Planning to make a wrongko

[A. G. Maisey]

Johan, there is nothing at all wrong with a gandar made in two pieces and glued down the sides. It is a quite legitimate way to make a gandar. Yes, one piece , no glue is better, but then again, a complete scabbard, gandar + gambar from a single piece of wood with the wood grain optimised is better again. I doubt that there is anybody working in Jawa now who can do this satisfactorily.

You are very wise with your storage of blades outside scabbards. I've preached this for years. Not many people listen to me. Its more fun to have a "battle-ready , razor sharp weapon to end life" (this is an actual quote from correspondence) hanging on the wall.

I actually use a plastic sleeve over my blades, after oiling. Keris kept in this way have gone for years with no attention at all, and have not shown a skerrick of rust.

I regret I cannot approve of the use of electric tools in fine work, either wood or metal.

Yes, I know:- I'm a dinosaur.

The noise alone interferes with the active meditation that any sort of work of this type should engender. As one of my mentors once said of such noise: "suaranya mengganggu kebatinan aku". (if you use an online translator you'll find "suara" = "voice" but it is also used for the noise, ie "voice" of other things, bells, machinery etc.)