Agarwood oil for keris?

[A. G. Maisey]

I've been using the German synthetic since the 1970's, I never ever thought it was the real thing, it was too cheap for one thing, and secondly it comes in a bottle with the German name all over it. I do not understand how anybody could believe that they're using natural oil. Not unless they're buying it from third parties rather than from the shops that sell oil.

But in any case, it makes no difference whether you use synthetic or natural, its the smell you want, and the actual protection is done by the other oil, which can be parafin, or Singer sewing machine oil, or in Indonesia, coconut oil.

I've never heard of anybody using gaharu for keris, we do use melati, and other sweet smelling oils, and we mix kenongo with it just sufficient to give it an edge. Gaharu is a bit too pungent I think for a keris blade.