It should also be noted, of course, that the tradition of keris care and maintenance is not the same in Malaysia as it is, say, in Jawa or Madura. This, being a Maduran keris, should most probably be maintained in the traditions of that area of Indonesia.
As Alan pointed out, it is the correct method in Bali to polish keris clean and stain them with warangan. This polished look may have one time been the tradition on Jawa as well, but what as developed there over time (and Madura as well) is the preference for the rough, topographical finish on the blade created by acid washing instead. Many Malay blades i see, on the other hand, don't use arsenic to darken the blade at all. Keris culture throughout Indonesia and the Peninsula is not a standardized block of traditions.
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