Quote:
Originally Posted by xasterix
Agreed on the etch part- that's how I've been etching Moro blades recently. When I had my first few antiques, I made the mistake of doing sandpaper and FeCl etch; nowadays I realize just fine steel wool and vinegar dip brings out the pattern that the original makers intended. Non-indigenous etchants produce results that aren't really "traditional" but still pretty nevertheless.
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I also must say that i have tried to search out old images of Moro warriors with their kris blades exposed and while i may have seen a couple that look like they may have been darkened with etchants i am not convinced this was actually the common practice back in the day. But frankly it is difficult to discern from old black & white photos whether blades have been darkened or not. I do understand why collectors like to see the patterns in laminated and twisted core blades more clearly, but i have not read anything that confirms this was the practice amongst the Moro tribes themselves. While i understand that the practice of staining blades with warangan became accepted in Java, Bali, Madura and Sumatra, given the multitude of pamor patterns and the spiritual and cultural significance of these different patterns, it does make sense why many Indonesian keris get such treatment. But as far as i know the same status for different patterns does not exist in Moro culture. Can anyone point to old accounts about Moro kris that speak with certainty to the darkening of blades with etchants?