Another of My Kerises

[Henk]

This is a keris from Madura. The whole piece has some age. The ukiran is a recent replacement. Replace the replacement for a good maduran ukiran, stain the blade and give the sheath and the mendak a polish and you have a fine madurese keris.

[dbhmgb]

I have some concerns about staining the blade as it very thin in spots.

[Sajen]

Sorry, I doubt that this blade will show after staining a good visible pamor since the blade have had to much corrosion.
like the others I have to say that the hilt is a cheaply worked recent one, not worth to keep.
There are a lot of much better Madura keris offered everywhere so I think that the complete ensemble is not a "keeper".
Sorry Dan, but I think that a open word regarding this keris is much more helpful for you.

Best regards,

Detlef

[dbhmgb]

Sorry, it is a "keeper" to me. I happen to like this keris for several reasons. This is a keris with it's own history and character that I can appreciate. Perhaps I am a home to unwanted kerises? If so, I am proud of that.

[Rick]

Always buy the best that you can afford .

Buy the keris; not the 'story' .

Quality is always better than quantity .

[Jean]

Hi Dan,
I can fully understand that you like the blade & sheath of your kris in their original condition because of their age and history, but no way for the hilt!
I attach a picture of a Madurese hilt which your piece is suppose to copy and expect that you can notice the difference in craftsmanship.
Regards

[Greybeard]

Hi Dan, I really appreciate you for giving those seemingly "unwanted" kerises a home. They certainly deserve it! My suggestion: Just clean the blade from any rust and -- if you can -- replace the hilt with a better Maduranese one (as suggested by Jean). And then enjoy and love this old piece! Regards, Heinz

[dbhmgb]

Originally Posted by Greybeard

Hi Dan, I really appreciate you for giving those seemingly "unwanted" kerises a home. They certainly deserve it! My suggestion: Just clean the blade from any rust and -- if you can -- replace the hilt with a better Maduranese one (as suggested by Jean). And then enjoy and love this old piece! Regards, Heinz

Thanks Heinz. To let you know, these picture are older and since I took them I cleaned the blade a bit with lime juice and then oiled it quite liberally.

[Greybeard]

Hi Dan, fine that you cleaned your blade from that rust; this was my most concern about your keris. Regarding the hilt, if you really like it just keep it, because you are the only one who needs to like it -- nobody else!

[dbhmgb]

Originally Posted by Jean

Hi Dan,
I can fully understand that you like the blade & sheath of your kris in their original condition because of their age and history, but no way for the hilt!
I attach a picture of a Madurese hilt which your piece is suppose to copy and expect that you can notice the difference in craftsmanship.
Regards

Jean,

Yes, I can see a HUGE difference! I was looking on-line. I see the Madurese hilts as very ornate. Is this the trait of the hilts from this locale?

Thanks!

EDIT: Madurese Hilt Thread - I found my answer!

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by dbhmgb

EDIT: Madurese Hilt Thread - I found my answer!

This is only one form of Madurese hilts, there are a lot of others. But Madura hilts are normally masterpieces of carving.

[Henk]

Cleaning of a blade can be done with a fresh lemon or lime. It takes some time. With a rusty blade i brush the blade with the fresh lemon or lime. Put the piece of lemon on the rusty spot and pack the whole thing in plastic and let it rest for some time. The unpack it and scrub again with the lemon until the rust is gone. Staining is done with warangan like Detlef said. Search for it on this forum.

The hilts you found are indeed a form of madura hilts.

This link shows other maduran ukirans.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=madura

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by dbhmgb

Sorry, it is a "keeper" to me. I happen to like this keris for several reasons. This is a keris with it's own history and character that I can appreciate. Perhaps I am a home to unwanted kerises? If so, I am proud of that.

You don't need to say sorry, when you like it, keep it.

This keris was rehilted since the blade and sheath are old but the hilt is much more recent and really unskilled worked.

A second point: The keris itself coming from a high culture and need care. Repairing the broken wrongko, polishing the wood and the pendok and changing the hilt would be the minimum what i would do with this keris when I like it. I have collected several keris in Indonesia and ebay as well which has been in a pitiful state. The most of my keris are not worked from high skilled empus or pande but I have tried to bring them in a status which is worth to keep them for coming generations.

Look for example to this keris. I have bought it years ago for very low money in Indonesia. It was in a very similar state as your keris. The blade have had corrosion, the sheath was in a real poor condition and the hilt was a similar one you have at your keris. The blade was cleaned and have get a new stain, the sheath (the break repair was before) have get some care (the worm holes in the back was filled with wood filler and it has get a polish with some coats of shellack), the mendak and hilt was replaced by better ones. Now, also when it is not a keris of high level, it is one which have a cultural worth (IMHO).
When I have written before that your keris isn't a "keeper" it was based upon the fact that I have the opinion that you and nobody else will be able to bring the blade alive. And the blade is the heart of every keris.

And at last, I only can second the words from Rick, very wise words.

Sorry for the poor pictures, have taken them just in the moment to show you what I mean.

Regards,

Detlef

[dbhmgb]

Thanks Detlef and all the others who have posted.

Here is the story. Early on, I bought this keris, and one other, that are in terrible shape - I paid practically nothing for them and they were local so there was no exorbitant shipping costs from Indonesia.

At this point, with my limited funds, I'd probably rather use the money to buy better examples of kerises, with knowledge I am gaining and guidance from folks who know what they are doing.

I can appreciate that the posters here are trying to protect the newbie and I welcome that.

Thanks again!

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Detlef - thanks for the pictures - that is really a fine keris. My problem is that I don't even know where to buy parts. Some parts that I have seen are extremely expensive - and then shipping is ridiculous! Also, I am still a bit unsure about doing the cleaning and staining of a wilah.