Bali keris query follow up

JeffS · 29th January 2025, 04:06 PM

I will let the experts comment but I'm impressed with the stain assuming you did not use traditional methods with arsenic or realgar. How did you do it?

SidJ · 29th January 2025, 04:20 PM

Realgar and lemon juice. I can't access lab arsenic sadly. But it turned out well.

Sajen · 29th January 2025, 09:59 PM

Hello Sid,

Good result of the staining!

But you should redo it but first make sure that you have removed all rust, I still see a lot of rust, see pic.

Regards,
Detlef

SidJ · 30th January 2025, 01:11 AM

Hi Detlef
Yes I got impatient and wanted to see if I could bring out the panoramic. I will work on loosening the remaining rust.

SidJ · 30th January 2025, 01:40 AM

Hi Detlef
Yes I got impatient and wanted to see if I could bring out the panoramic. I will work on loosening the remaining rust.

SidJ · 2nd February 2025, 04:21 PM

Over 3100 'views' yet no engagement. Are these real people or just fake bots at play here. Very odd indeed.

A. G. Maisey · 2nd February 2025, 08:52 PM

Sid, the reason that I have not commented is that if I cannot say something positive I try not to say anything at all.

Going ahead with a stain job in the absence of the essential blade clean beforehand is really not a good thing to do, it simply makes the job longer & harder.

You did ask three direct questions:-

1) age of the keris, I take that as blade only, it is probably 19th century, possibly earlier, not later, additionally it is probably Lombok/Bali, not Island of Bali.

2) comment on merits, I can see nothing in particular that would set it apart from the average run of older Balinese keris, except of course the lack of a separate gonjo, there is some loss of detail in the carving, which is the reason I opted for the "possibly earlier" comment in 1).

3) is the pamor motif bendo sagodo or uler lulut? I would give it as bendo sagodo, but in Bali it would most likely be given as pamor santa, both bendo sagodo (bendha sagada) & uler lulut are Javanese names.

SidJ · 3rd February 2025, 11:00 AM

Thanks Alan,
Very grateful for your thoughts as always. Noted re cleaning well before staining. The stuff that remains is a very hard encrustation. I'm soaking the blade in mineral oil in the hope it will soften this enough to be scraped off. I don't have any wd40 at hand but will get some if the oil fails. The keris aesthetic in terms of form feels very harmonious to me for want of a better term. It has an elegant grace to the proportions in its simple ordinariness and I cannot identify any areas of harshness in this regard. Please do let me know if you see otherwise. I am perfectly content with negative views. It's nothing personal to me and aids learning about assessing keris.

29th January 2025, 09:59 PM	#3
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,413	Hello Sid, Good result of the staining! But you should redo it but first make sure that you have removed all rust, I still see a lot of rust, see pic. Regards, Detlef Attached Images

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29th January 2025, 04:06 PM	#1
JeffS Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 441	I will let the experts comment but I'm impressed with the stain assuming you did not use traditional methods with arsenic or realgar. How did you do it?

29th January 2025, 04:20 PM	#2
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 233	Realgar and lemon juice. I can't access lab arsenic sadly. But it turned out well.

30th January 2025, 01:11 AM	#4
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 233	Hi Detlef Yes I got impatient and wanted to see if I could bring out the panoramic. I will work on loosening the remaining rust.

30th January 2025, 01:40 AM	#5
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 233	Hi Detlef Yes I got impatient and wanted to see if I could bring out the panoramic. I will work on loosening the remaining rust.

2nd February 2025, 04:21 PM	#6
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 233	Over 3100 'views' yet no engagement. Are these real people or just fake bots at play here. Very odd indeed.

2nd February 2025, 08:52 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	Sid, the reason that I have not commented is that if I cannot say something positive I try not to say anything at all. Going ahead with a stain job in the absence of the essential blade clean beforehand is really not a good thing to do, it simply makes the job longer & harder. You did ask three direct questions:- 1) age of the keris, I take that as blade only, it is probably 19th century, possibly earlier, not later, additionally it is probably Lombok/Bali, not Island of Bali. 2) comment on merits, I can see nothing in particular that would set it apart from the average run of older Balinese keris, except of course the lack of a separate gonjo, there is some loss of detail in the carving, which is the reason I opted for the "possibly earlier" comment in 1). 3) is the pamor motif bendo sagodo or uler lulut? I would give it as bendo sagodo, but in Bali it would most likely be given as pamor santa, both bendo sagodo (bendha sagada) & uler lulut are Javanese names.

3rd February 2025, 11:00 AM	#8
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 233	Thanks Alan, Very grateful for your thoughts as always. Noted re cleaning well before staining. The stuff that remains is a very hard encrustation. I'm soaking the blade in mineral oil in the hope it will soften this enough to be scraped off. I don't have any wd40 at hand but will get some if the oil fails. The keris aesthetic in terms of form feels very harmonious to me for want of a better term. It has an elegant grace to the proportions in its simple ordinariness and I cannot identify any areas of harshness in this regard. Please do let me know if you see otherwise. I am perfectly content with negative views. It's nothing personal to me and aids learning about assessing keris.