Staining keris with Chinese warangan

David · 3rd July 2009, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harimauhk

As much as I want to get this keris looking right, taking steel wool to it is a little scary to me

This was the first keris I bought and it supposedly has octahedrite muonionalusta (meteorite) in the pamur, but I'm skeptical, even if I was issued with a 'certificate' for the meteorite used.

#0000 steel wool is very fine stuff and is not likely to scratch the surface of a keris blade. Truth be told, your blade could use a bit more finishing. It show quite a bite of file markings that would have been worked out of finer keris. I think you are right to be skeptical about the meteorite, but even if it was used the fine steel wool will not hurt it.

A. G. Maisey · 3rd July 2009, 06:14 AM

David, 0000 steel wool is really being a bit cautious. In Jawa we use coconut husk and pot cleaner called abu gosok, which is pretty coarse ashes. Here I use 00 steel wool and powder sink cleaner like Bon Ami, or Ajax.

It is important to allow the arsenic to settle before you apply the lime juice, and you only use very, very little juice, just sufficient to make the blade damp, certainly not wet. Then repetition again and again until the colour starts to come up, rinse off, dry, and repeat as many times as is necessary to darken the ferric material. Most people tend to make the blade too black when they are new at this game.

harimauhk · 3rd July 2009, 07:19 AM

Hi David and Alan,

Yes, there are definite file marks on this keris. I'll try and locate some 00 or 000 steel wool, but IMO it's going to be tough to find here. Coconut husk would be significantly easier to locate (go figure). How about high grit sandpaper?

I believe I was using far too much juice (I was really trying to get the wilah soaking). I'll have to use less on my next attempt. One more thing gentlemen--is it really necessary to age the warangan and juice mixture? Mine is only about a week old.

Jay

Greybeard · 6th July 2009, 06:05 AM

I do understand that keris blades are never resharpened after they were finished by the empu/pandai. Is this merely because keris -- as stabbing weapons -- do not require sharp cutting edges, or might there be some mystical/esoterical reasons behind this as well?

Regards,

Heinz

A. G. Maisey · 6th July 2009, 07:48 AM

I most definitely would not use sandpaper of any type.

If you can get coconut husk, use that.

For the brush on method you only use a very small amount of lime juice, maybe an egg cup full and a tiny quantity of arsenic, maybe enough to cover a fingernail.You let it stand for maybe half hour or so, just long enough to let any floating particles go to the bottom.

There is a complete set of instructions on how to do the job buried here somewhere. I wrote it, but I've got no idea where it is. That spells it out fully.

Gustav · 6th July 2009, 09:49 AM

Hallo,

the name of that thread is "pamor identity, help". You can use the search function - pamor identity - the first thread in the list.

David · 6th July 2009, 01:37 PM

This is the thread Gustav speaks of:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...pamor+identity

6th July 2009, 06:05 AM	#4
Greybeard Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Switzerland Posts: 124	Regarding resharpening keris blades I do understand that keris blades are never resharpened after they were finished by the empu/pandai. Is this merely because keris -- as stabbing weapons -- do not require sharp cutting edges, or might there be some mystical/esoterical reasons behind this as well? Regards, Heinz

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3rd July 2009, 06:14 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,029	David, 0000 steel wool is really being a bit cautious. In Jawa we use coconut husk and pot cleaner called abu gosok, which is pretty coarse ashes. Here I use 00 steel wool and powder sink cleaner like Bon Ami, or Ajax. It is important to allow the arsenic to settle before you apply the lime juice, and you only use very, very little juice, just sufficient to make the blade damp, certainly not wet. Then repetition again and again until the colour starts to come up, rinse off, dry, and repeat as many times as is necessary to darken the ferric material. Most people tend to make the blade too black when they are new at this game.

3rd July 2009, 07:19 AM	#3
harimauhk Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 88	Hi David and Alan, Yes, there are definite file marks on this keris. I'll try and locate some 00 or 000 steel wool, but IMO it's going to be tough to find here. Coconut husk would be significantly easier to locate (go figure). How about high grit sandpaper? I believe I was using far too much juice (I was really trying to get the wilah soaking). I'll have to use less on my next attempt. One more thing gentlemen--is it really necessary to age the warangan and juice mixture? Mine is only about a week old. Jay

6th July 2009, 07:48 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,029	I most definitely would not use sandpaper of any type. If you can get coconut husk, use that. For the brush on method you only use a very small amount of lime juice, maybe an egg cup full and a tiny quantity of arsenic, maybe enough to cover a fingernail.You let it stand for maybe half hour or so, just long enough to let any floating particles go to the bottom. There is a complete set of instructions on how to do the job buried here somewhere. I wrote it, but I've got no idea where it is. That spells it out fully.

6th July 2009, 09:49 AM	#6
Gustav Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,294	Hallo, the name of that thread is "pamor identity, help". You can use the search function - pamor identity - the first thread in the list.

6th July 2009, 01:37 PM	#7
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,220	This is the thread Gustav speaks of: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...pamor+identity