Ronald demonstrated how the kris was used – with an upward thrusting motion. He said that in his opinion krises were always more symbolic than lethal, since if anyone had attempted to use one in earnest, he'd probably have been killed, as his attackers laid into him with deadlier weapons. He also demonstrated how the well-dressed Malay wore his kris: if he came from Bali, he wore it between his shoulder blades; the Javanese wore it in the smalls of their backs, and practically everybody else wore it on their side, just as a cowboy wears his holster.

Before the Malay world became (mostly) Muslim, it was (mostly) Hindu-Buddhist-Animist. Kris blades carry this pre-Islamic history not only in their connection to the spirit world, but also in their design. Some blades are straight, they are said to represent the Naga – the serpent king of Hindu-Buddhist legend – when he is asleep. Sluggish people who need an injection of energy should not carry straight bladed krises.

Other blades are wavy, they are said to represent the Naga when he is active. Energetic, hot-tempered people, who need an injection of calm, should not carry wavy bladed krises. Do remember that, next time you commission one.

Wavy-edged krises always have an odd number of waves. And why? Because odd numbers were considered masculine. And why? Isn’t it obvious? Because they were indivisible by two, of course. Even numbers, being divisible, were thought to be feminine, since a woman divided by two when she had a child. Go here for the complete article By Rosie Milne