The problem I have always had with inlay and restoring kris has been in the etching vs the polishing. The acid can seep underneath the inlay and loosen it, or it can eat away at the thin inlay real fast vs its eat rate for steel. In certain cases, I have used a thin layer of clear nail polish to protect inlay or other fittings (such as asang-asang) when etching. High grit sandpaper (eg. 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, etc...), is relatively gentle. You could always start at a higher grit. I would just personally avoid over-etching, or long soaks in acid, as it can add a topographical etch, that at least in what I have seen, has not been typical of Moro swords. The polishing compound idea, can work depending on the compound, but there is always a danger that some compounds contain a portective additive that can sometimes create more of a mess than theyre worth (eg. brasso). Jewelers red rouge is nice, and goes a long way. If the rust is isolated in spots, you could just use #0000 steel wool, a gentle hand, and some WD-40 (or other penetratin oil), to clean it off. Anyways, nice kris, and great inlay.
Kai, if you decide to send to Battara for restoration, you may want to think about adding a silver collar underneath the cockatua below, above the wrap.
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