Luk (waves)
Keris can be found in three different shapes of blade: wavy (most popular), straight, or a combination of both straight and wavy patterns from helm to tip.
The number of luk is always odd and normally with a maximum of thirteen. Keris with more than thirteen luk are abnormal, some are made to attract the tourists, but some are made for "abnormal" people with special physical or mental characteristics. To count the luk, one must start at the first concave part at the base of the blade, just below the ganja. The number of waves is always odd, but sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the last curve.
Luk is a number corresponding with the number of such waves, always odd from 3 up to 29 and above. Luk is one attribute of dapur.
- Luk 3: mametri/pepeling = horizontal dedication (jangkung)
- Luk 5 : for the science, teacher, conducting wayang(dalang),
- guru (pandawa) example example
- Luk 7 : for honesty, lucky charm/tolak balak (dapur carubuk)
- Luk 9 : for tranquility (panimbal, panji sekar)
- Luk 11 : for wealth, nobility/mangku kamukten (sabuk inten) example
- Luk 13 : for power/ mangku panguoso (sengkelat) example
If the number of luk is above 13, it is not considered to be “normal”.
- Luk 13 to Luk 29: Keris Palawijan/Kalawijo example
- Luk 29 -Luk 51: Artwork from outer Java