Brass Shell Keychain

This handmade brass bullet shell keychain began far from a studio table, deep inside an Indonesian forest. I found the spent casing on the ground, resting quietly among dry leaves, roots, and the heavy silence of the trees.

Where the story began

At first, I could not understand where it came from. The shape and weight felt different from the cartridges usually carried by local hunters. It seemed to hold a question of its own: who had left it there, and what kind of path had it travelled before reaching my hand?

Curiosity pulled me farther into the forest. Then, without warning, I was greeted by a military marksman from a direction I had not noticed. In that moment I understood that I had crossed beyond the civilian boundary and stepped too close to a training area.

From tension to hospitality

I was brought to their post so they could understand who I was and why I was there. The first minutes carried a quiet tension, but after I explained my journey, my work, and my interest in objects with real stories, the atmosphere softened.

What stayed with me was not fear. It was the discipline, warmth, and hospitality of the soldiers I met there. From that encounter, a small cooperation began: I bought spent training casings from them and brought the material back with a different purpose in mind.

A second life in the hand

This piece is not made to celebrate violence. It is about transformation. A casing that once belonged to a world of discipline, distance, and alertness is cleaned, prepared, and finished by hand as a small everyday object.

Carried on keys, it becomes something personal: a reminder of boundaries, unexpected meetings, and the way a hard object can be given a quieter second life through human hands.

For more about how we turn found material and Indonesian craft into wearable objects, visit Our Craft or read Our Story.

Product details

• Material: real spent brass shell casing
• Use: keychain or small collectible object
• Finish: natural brass
• Prepared, cleaned, and hand-finished in Indonesia
• Each piece may show natural marks from its previous life

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is included. Exact tone, patina, and surface markings may differ from the photographs because each casing has its own history.