Ganjah help needed!

[S.Workman]

Hey Keris lovers, I need some help with this keris right here:http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18521

I need to remove the ganjah, because there is some rust buildup in there. In fact, I had originally thought that it was ganjah menumpang which I take to mean a ganjah forged in a piece with the blade. What I took to be a forged line to indicate the separation is actually packed with corrosion. I don't think this is good for the kerns, but while my other keris had a ganjah which came off quite easily, this one is proving a challenge. I thought that this was surprising considering the tiny key to mate the sections. My fear is that the two pieces have rusted together. To deal with this so far, I have placed the kerns upright and put a few drops of penetrating oil at the base of the tang. Hopefully this will ooze through the corrosion over the weekend and facilitate the "divorce" of the pieces. Am I doing this right, and if not what can I do that makes more sense?

[David]

Have you soaked this keris for any long period of time in a mild acidic liquid such a pineapple juice or vinegar? I have never had to remove a gonjo when cleaning a blade. Prolonged soaking with frequent brushing with an old toothbrush and then working the crevice between the gonjo and blade with a sharp needle point would be my approach personally. The acid liquid should loosen the rust, but this could take up to a week or two soaking, brushing and picking.

[S.Workman]

Have you soaked this keris for any long period of time in a mild acidic liquid such a pineapple juice or vinegar? I have never had to remove a gonjo when cleaning a blade. Prolonged soaking with frequent brushing with an old toothbrush and then working the crevice between the gonjo and blade with a sharp needle point would be my approach personally. The acid liquid should loosen the rust, but this could take up to a week or two soaking, brushing and picking.

I have soaked it, but I am a bit shy of damaging this already worn blade by too prolonged a soak. If you look at the pictures I posted, you can see that some details are quite faded.
Also, the ganjah was already loose on my other keris, so I was able to see the interface between the two parts, and it was quite rusty. Because of that, I am worried about leaving rust in that (tiny) gap, since it could spread. Am I over thinking this, do you suppose?

[David]

There is nothing delicate about this blade that you need to worry about. You will not damage this blade soaking it in pineapple juice, even for more than a week (though you may find yourself skimming mold off the top of the juice ;) ). Be sure to use 100% pineapple juice, not from concentrate. That seems to work the best.