Visayan daga/sword/kris for comment

[Sajen]

Have received the sword and I am pleased with it. The scabbard is IMHO not the original one, see the additional pictures. The guard is slanted but the scabbard mouth is straight and worked for a single edged blade. The beautiful horn hilt has a silver ferrule and have had originally two silver panels and silver eyes, one is still present. It seems that the blade unfortunately was once cleaned mechanical. Here some first pictures.

[Sajen]

It is shameful what some poeple can do with good blades. After I have cleaned the blade the demage at the blade is now visible.
Do you see any chance to repair this?

[Robert]

Hello Detlef, Unfortunately I have to say that if it were mine I would leave it as is. The damage done by someone taking a grinder to the blade can be removed but at the expense of loosing quite a lot of metal, blade thickness and what is left of the patina and character that it has developed over the tears. The damage is now part of the unfortunate history of this piece. It is still a wonderful addition to your collection and thanks to you it will be getting the respect and care that it has been denied until now.

Best,
Robert

[Iain]

Agreed, nothing really you can do to remove the grind marks besides removing even more material - something I'd certainly want to avoid.

[Ferguson]

Don't dispair Detlef. It's still a wonderful piece, even with the grinder marks. With some fine sandpaper, P220 or finer, you can sand along the length of the sword until most of the marks are gone. then move to a finer grit, maybe 320 then 400 then 600. This will be very tedious, and will take some hours. But it can be done. Some may say to do nothing, and I might agree.

Good luck!

Steve

Edit: While I was composing my post, I see that others whom I respect very much suggested doing nothing. It is your decision.

[Sajen]

Thank you for your kind words Robert, Ian and Steve. When it only would be the grinder marks I would try to follow Steve's advice but the person who have done this has let areas where he has changed the profile of the blade (see pictures) and I really think that there is nothing what I can do to withdraw this. The shown areas are only a few examples. It's a real shame.

[Sajen]

Have get back the "kris" from a friend who is a master of blade restauration. He has worked out all the grinder marks, polished and etched the blade and has given back the blade it's beauty. The blade shows a very nice lamination and now I will try to replace the missing silver plates at the handle.
Here some pictures for sharing.

[Robert]

Detlef, Your friend did an amazing job on this blade restoration. When I first started looking at the new photos I was worried that the medial ridge had been lost in the process of reworking the blade, but after I finished looking at them all I was happy to see that was not the case. Even though this is not what I would have done if this were mine I must say your friend did a great job of giving new life to an old and neglected warrior in desperate need of some TLC.

Best,
Robert

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Robert

Detlef, Your friend did an amazing job on this blade restoration. When I first started looking at the new photos I was worried that the medial ridge had been lost in the process of reworking the blade, but after I finished looking at them all I was happy to see that was not the case. Even though this is not what I would have done if this were mine I must say your friend did a great job of giving new life to an old and neglected warrior in desperate need of some TLC.

Best,
Robert

Hello Robert,

agree with you that he did an amazing job. I have had the same worries that the blade will lost the cental ridge by reworking so I never would have tried to do it byself but he was sure get back the original contour of the blade. When you handle the blade now you never will get the idea that it was in such a bad condition. And you still can see that it is an antique blade.

Regards,
Detlef