for balance?

 

[J W Bensinger]

the top edge looks hollow ground is that for balance?

Whole thing is hollowground. Gives a nice strong spine and very thin edges...it's not like a dagger's gonna chop anything off but it'll bite deep and still be rigid-and light for size. Daggers and straight razors are about all I hollowgrind

 

[Scara]

Whole thing is hollowground. Gives a nice strong spine and very thin edges...it's not like a dagger's gonna chop anything off but it'll bite deep and still be rigid-and light for size. Daggers and straight razors are about all I hollowgrind

So a cutter and thruster, but not a chopper. That makes sense. The whole thing is beautiful. You've had your thumb on those ground in recesses on the slabs in some of the pictures you've posted. Is the knife intended for use in a T-grip, or are you holding it that way for the pictures?

 

[JayGoliath]

So a cutter and thruster, but not a chopper. That makes sense. The whole thing is beautiful. You've had your thumb on those ground in recesses on the slabs in some of the pictures you've posted. Is the knife intended for use in a T-grip, or are you holding it that way for the pictures?

Keris/Kris is never a chopper, unless you are talking about Kalis, the huge ones from the Moros.
It's feared locally and guarded like a heirloom.

 

[Camber]

That's really cool Jim. And some nice forging to boot.

 

[J W Bensinger]

So a cutter and thruster, but not a chopper. That makes sense. The whole thing is beautiful. You've had your thumb on those ground in recesses on the slabs in some of the pictures you've posted. Is the knife intended for use in a T-grip, or are you holding it that way for the pictures?

Thanks. They tend to hold them this way-onthe originals (where the handle is slipped onto a round tang) the old timers sometimes even twist the grip to the angle they like.
IMO this one will cut waaaaay better than an original-most of the silat keris cuts are pulling drawcuts off a missed or deflected thrust, or tip cuts(at least how I learned)

 

[Jens Schuetz]

How did I miss this?

Is it sacrilege if I say this looks more useful and robust than the originals I've seen and that the form in it's functionality looks also more beautiful?
Well, now it's too late. I said it.

 

[J W Bensinger]

How did I miss this?

Is it sacrilege if I say this looks more useful and robust than the originals I've seen and that the form in it's functionality looks also more beautiful?
Well, now it's too late. I said it.

Thanks man-I dunno about more beautiful but I was definitely going for more fuctionality

 

[Jens Schuetz]

Thanks man-I dunno about more beautiful but I was definitely going for more fuctionality

To an engineer I guess function = beauty.
Maybe it's just me but your blade reminds me of another masterpiece.

http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Like-Mechanical-Power/1017342