Preservation of Pendok, Mendak and Bone

Bjorn · 26th December 2014, 12:26 PM

From reading the forums I've learned a lot about how to preserve keris. I'm looking to stock up on some items so I can take proper care of my small collection. I would appreciate any advice and tips you may have regarding the preservation and care of pendok, mendak and bone hilts.

Pendok and Mendak
How can one best care for these with the purpose of preservation? And how can they be cleaned prior to conservation?

Bone Hilts
Baby oil seems to be recommended. Would any ol' baby oil do or should it contain - or not contain - certain components. Should it be applied with the hands and in what quantities?

A. G. Maisey · 26th December 2014, 10:49 PM

Pendok can be difficult, sometimes very difficult.

What you do varies with each one and depends upon too many factors to cover in any hypothetical way.

In short, each pendok is treated as new and individual problem.

Much the same can be said for mendak.

The usual treatment for a dirty, old, but still reasonably OK Javanese mendak is to give it a bath in vinegar, thoroughly rinse, brush with old soft toothbrush, thoroughly dry. Not much you can do apart from this.

Baby oil is mineral oil --- well, at least the type we use on ivory, bone, horn is, the other type is no longer politically or socially acceptable. I've mostly used Johnsons Baby Oil, I really don't know if it contains anything other than mineral oil and a fragrance. A couple of drops on the palms of your hands and massage it into the bone, ivory or whatever while you watch TV. For deeply carved pieces, maybe a soft old tooth brush is better.

For very old, cracked ivory, horn, bone, I have soaked the complete hilt in a jar of baby oil for extended periods of time, like 6 months or so, and then stood it on a plate and allowed the oil to drain off and dry, followed by gentle brushing. This has seemed to much improve the condition of the piece.

COYOTE · 27th December 2014, 04:33 AM

Yes indeed, mineral oil is the best for conservation of ivory, bone and horn keris hilts. I prefer NUJOL, which is very thin, so non-sticky at the end of the process, and is absolutely transparent. I think you can use any mineral oil, I would recommend a thin and transparent one. For dirty deeply carved areas I use a very soft toothbrush with the oil, then I let the pieces completely submerged in a glass full of oil for about 2 - 6 weeks and then leave them on an absorbent thick paper, substituting this paper every 2 or 3 days, changing the position of the piece each time, during the necessary time for the hilt to be more or less dry. Then I gently rub the hilt, first with absorbent paper then with a soft cloth, until getting a nice luster. I always leave permanently a piece of oiled paper inside the hole. Of course, when displaying the hilts, you will avoid direct sun or any other source of heath which could increase the dryness of the pieces causing cracks and dilating the existing ones.

Bjorn · 31st December 2014, 07:35 PM

Alan, Coyote, thank you both for your informative replies.

I'm curious, is there any particular reason for using a soft toothbrush as opposed to any other type of brush, such as a fine paint brush - or is it simply a matter of convenience.

And a happy 2015 to the both of you!

A. G. Maisey · 2nd January 2015, 08:05 AM

Thanks Yuuzan, and a Happy 2015 to you also.

A soft old toothbrush seems to carry the oil better, and a hard new toothbrush can damage fine carving if it is used too vigorously.

Paint brushes are not stiff enough to provide any cleaning effect.

David · 3rd January 2015, 03:58 AM

Think of it this way...ivory is very similar to tooth material. You would use a paint brush to clean your teeth. It would be pretty ineffectual.

26th December 2014, 12:26 PM	#1
Bjorn Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 188	Preservation of Pendok, Mendak and Bone From reading the forums I've learned a lot about how to preserve keris. I'm looking to stock up on some items so I can take proper care of my small collection. I would appreciate any advice and tips you may have regarding the preservation and care of pendok, mendak and bone hilts. Pendok and Mendak How can one best care for these with the purpose of preservation? And how can they be cleaned prior to conservation? Bone Hilts Baby oil seems to be recommended. Would any ol' baby oil do or should it contain - or not contain - certain components. Should it be applied with the hands and in what quantities?

27th December 2014, 04:33 AM	#3
COYOTE Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Rio de Janeiro - Brazil Posts: 27	Conservation of ivory, bone, horn keris hilts Yes indeed, mineral oil is the best for conservation of ivory, bone and horn keris hilts. I prefer NUJOL, which is very thin, so non-sticky at the end of the process, and is absolutely transparent. I think you can use any mineral oil, I would recommend a thin and transparent one. For dirty deeply carved areas I use a very soft toothbrush with the oil, then I let the pieces completely submerged in a glass full of oil for about 2 - 6 weeks and then leave them on an absorbent thick paper, substituting this paper every 2 or 3 days, changing the position of the piece each time, during the necessary time for the hilt to be more or less dry. Then I gently rub the hilt, first with absorbent paper then with a soft cloth, until getting a nice luster. I always leave permanently a piece of oiled paper inside the hole. Of course, when displaying the hilts, you will avoid direct sun or any other source of heath which could increase the dryness of the pieces causing cracks and dilating the existing ones.

26th December 2014, 10:49 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	Pendok can be difficult, sometimes very difficult. What you do varies with each one and depends upon too many factors to cover in any hypothetical way. In short, each pendok is treated as new and individual problem. Much the same can be said for mendak. The usual treatment for a dirty, old, but still reasonably OK Javanese mendak is to give it a bath in vinegar, thoroughly rinse, brush with old soft toothbrush, thoroughly dry. Not much you can do apart from this. Baby oil is mineral oil --- well, at least the type we use on ivory, bone, horn is, the other type is no longer politically or socially acceptable. I've mostly used Johnsons Baby Oil, I really don't know if it contains anything other than mineral oil and a fragrance. A couple of drops on the palms of your hands and massage it into the bone, ivory or whatever while you watch TV. For deeply carved pieces, maybe a soft old tooth brush is better. For very old, cracked ivory, horn, bone, I have soaked the complete hilt in a jar of baby oil for extended periods of time, like 6 months or so, and then stood it on a plate and allowed the oil to drain off and dry, followed by gentle brushing. This has seemed to much improve the condition of the piece.

31st December 2014, 07:35 PM	#4
Bjorn Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 188	Alan, Coyote, thank you both for your informative replies. I'm curious, is there any particular reason for using a soft toothbrush as opposed to any other type of brush, such as a fine paint brush - or is it simply a matter of convenience. And a happy 2015 to the both of you!

2nd January 2015, 08:05 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	Thanks Yuuzan, and a Happy 2015 to you also. A soft old toothbrush seems to carry the oil better, and a hard new toothbrush can damage fine carving if it is used too vigorously. Paint brushes are not stiff enough to provide any cleaning effect.

3rd January 2015, 03:58 AM	#6
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,250	Think of it this way...ivory is very similar to tooth material. You would use a paint brush to clean your teeth. It would be pretty ineffectual.