The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

196 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap.
other end is heated in the furnace and gradually
beaten out until the peculiar shape of the blade is
achieved, with the characteristic hollow on the one
side and convexity on the other. If the blade is to
be a simple and unadorned weapon, there follow
only the tempering, grinding, and polishing. But
many blades are ornamented with curled ridges
projecting from the back edge. These are cut and
turned up with an iron chisel while the metal is
and before tempering.
hot
Two methods of tempering are in use. One is
to heat the blade in the fire and to plunge it at a
dull heat into water. The other is to lay the cold
blade upon a flat bar of red-hot iron. This has the
advantage that the degree of the effect upon the
blade can be judged from the change of its colour
as it absorbs the heat. The Kayan smiths are
expert in judging by the colours of the surface the
degree and kind of temper produced. They aim at
producing a very tough steel, for the malat has to
serve not only in battle, but also for hacking a path
through the jungle, and for many other purposes.
Many sword-blades are elaborately decorated
with scroll designs along the posterior border and
inlaid with brass. The inlaid brass commonly takes
the form of a number of small discs let into the metal
near the thick edge ; small holes are punched through
the hot metal, and brass wire is passed through each
hole, cut off flush with the surface and hammered
flat. The designs are chased on the cold metal with
a chisel and hammer supplemented by a file. The
polishing and sharpening are done in several stages:
the first stage usually by rubbing the blade upon a
block of sandstone ; the second stage by the use of
a hone of finer grain ; and the highest polish is
attained by rubbing with a leaf whose surface is
hard and probably contains silicious particles. At
the present time imported files are much used.