Storage advice needed

[Royston]

Imas,

Nice little collection.
I would clean them and wax the blades.
If you have the space it is better to store or display them out of their scabbards - They look better and there is less chance of rusting due to moisture in the scabbards.
If in drawers or cupboards then using the silica gel may help especially if you live in a damp or humid climate.

The mandaus should really be displayed in my house

regards
Roy

[Rich]

Yes, store out of sheaths, use Rennaisance (sp?) wax on the metal blades and parts. Store in constant temp and humidity and they should be ok. I store my Japanese swords in a large gun safe at constant temp (+/- 5 degrees) and constant humidity of about 30 percent. Never had any trouble with rust. I don't wax my Japanese swords, but do my other knives and swords.

Rich S

[imas560]

Thanks for the info.
Thought I would post some info about the items I bought. May take awhile though.
I have tried to reference from my copy of van Zonneveld for details.
The item referred to as the Dayak Mandau.
Dimensions:
Weight = 520gm approx.
Overall Length = 640mm.
Blade length (tip to hilt) = 495mm.
Point of balance = 370mm from tip.
Blade thickness along spine at 3 points.
Hilt = 8mm, midpoint blade = 6mm, 100mm from tip = 4mm.
Notes:
Resin (damar?) on hilt needs repair. Absence of coin (but looking at pics of other mandau have noticed the coin wasn't that usual, may be wrong). Absence of secondary knife (piso raout?), not sure if this had significant meaning, i.e.: absence of piso raout likely indication of utility use or particular tribe.

[imas560]

Oh good point re gunsafe. Do you use a dehumidifier, desiccant or something similar in the safe?

[imas560]

[imas560]

The hilt.

[imas560]

The blade. Definite concave/convex aspect to the blade. Don't know significance of the motif(?) on blade near hilt as I read that the mata kalong(?) was usually inscribed on the blade. The main plate in van Zonneveld does show a Mandau with metalwork with a piece near the hilt that looks similar.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by imas560

Oh good point re gunsafe. Do you use a dehumidifier, desiccant or something similar in the safe?

No, nothing but clean, dry air :-) in the gun safe although we do run a dehumdifier in the summer for the house.

Rich S

[imas560]

Thanks for the great info everyone. I have some Renaissance wax on it's way for when I can devote some time to these items.
I have some photos for the next mandau. It has taken awhile as I got sprung taking photos of the last one and the wife went ballistic, so I thought it best to keep quiet about the other 5 items I got. I couldn't explain why I needed these things, it's a sickness.
The item referred to in the auction as "Old Dyak Headhunters Mandau".
Dimensions:
Weight = 800gm approx.
Overall Length = 710mm.
Blade length (tip to hilt) = 580mm.
Point of balance = 400mm from tip.
Blade thickness along spine at 3 points.
Hilt = 7.5mm, midpoint blade = 6mm, 140mm from tip = 5mm.
Notes:
Steel cording on hilt needs repair.
Severe pitting on blade. Unidentified red substance on blade, more pronounced on one side. Concave/convex aspect less apparent. Crowit(?) on blade near hilt. Filework on spine of blade near tip.

[imas560]

The hilt