Thanks Alan. You and Rick have better eyes than i do for the possible pamor pattern on this keris. Maybe that "gut feeling" of yours is working well. Your theory that the gonjo might be a replacement was something i hadn't thought about and might explain why it fits differently than most 20thC Bali keris. Still i wonder why a keris that is only 70-80 yrs. old would be in need of a replacement gonjo.
I completely agree with your advice on staining Alan (probably because i have followed your instruction from the start
) . I have used arsenic trioxide with great success over the past few years. I have never tried realgar. Actually i would think one might want to take extra precautions using the mineral form since grinding the stone to powder is much more likely to make the arsenic airborne and it would be easier to inhale the stuff. I definetely think the industrial arsenic trioxide is the way to go if you can get it. As with any poisonous chemical, use common sense and there is nothing to fear.
