New Keris - It Spoke to me and said Help - Now What??

kai · 16th July 2006, 09:02 PM

Hello Greg,

You can also try using a hair dryer - covering the hulu (hilt) by holding it with a heat resistant glove and pointing the air stream towards the blade tip can help to minimize adverse effects on the wood/etc. While heating up the base of the blade, try repeatedly to loosen up the tang mainly by turning the hilt (with not too much force); sometimes repeated heating/cooling cycles can do the trick with stubborn blades (more often than not it's mere rust rather than resin).

Regards,
Kai

A. G. Maisey · 16th July 2006, 11:43 PM

G`day Sabretasche.

Sorry I didn`t get here sooner, but been a bit tied up the last few days.

Handle removal from any keris is deadset easy. You`re going the right way by thinking heat, but your proposed method is a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack peanuts.

What you need to do is to apply heat directly to the sorsoran---the wide area of the blade directly below the gonjo. You can use a candle, or a small kerosene lamp for this. Just play the flame over both sides of the sorsoran while you hold the blade with a few layers of cloth, and apply back and forth twisting pressure to the handle. You can clean all the soot off later with mineral turpentine.

If you are 100% familiar with the use of a propane torch, this is quicker, cleaner and easier. Put the torch in a vice, and play the flame over the sorsoran, but if you are not used to using propane, you can easily overheat the blade.So careful.

Truly, it is only a five minute job even if you use only a candle.

However, be warned:- once in a while the tang will be so rusted that it will break during the process. This is no real big deal, tangs are easy to repair, but it does destroy the originality of a blade. The argument is that if the tang was so rusted that it broke, it was going to break sooner or later anyway, and by breaking now it just allows the opportunity for restoration a little earlier, but its still not a nice feeling if you find it gives way under your hand and you`re left with half an inch of tang, or worse still, no tang at all.

I don`t like hairdryers to supply the heat, because they are too slow, and throw the heat around too much, especially up towards the handle.Any heat source will work for you, but what I have described is easy and fast.If you do strike a real stubborn one, what Kai suggests in heating and cooling cycles even over a few days, can be of assistance.

Alam Shah · 13th August 2006, 12:23 PM

Hi, what is the outcome of the hilt removal?

sabertasche · 14th August 2006, 01:09 AM

Hi Guys, sorry to be tardy in replying. The blade came off woith out any problems. The "glue" melted partly, I was able to twist off the handle and remove the glue plug. The plug was slightly rubber-like but as it cooled it became quite hard and plastic like. It really is amazing stuff.

The handle has a nice smell - almost sweet. Sandalwood? The tang shows a twisted profile. There was no wound fabric around the tang.

I'm on holidays right now so I can't post some pics. I post them next week.

Greg

13th August 2006, 12:23 PM	#3
Alam Shah Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,248	Warung Kopi... Hi, what is the outcome of the hilt removal?

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16th July 2006, 09:02 PM	#1
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Hello Greg, You can also try using a hair dryer - covering the hulu (hilt) by holding it with a heat resistant glove and pointing the air stream towards the blade tip can help to minimize adverse effects on the wood/etc. While heating up the base of the blade, try repeatedly to loosen up the tang mainly by turning the hilt (with not too much force); sometimes repeated heating/cooling cycles can do the trick with stubborn blades (more often than not it's mere rust rather than resin). Regards, Kai

16th July 2006, 11:43 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	G`day Sabretasche. Sorry I didn`t get here sooner, but been a bit tied up the last few days. Handle removal from any keris is deadset easy. You`re going the right way by thinking heat, but your proposed method is a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack peanuts. What you need to do is to apply heat directly to the sorsoran---the wide area of the blade directly below the gonjo. You can use a candle, or a small kerosene lamp for this. Just play the flame over both sides of the sorsoran while you hold the blade with a few layers of cloth, and apply back and forth twisting pressure to the handle. You can clean all the soot off later with mineral turpentine. If you are 100% familiar with the use of a propane torch, this is quicker, cleaner and easier. Put the torch in a vice, and play the flame over the sorsoran, but if you are not used to using propane, you can easily overheat the blade.So careful. Truly, it is only a five minute job even if you use only a candle. However, be warned:- once in a while the tang will be so rusted that it will break during the process. This is no real big deal, tangs are easy to repair, but it does destroy the originality of a blade. The argument is that if the tang was so rusted that it broke, it was going to break sooner or later anyway, and by breaking now it just allows the opportunity for restoration a little earlier, but its still not a nice feeling if you find it gives way under your hand and you`re left with half an inch of tang, or worse still, no tang at all. I don`t like hairdryers to supply the heat, because they are too slow, and throw the heat around too much, especially up towards the handle.Any heat source will work for you, but what I have described is easy and fast.If you do strike a real stubborn one, what Kai suggests in heating and cooling cycles even over a few days, can be of assistance.

14th August 2006, 01:09 AM	#4
sabertasche Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 149	Hi Guys, sorry to be tardy in replying. The blade came off woith out any problems. The "glue" melted partly, I was able to twist off the handle and remove the glue plug. The plug was slightly rubber-like but as it cooled it became quite hard and plastic like. It really is amazing stuff. The handle has a nice smell - almost sweet. Sandalwood? The tang shows a twisted profile. There was no wound fabric around the tang. I'm on holidays right now so I can't post some pics. I post them next week. Greg