Restoring a 15th Century KRIS DAGGER!

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Alec Steele Blacksmith 2022

[@entropy11]

Every authentic kris I've seen has been left in the rough, so this is wild. Anyway hope you do a traditional scabbard for it too. When fitting the handle keep in mind that the kris is meant to be held in a pinch grip with your finger and thumb on the flats of the blade. Meteoric or wrought iron was used for these little guys a lot, that might be what you've got.

[@silatdan]

Hi Alec. I have a few of these in my collection. They are a blade we have in an Indonesian martial art I teach called pencak silat. They are family heirlooms and some believe they hold mythical powers. The tang is usually wrapped for a tight fit. The elephant is a symbol of knowledge. It's a beautiful blade. Hopefully it's a good one and not a bad keris.

[@tirtaguntara6944]

Hey Alec, I'm a smith from Indonesia and I've studied traditional keris forging art. - First of all, Your keris is missing the "Ganja" part. its shaped like a blade guard and without it, its not a Keris. Ganja (Yoni) simbolize feminity, while the blade (Lingga) symbolize masculinity. also for an authentic majapahitan, I noticed the "Kembang Kacang" and "Lambé gajah" no longer crisp, it might've been mishandled several times and lost lots of details. - Secondly, there is a much less destructive method of restoring keris. Traditionally, we soak it in coconut water for days and then clean it with lime(citric acid) several times, depend on the severity of rust/patination - Third, the one you took as a reference is Keris sajen, its different with the one you're holding. Keris Sajen is only used for ritual purpose, it will not have scabbard or handle and it is forged from one block of steel. the "figure" on its tang is a stylized human in fetal position, not standing. - Fourth, Keris is a pattern welded steel, not a wootz steel. We call it "Pamor", and to bring out the pattern we etch it using arsenic - And lastly, as this is my heritage, I would offer my insight to assist your project. Reach me out.

[@Thundermuffin93]

You are very kind to offer all of this Tirta. Bless you for sharing your heritage and experience! I hope Alec will take some of these insights into his restoration.

[@geniusonyeo]

I hope Alec see your comment!

[@bangjirud1937]

Mbelgedes 😂😂😂

[@abrilbriliant7783]

sampean keknya pro bngst soal kriss bng di liat dri komen sampean sya punya petnyaan sampean percaya gx kris yg di tarik/diwujutkn dri ghoib ke solid

[@HandTightGarage]

Very informative. However he doesn't care. Accuracy doesn't get views. Buzzwords do.

[@inventiveowl395]

You know what? If I was to do a restoration like this, I'd restore one side of it and leave the other as it was. Realistically, the kris isn't going to get used, it will be a 'wallhanger' so the two sides will make it more interesting. The original side as a historical piece, the restored side a memory of how it looked before it was forgotten.

[@ericf5427]

This is amazing! I inherited my grandpa's damascus steel kris with a sheath that doubles/ looks like an axe! Although the kris I inherited is 2 feet long haha Amazing craftsmanship and restoration! Impressive!

[@joelblair8339]

Jamie is still one of my all time favorite editors.

[@osoeduardo]

He is beast at editing!!

[@owendufka972]

I think what a lot of people fail to grasp-- if a antique can be truly restored, you give the item centuries rather than decades, of further utility, use, or life

[@johnnyr4767]

Assuming it's lucky that is, plenty of tools and items that wither away due to the weather over the years, just look at how quickly cars can rust away to nothingness

[@DrRussian]

@@johnnyr4767 Keep in mind that most of the things we build in the recent decades are made to not last as long as possible. A good chunk of manufacturers have switched from a "quality" product to a "recurring" product. They want what we buy to fail so that we buy another one.

[@johnnyr4767]

@@DrRussian very very true, can't keep a company if you're not able to keep demand

[@RobertDoornbosF1]

@@johnnyr4767 Is that why condoms are only 99% effective👀

[@johnnyr4767]

@@RobertDoornbosF1 you might be on to something 🤔

[@harrysenior1112]

Going on my first ever blacksmithing experience this month! Well up for it, can’t wait!

[@DiZzetTyZe]

Very exiting project, can't wait to see the next episode!!! I liked the way Alec talked about historical weapons back in the day when he was making some. Very interesting seeing him restorating one!

[@AndyFromBeaverton]

To restore or preserve, that is the real question.

[@jakehix8132]

IMO, it is still largely preserved.. at least in the sense that it could have been changed much more.

[@schwig44]

@@jakehix8132 exactly, the form was preserved. It's Iron, it easily could have been melted down thousands of times over, ending up in the present day as a random heat number of A36 plate in some warehouse, but instead the Kris finds new life. Restoration is about the *integrity* of the object, at least for me.

[@cvdv23]

This summer I went on holiday in Indonesia and found a lot of Keris blades in a museum. I have made some photos and was planning to send them to you as inspiration. Funny that the first video I see since I am back is about those blades. I will still send them to you. After restoring you should probably have a crack at making one yourself !! Regards

[@gradybaka4946]

Alec this was awesome! I'd love to see a whole series of you restoring old blades back to life

[@RunningAccountant]

I love this idea, I know it can be quite complicated finding such historic pieces to restore, but with your experience, it would be an absolute treat to watch. I'd love for this to continue in the future with other pieces!

[@njones420]

Regarding the "face", that is where the origal maker cuts a specific pattern of slots/grooves, which act as a "makers mark" to identify the blade. :) I suspect it had more detailed bits which have broken away.

[@eloquentsarcasm]

Restorations like yours, done with love and respect for the blade are awesome. You're bringing back to life a neglected item and giving it potentially decades if not centuries of further life. Your own children/grandchildren will be able to see that weapon and know their ancestor restored it to proper form.

[@rdalmasso7326]

8:13 Hey Alex ! As a coffee Enthusiast i was thinking that you could do a coffee Press machine, a bit in the idea of the Flair or La Pavonni, James Hoffman a brillant british coffee guy would be a great guest for it to let you know some few things about how it works !

[@soupsock9743]

I’m surprised he was able to get this out so early! It’s only been 2 weeks since his last project!

[@jakobvanklinken]

It's been longer than that, it takes time to edit stuff

[@BlackringIII]

I can't tell if that's sarcasm or not 😂

[@FinlayTM]

minigunboy135??

[@soupsock9743]

@@FinlayTM possibly…

[@DMalek]

Ever heard about holidays? Give the guy a break, they have a life like everyone else

[@anglerseawolf9919]

Nice to see him get back to working with knives

[@bwood6337]

Loving the music choices as always! Been away for a while but I was right away reminded that it's one of my favorite aspects of the channel.

[@marklock6421]

Absolutely beautiful restoration, just lovely mate

[@johnnywalker7475]

Take your blacksmithing skills, your woodcutting skills, and your jewel setting skills, make something fancy, sell it for a mint and you and the misses go on a nice vacation somewhere extravagant.

[@drewishaf]

I think that "scraped" and "pitted" looking antique steel blade looks infinitely better than the new sanded, semi-polished finish. It looks the way it should look and that is glorious.

[@cassiusclay3978]

Love the ancient bottle opener on the side! ;-)

[@SAOS451316]

In Europe and America the idea is to respect an object by leaving it as original as possible. In Japan for example the idea is to respect an object by keeping it pristine. Both perspectives are honoring the past and it's okay to have different cultural ideas about things. This kris dagger will look beautiful when it's finished and could be enjoyed for generations to come, and it will have the same historic value as it did before Alex worked on it.

[@zeldafreak847]

So I’ve been following the channel for a long time and when I first started watching I had also heard of Bob Kramer. Coincidentally he made Damascus bottle openers and I got one. Following Kramer and his knives being used on KZbin is what led me to find Alec. I know he is approaching 2.5 or even 3 million subs soon, and I think it would be so cool if we as a community could purchase a damascus item like the bottle opener from Alec. Just a thought… anyways this was a really cool episode man and I am always excited to see what you bring next!

[@Myxril]

"Put a kettle on. I'll have a tray of coffee." Relatable

[@liam7342]

I would love to see you make your own wooz steel. Would be fascinating to watch you lean and explain the process

[@wpjohn91]

They still cant reproduce it exactly

[@alexh3974]

they kind of know but no ones made an exact version.

[@blazehammer192]

Feels like your older videos and I absolutely love it!

[@addos7965]

The AMOUNT of content your making has kept me entertained for weeks thanks 😜

[@vincedeluccia234]

Have you ever considered making a Swiss Army Knife from scratch using Damascus?

[@mike_k.]

Keris has welded blade not wootz blade. The blade has contract but with proper etching. What I have found and tested is the traditional way: Auripigment with lime juice (makes arsenic based acid) to etch the blade. With this combination one type of steel gets darkened while the second one with higher nickel stays "silver".

[@danielpaul2241]

Awesome project, just ordered myself some pants thanks from Australia! 🤘🏻

[@CNTHINGS]

Very cool! I'd love to see an update of your filming gear, setup, lighting. Your vids are looking so clean!

[@nicksoulodre6250]

I'd like to point out that this antique piece looks FREAKISHLY in line with the current challenge that a certain Mr. Stelter is has taken on for the Bowie collection. Probably wasn't on purpose but some of the lines in the Kris match the flowing lines of the Bowie that so many bladesmiths have recreated. Maybe I'm crazy, but I see it and I think it's super SUPER cool to see metalwork loop the same way music and fashion so often do. We're all just creators in the end.

[@boboboy8189]

what makes keris is great is it can stand on his point, which means that a keris is finished. if it can't stand up, ironSmith is failed

[@BigColton]

Anyone else miss regular postings? He used to post daily (which I understand is an insane amount to keep up with) and now posts about every 2 weeks or so. I wonder what he does with his time now

[@kristiangant2584]

Great name for a dagger! Brilliant resto too

[@abrenos3744]

I like the way it looks with the coffee

[@healdiseasenow]

I'm moving to Alex's work shop! I need to learn to blacksmith

[@thedarkknight1971]

Brilliant job there again fella. I also love Maisy stood next to you holding the certificate in her gob looking up occasionally with that look of "Dad, don't for get me, I'm holding this nicely for you, aren't I a good girl!" Hahaha 😊 😎🇬🇧

[@C4sp3r123]

Distinct lack of Dad jokes in recent video, we demand more 🤣

[@RedneckForge]

I love these old daggers like this

[@erniesmith2415]

You're voice is so relaxing in this video

[@brianmoore1164]

I would love to hear your opinion about the steel. How did it sand? How hard, how soft, how did it work? You have worked a lot of steel. What impression do you get?

[@electricpaisy6045]

It's a little shock at first but after he came clean that he is aware of that, it felt much better watching the video and I'm looking forward to the final outcome.

[@clementj]

If I remember correctly, the keris is mainly a stabbing weapon, hence why the hilt is usually curved and not straight. The curved end sits inside your palm so you can thrust it with your whole arm.

[@boboboy8189]

that's correct but you still can use just to scratch your enemy because every keris already mixed with poison or venom. so if you got even small cut, it will poisoning blood thus you will dead even if nobody manage to stab you. this is why keris can't be played with like European sword or japanese katana. the way he hold the keris also wrong, if any silat practitioner saw, he will beat you up because that's dangerous weapon like playing with toxic weapon

[@MariniProduction2021]

Great Alec, what you do is great at your age ... I'm 24 and I admire you a lot, I make home furnishings ... if you want to see 😁😁😁

[@sharon543]

Do some beautiful things 🤝

[@MariniProduction2021]

@@sharon543 thanks 💪

[@viggo_wiberg]

Finally a new upload!

[@UnderfundedScientist]

Whoa restoration, exciting branch of skills

[@savage_x89]

Very cool 😎 More like this please!

[@kronkmcnasty4064]

What an absolutely cool project and a super cool idea. I paused at 1:09 so I don't know what's going to happen but I'm super excited to watch the rest.

[@kronkmcnasty4064]

Wow, it's going splendidly. Looks beautiful. I hope there is going to be another video on this piece.

[@michalberanek2783]

Kudos for the masking tape super glue trick!

[@Wangdoodle444]

Ahhh, the “Soul Reaver”… Very nice👌

[@jackmehoffe9372]

Thoroughly enjoyed that

[@oneshotme]

Waiting for the finished product before I make a comment Enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@dodo2829]

I think you should get into sculpting, because it teaches you a lot of things and unlock you a lot of skills, every material has a unique way of shaping it, and sculpting is the first stage of the ladder, you have to learn it to get to the next stage which probably would be carving on wood and then stone and lastly metal. So you don't have any barriers in your future projects, like that wooden little man.

[@Maxbotz11]

Wow dude, you inspired my to start blacksmithing and I love the way everything has turned out

[@mitchellkeen8041]

Long time no see! Good to see a new video

[@aaronwild2894]

It looks amazing. Exactly how it should look. Aged and beautiful.

[@lArtisanBrasseur]

Wow guys, the coffee part. Hahahaha

[@TimothyHall13]

Oh Yeah!!! Thanks Alec!!!

[@oivinf]

Brave undertaking, looking forward to seeing the completely finished product with haft and all

[@Monuments_to_Good_Intentions]

I thought about sending you a old WWII knife to restore…. But I kind of wanted to restore it myself as well😂.

[@starbomber]

There is a really big debate about "restore" vs "preserve" but it depends on your goal and the piece. Good luck! Hope it goes well.

[@harleysveltan7724]

Omg I love the dog!!

[@hazakdds7366]

Restorations are in the eye of the beholder. You can do everything from a conservation up to a complete reset. It's yours, you justify your choices to no one.

[@quillclock]

i like that you tilted his head sideways rather than forward like the picture. hes like huh? rather than sad

[@wulfboy_95]

2:15 That part is called the "mata" which means "eye" in English. It's typically made using a combination of stock removal and relief carving.

[@jackreeves3001]

Thanks again for sharing your time and talent! KANSAS USA

[@Mjones8383]

1:15 in and all the antique shop workers are crying 😢 😭 😫 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@resenese573]

Would recommend a small dry ice blaster for future restorations.

[@TheWhiteDragon3]

From what I've read about Kris swords, wootz was not often a material the smiths had access to, but instead the process of folding and laminating steel to "squeeze" out the impurities like with wrought iron was used, hence the patterning here. It's said that a kris sword was a master smith's magnum opus, and he would spend years working the steel and shaping it to be as absolutely perfect as he could get it.

[@boboboy8189]

Japanese learned how to fold from keris. but of course most people didn't know that

[@TheMrWoodsman]

It would make just the best letter opener!

[@tonydevey1263]

typically an Indonesian weapon, these traditionally could have spirits within them. You could send your Kris to represent you in court. In Battle they would coat the edges in poison. FYI if it cuts you get rid if it straight away. Used by Silat worriers back in the day. I used to own one

[@CheesedCheese]

Never clicked on a notification so fast

[@david-jr5fn]

It's not steel, its iron mixed with nickel. Cleaning is usually done by putting it in lime juice mixed with coconut milk for a few days and afterwards arsenic to bring out pattern but some keris dont have much of a pattern

[@Null-fo3zr]

Missed the knife/sword content

[@kzarnold3678]

Nicely done

[@theobaldvonthorhausen3049]

I really appreciate the can or bottle opener feature at the Power part ;-)

[@edi9892]

AFAIK, the carving part is better done by cutting perpendicular to your outline, or making a series of holes following the contour and you do it on both faces of the cube. Then you cut along the outline indicated by the cuts/holes.

[@baktibangsa6826]

The groove is a symbol of starling beak which peck a tick in a bufallo..thats come the ideas of stabbing dagger..round tang indicate way more older at least before 10th century..square tang after 10th century..

[@giggityguy]

This is an interesting project to undertake: restoring, not making, a blade. I have my great uncle's dress sword that is totally non-functional but still quite attractive. It's in good shape overall but there's some rust on the blade. I have no idea how to go about getting it restored because it has some detailed inlays on the blade that I assume would be damaged by hand sanding. So for now I just try to remember to oil it now and then so the rust doesn't get any worse.

[@Tax_Collector01]

I think it’s fortunate the blade couldn’t be completely restored because some original value is retained, but the etch did reveal details that would’ve been missed had the polishing had not been done…clearly it’s a tradeoff, but one I’m not disappointed to see. Well done 👍

[@SurlyX]

great video i really miss your longer videos tho if im honest need more Alec.

[@qordales]

LittleFeatherWS here. I think that the dagger has some pure iron in it. When you were filing it I noticed grains that run lengthwise, and again after the coffee etch. My guess is that the steel maker came out with a not completely homogeneous wootz attempt that makes it more half iron half steel. That would explain why it seems porous, and why the etch looks darker.

[@garetkonigsfeld2]

It's funny how without the handle it looks like a letter opener. Put the handle on and it looks like a lethal dagger. Thanks for sharing 👍.

[@Ravenblues]

You can fill the pitting with braise, would make for nice detailing

[@jasonpyle6654]

Good afternoon everyone

[@dittadhit4635]

Thanks ❤ history from my countri Indonesia 🇲🇨

[@rossr9607]

love it keep it up

[@javierm.t2338]

The doggo was priceless

[@kensmith8832]

You could do a silver casting for the handle. Burnishing would look great as long as no one ever handled the dagger.

[@renaldotulung1676]

It is said that the etchings on a Keris was used as micro channels for holding poison, as the blade will often get soaked in poison to make it more lethal. Maybe the porousness of your Keris is intentional as it can absorb more poison.

[@craftedbychris1721]

Letssssssssss goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo he has uploaded whooohhhaahhhjoooo

[@akhzar2011]

The Ganja is gone.(From Indonesia) 😍😍

[@kentuckytrapper780]

I hate like hell to get stuck with that thing, great video, keep'um coming.

[@arpioisme]

one of the any possile reason that the keris is si thin and porous might be because heirloom keris that gone through generations received yearly acid bath known as mutih. the tradition started in mataram era, about late 17th century. 15th keris that has not gone through such yearly treatment, e.g. recent riverfounds, have more of a solid blade and can be polished shiny

[@paulblack1811]

Lol very British way to drink coffee hahahahahah

[@tippytailmckitty2658]

Ric Furrer from Door County Forgeworks is the wootz steel expert. He makes it himself.

[@limauais1670]

Kris Luk 3. The spiritual meaning in making keris with luk 1 and 3 is almost the same, namely as a symbol of human closeness to the Creator, and also as a means to help accelerate the achievement of the desires of the owner of the keris. Compared to the luk 1 kris, the 3 rd kris emphasizes the balance between the spiritual and worldly life of humans, the balance between the spiritual and physical sides, and inner stability in the face of the turbulence of worldly life. Compared to the keris with luk 1, the magic in the keris with luk 3 is more able to adjust to the spiritual / psychological nature of the owner. The aura it gives off is also smoother and softer. *Luk is the number of Waves on the kris

[@davidstrickler6570]

When you are looking for support on a part that you will be hand sanding. Use modeling clay. It forms to shape and keeps it in place.