English: "The kris blade is defined as one that is wide on the base and double-edged. It is capable of delivering both chopping and slicing cuts. While many assume the traditional form of the kris is the fully wavy blade, the half-waved half-straight, as well as the fully straight blades, are equally if not more common, as straight blades were more practical in combat. The waves in older kris were fewer in number and of deeper/wider distribution, however as time passed waves started becoming tighter and more frequent in placement. Kris blades with many waves demanded excellent skill in use since if cuts were improperly made they would merely bounce off target or worse become stuck in the bone of an enemy. However it is said that a higher number of waves increased a kris's potency as a talismanic object. Often one can find as a testament to their usage as talismanic objects, totemic like engravings (often filled with an inlay of brass, silver, or nickel) on the blade, generally in okir (jungle motifs such as tree and leaf) designs, but occasionally one will find Islamic script instead. Many kris blades are also forged with meticulously crafted fullers, ranging from a complex webbing of multiple full-length fullers, to a single elegant fuller running down the latter third of the blade approaching the tip. Near the gangya (guard) on some kris, are ceremonial spear/arrow head like incisions that have been carved into the blade. Unlike their Malay cousins, Moro kris are primarily cutting swords, and generally were not used as thrusting blades like the Malay dagger keris. This is evidenced by the rounded state of many kris points. Moro kris blades generally range in size from 18-26 inches (46-66 cm), though as with all Moro weapons there are exceptions. Generally however, the larger blades are found on later pieces, while the oldest Moro Kris tend to be of smaller stature. Damascene patterning is sometimes evident though often not as controlled as seen in the complex pattern welding of the smaller Malay Keris. However, just because no pattern is immediately seen, it must not be assumed that none exist. Since many Moro kris were taken by American's as exotic souvenirs, and in order to "enhance" their appeal to the American aesthetic of what a sword should be (mostly influenced by Hollywood), many kris were polished by their foreign owners on a buffer till the original pattern disappeared, and all that was left was a shiny piece of steel. In some extreme cases, one can even find kris blades that have been chrome plated." From <http://home.earthlink.net/~federicomalibago/moroweapons.html>

In the above example, the blade's lamination pattern is evident. The darker high-carbon harder cutting edge of the blade can also be noticed. The said high-carbon cutting edge is described as "sinubo" (roughly, sandwiched in English), as it is wrapped on both sides by relatively softer steel.

The above kris' overall photo can be seen here <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kalis_seko_kris_moro_sword_2_overall.jpg>

The kris is a 19th century piece, and it came from the Cheney Cowles museum (Spokane, Washington).

Other uploaded materials by the same author are here:

(a) Luzon weapons; (b) Visayan weapons; (c) Moro weapons; and (d) Lumad (non-Moro Mindanao) weapons