"Klinting New Keris: Combining Tradition and Innovation in the Art of Blacksmithing

"Klinting New Keris: Combining Tradition and Innovation in the Art of Blacksmithing




A. Getting to Know the New Klinting Keris: Its History and Characteristics

B. Indonesian Blacksmith Art in the New Klinting Keris

C. Innovation in the Design and Decoration of the New Klinting Keris

D. The Philosophy and Meaning Behind the New Klinting Keris

E. Preservation of Traditional Art through the New Klinting Keris

F. The New Klinting Keris Collection: A Precious Gift from Indonesia.

G. Conclusion 


A. Getting to Know the New Klinting Keris: Its History and Characteristics


The New Klinting Keris is a keris that has a high history and artistic value in Indonesia. Created in 1997 by Empu Suparman, a well-known blacksmith from Klinting Village, Batang Regency, Central Java, this keris is an example of a new keris made while maintaining traditional characteristics and high quality.


The concept of making a new keris was first introduced in the 1980s by an Indonesian keris artist and expert on the history of keris, Niti Hadiprayitno. This concept was later adopted by blacksmiths throughout Indonesia, including Empu Suparman who later created the New Klinting Keris.


The New Klinting Keris is made of high quality prestige steel, with a blade length of about 36.5 cm and a total length of about 56 cm. The decoration on the hilt of this keris is made of wood pellets which are carved with motifs depicting natural beauty and local wisdom.


The distinctive feature of the New Klinting Keris lies in the combination of traditional keris-making techniques with creativity and innovation in design and decoration. This can be seen in the decoration on the hilt of the keris which is carved with motifs depicting the beauty of nature and local wisdom, as well as in the technique of making the blade of the keris which produces a unique and beautiful prestige pattern.


The Baru Klinting keris became known for successfully combining tradition and innovation in Indonesian blacksmithing, thus becoming a symbol of Indonesia's rich and diverse traditional blacksmithing arts. These kerises are also often used as gifts and sold as collectibles, as well as evidence of the richness of Indonesian traditional art and culture that should be preserved and preserved.




B. Indonesian Blacksmith's Art in the New Klinting Keris


The art of blacksmithing in Indonesia has existed since prehistoric times and is a very valuable cultural heritage. This art continues to develop and is maintained until now, with one form of expression being in the making of keris, a traditional Indonesian weapon that has a deep meaning and philosophy.


The New Klinting Keris is a clear example of how the art of Indonesian blacksmithing has continued to evolve and incorporate innovations in design and decoration. In making these new kerises, the blacksmiths not only maintain traditional keris-making techniques that have lasted for hundreds of years, but also try to combine these techniques with creativity and innovation.


Traditional keris making techniques include the process of selecting raw materials, cutting, carving, and sharpening the keris blades. Each stage of the process requires high expertise and accuracy, as well as sensitivity to the quality of the materials used.


In making the New Klinting Keris, blacksmiths use high-quality prestige steel as the base material. Pamor steel is a type of steel made from a mixture of several types of metals, such as iron, nickel and low carbon steel. Pamor steel has an advantage in the strength and beauty of the pattern produced when it is processed with certain techniques.


Apart from using high-quality raw materials, the decoration on the hilt of the keris is also a testament to the beautiful art of Indonesian blacksmiths. The decoration on the hilt of the keris is made of wood pellets which are carved with motifs depicting natural beauty and local wisdom. These motifs are usually inspired by nature, such as birds, flowers or animals associated with strength or luck.


The New Klinting Keris shows how valuable Indonesian blacksmith art is and should be preserved. The beauty and uniqueness of this keris is the result of creativity and innovation which does not eliminate the essence of the traditional art of Indonesian blacksmithing. So the New Klinting Keris is a form of appreciation and preservation of Indonesian blacksmith art.



C. Innovation in the Design and Decoration of the New Klinting Keris


The New Klinting Keris is a clear example of how the art of Indonesian blacksmithing continues to develop and acquire innovations in design and decoration. The blacksmiths who make the New Klinting Keris not only maintain traditional keris-making techniques that have lasted for hundreds of years, but also try to combine these techniques with creativity and innovation in terms of design and decoration.


One of the innovations applied in the design and decoration of the New Klinting Keris is the hilt or hilt of the keris. The upstream keris is usually made of wood and decorated with beautiful carvings. In the New Klinting Keris, the blacksmith does not only use wood as the upstream material for the keris, but also other materials such as horn, bone, or even synthetic materials.


Apart from that, the decoration on the hilt of the keris is also an important part of the innovation in the design and decoration of the New Klinting Keris. The decoration on the hilt of the keris is made using complex carving techniques and requires high precision. The motifs used in the decoration on the hilt of the keris are also chosen carefully and have a deep philosophical meaning.


In addition to innovations in the hilt of the keris, innovations in design and decoration can also be seen in the blades of the keris. The keris blades in the New Klinting Keris are made using the prestige technique, namely the technique of combining several types of metal to produce beautiful and unique patterns. The patterns on the blades of the keris can vary, ranging from patterns of sunlight, patterns of caterpillars, to patterns of jasmine flowers.

The combination of traditional keris making techniques with innovation in design and decoration of the New Klinting Keris has created a beautiful and unique keris. This innovation also helps preserve Indonesian blacksmithing and introduces it to the international community as a product of Indonesian culture that deserves appreciation.




D. The Philosophy and Meaning Behind the New Klinting Keris


The New Klinting Keris has a very deep philosophy and meaning, in line with the traditions and culture that exist in Indonesia. Here are some of the meanings and philosophies contained in the New Klinting Keris:


  1. 1. Symbol of Strength

The New Klinting Keris symbolizes strength and courage. This keris is considered as a traditional weapon that can protect its owner from harm and bring good luck. The blacksmiths who make the New Klinting Keris follow hundreds of years of keris-making traditions and techniques, so these kerises are considered to have strong magical powers.


  1. 2. Symbol of Culture and National Identity

The New Klinting Keris also symbolizes Indonesian culture. Keris is a traditional weapon that has been used by Indonesian people for centuries and has become part of the nation's identity. With the innovations in design and decoration applied to the New Klinting Keris, the art of Indonesian blacksmithing has succeeded in preserving this cultural heritage and elevating it to a higher level.



  1. 3. The Meaning of the Upper Keris Decoration

The decoration on the hilt of the keris also has a deep philosophical meaning. For example, the Garuda motif is seen as a symbol of power and wisdom, while the dragon motif represents strength and courage. The flora and fauna motifs used in the upstream keris also have different meanings, depending on the area of origin or the culture that uses them.


  1. 4. Meaning in the Prestige of the Keris Blade

The keris blade in the New Klinting Keris also has a strong philosophical meaning. The prestige on the keris blade consists of various patterns resulting from combining several types of metal. Each pattern has a different philosophical meaning, such as the sunshine pattern which symbolizes prosperity and happiness, or the caterpillar pattern which symbolizes strength and resilience.


With the philosophy and meaning contained in the New Klinting Keris, Indonesian blacksmith art has succeeded in creating works of art that are both enchanting and proud. The New Klinting Keris is proof that Indonesian culture and traditions are still alive and growing, and should be protected and preserved as a valuable cultural heritage.



E. Preservation of Traditional Art through the New Klinting Keris


The New Klinting Keris is a clear example of efforts to preserve traditional Indonesian art through innovation and design development in a cultural product. Here are several ways to preserve traditional art through the New Klinting Keris:


  1. 1. Preserving the Keris Making Techniques and Methods

The making of the New Klinting Keris is carried out using the same techniques and methods as traditional  kerises in general, where a blacksmith requires high skill and patience to produce the best quality keris. This allows the traditional art of making keris to be preserved and developed.


  1. 2. Reviving Public Interest in Keris

Through the design and innovation of the New Klinting Keris, traditional keris crafts have become more attractive and relevant to the needs and interests of today's society. This helped revive public interest in the keris as a symbol of Indonesian culture.


  1. 3. Promoting Traditional Arts to a Higher Level

The New Klinting Keris takes traditional art to a higher level by developing designs and innovations in the decoration and shape of the keris itself. The New Klinting Keris is not only a traditional weapon, but is also considered a work of art of high value.


  1. 4. Improving the Economic Welfare of Artists

The making of the New Klinting Keris involves many people, from blacksmiths, upstream craftsmen, to sheath and storage box craftsmen. With the development of the New Klinting Keris production, it can improve the economic welfare of these arts workers.


Through the Keris Baru Klinting, traditional keris art is able to be preserved and developed with innovations and designs that suit the needs and interests of today's society. In addition, the Keris Baru Klinting also helps improve the economic welfare of arts workers and promotes Indonesian traditional arts to a higher level. This is a clear example of how a cultural product can be used as a means of preserving high-value traditional art.




F. The New Klinting Keris Collection: A Precious Gift from Indonesia.


The New Klinting Keris is one of Indonesia's most famous and highly valued traditional artworks. As an Indonesian cultural product that has its own characteristics and uniqueness, the New Klinting Keris is a valuable gift that is in great demand by foreign tourists and also a symbol of pride for the Indonesian people.

Here are some things that make the New Klinting Keris a valuable collection:


  1. 1) Historical and Cultural Values:The New Klinting Keris has high historical and cultural value, because it is one of Indonesia's cultural heritages that has existed since ancient times. The New Klinting Keris also has a deep philosophical and symbolic meaning, so it is widely regarded as a symbol of local wisdom and national pride.
  2. 2) Unique Shape and Decoration:The New Klinting Keris has a unique and beautiful shape and decoration. The use of quality materials such as sharp iron blades, wooden heads, and knick-knacks decorated with Indonesian ornaments make the New Klinting Keris a work of art of high value.
  3. 3) Skills and Expertise Maker:The making of the New Klinting Keris requires high skills and expertise, starting from the process of selecting raw materials, choosing decorative motifs, to the process of making precise iron blades. This makes the New Klinting Keris a work of art full of aesthetic value and technical perfection.
  4. 4) High Investment Value :As a collector's item, the New Klinting Keris has a high investment value because it is hard to find and its price continues to increase in line with the increase in demand from collectors. This makes the New Klinting Keris an attractive investment option for art lovers and collectors.



The New Klinting Keris is a valuable gift that can be used as a form of appreciation for the beauty and uniqueness of Indonesian traditional art. As a high-value collection, the New Klinting Keris can also be a means of preserving traditional art and a symbol of national pride.


G. conclusions about the new clinting keris



The New Klinting Keris is a keris made by Empu Suparman in 1997, which has high historical and artistic value. This keris was made as an effort to preserve the traditional art of making keris in Indonesia, but with a touch of creativity and innovation in design and decoration. This keris is made of high quality material, namely prestige steel, and is decorated with wood pellets upstream which are carved with motifs depicting natural beauty and local wisdom.

The Baru Klinting keris became known for successfully combining traditional keris-making techniques with creativity and innovation in design and decoration, thus becoming a symbol of Indonesia's rich and diverse traditional blacksmithing arts. These kerises are often used as gifts and sold as collectibles. Overall, the New Klinting Keris is a testament to the richness of Indonesian traditional art and culture that should be preserved and preserved.


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