"Archaic" Keris or treated to look old?

VVV · 6th June 2005, 09:30 AM

Thanks all,

Good to know because I have been insecure about this one - is it or is it not...

It looked more buried, like Bill indicated, than the usual dented acid treated look of the faked Keris Buda.

Otherwise it was very nice in Sabah (as usual), John. Even if I didn't find any old blades I managed to pick up some new Silat moves as well as having a great vacation with my family.

Michael

tom hyle · 6th June 2005, 11:18 AM

I have reworked a fair number of buried blades that have been excavated with metal detectors, and I've etched a fair number with a variety of acids. That looks like a buried surface to me; looks pretty much just like one, as opposed to a bath of liquid acid. The way flakes of rust seem to have come off some areas; rust forms in flakes like that; acid doesn't attack that way; it tends more to rounded pits/craters that start from some tiny imperfection in the surface; looks like an excavated blade that has been cleaned (of its burial rust) with acid; most of the lost material would be lost to rust, not to acid.....On the other hand, I hear that in parts of Africa are patches of very acidic (?or something?) soil wherein if one buries newly made things, one digs up "antiques" in a few months or a year....probably anything can be faked.......

6th June 2005, 09:30 AM	#1
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Thanks all, Good to know because I have been insecure about this one - is it or is it not... It looked more buried, like Bill indicated, than the usual dented acid treated look of the faked Keris Buda. Otherwise it was very nice in Sabah (as usual), John. Even if I didn't find any old blades I managed to pick up some new Silat moves as well as having a great vacation with my family. Michael

6th June 2005, 11:18 AM	#2
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	I have reworked a fair number of buried blades that have been excavated with metal detectors, and I've etched a fair number with a variety of acids. That looks like a buried surface to me; looks pretty much just like one, as opposed to a bath of liquid acid. The way flakes of rust seem to have come off some areas; rust forms in flakes like that; acid doesn't attack that way; it tends more to rounded pits/craters that start from some tiny imperfection in the surface; looks like an excavated blade that has been cleaned (of its burial rust) with acid; most of the lost material would be lost to rust, not to acid.....On the other hand, I hear that in parts of Africa are patches of very acidic (?or something?) soil wherein if one buries newly made things, one digs up "antiques" in a few months or a year....probably anything can be faked.......