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 hot 

 and before tempering. 



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. 



