yet another Moro Kris

Rick · 25th September 2010, 09:12 PM

If it were mine I would leave it alone; I can see the pattern fine and there seems to be no rust .

Don't touch the cloth wrap; there may be a anting anting in there; the fabric looks like a Poleng pattern .

That makes me wonder if this sword saw a few Japanese soldiers in its day .

Battara · 25th September 2010, 11:16 PM

Not sure if the mouth at the ganga still applies like the old days, but if it does I would think it might indicate a Maguindanao make. This plus what I can tell of the cloth wrap makes this a definite Maguindanao origin.

I once had a similar piece but of Sulu origin (now belongs to my father, a full blood Tagalog).

Nice piece. The wranga, I don't know. As long as it is stable.......

Keep the cloth wrap just as it is - it was meant to be this way and itself may be the anting-anting.

Oh the stories it could tell........

Rick · 26th September 2010, 12:02 AM

How about the age/era Jose ?

What do you think ?

Battara · 26th September 2010, 07:20 AM

I'd say WWII at the earliest. Looks like 1940s-1950s.

mrwizard · 26th September 2010, 03:59 PM

Thanks for all the input.

I never had the intention to mess with the cloth wrap
and your remarks that it might be (or contain) an
anting anting reinforces that intention.
This also means that i would be very difficult to fix the wrongko, as some of the damage is right under the
cloth wrap. I think i will leave the scabbard alone for now.

For the sword: The blade was in a rather good condition when i got it (see first picture). There was some rust
and dried dirt/oil at the base of the blade. Mostly near the asang-asang. Therefore i *carefully* cleaned the blade
according the advice found in this forum. The result can be seen in the last two pictures.
Further cleaning would mean using abrasive cleaning as even the smaller pitting goes as deep as 10-15 microns
(optical measurement with a microscope).
The deep ones go up to 500 microns. Removing them would most likely damage the carvings on the blade.
I don't want to go there. After all it's an old blade and should be allowed to look like one.

However i still think about removing the lacquer from the hilt. It is already quite brittle and has fallen of in some locations.
Does anyone have an idea what material the black gripping area of the hilt could be made of? Looks like rattan covered with tar.

Sajen · 26th September 2010, 04:41 PM

Try carefully with acetone at a unvisible place. About cleaning the blade: I haven't look very well, the blade is clean enough. I have had looked only to the first picture when I give the advice to clean the blade better.

Regards,

Detlef

Tim Simmons · 26th September 2010, 04:59 PM

A word of caution. The fact that the lacquer is brittle would suggest that it is a local plant or tree resin lacquer rather than "POLYURETHANE" Just the melting of tree resin over a low heat and painting on will look like this. So I think I would leave it.

26th September 2010, 03:59 PM	#5
mrwizard Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dortmund, Germany Posts: 102	Thanks for all the input. I never had the intention to mess with the cloth wrap and your remarks that it might be (or contain) an anting anting reinforces that intention. This also means that i would be very difficult to fix the wrongko, as some of the damage is right under the cloth wrap. I think i will leave the scabbard alone for now. For the sword: The blade was in a rather good condition when i got it (see first picture). There was some rust and dried dirt/oil at the base of the blade. Mostly near the asang-asang. Therefore i carefully cleaned the blade according the advice found in this forum. The result can be seen in the last two pictures. Further cleaning would mean using abrasive cleaning as even the smaller pitting goes as deep as 10-15 microns (optical measurement with a microscope). The deep ones go up to 500 microns. Removing them would most likely damage the carvings on the blade. I don't want to go there. After all it's an old blade and should be allowed to look like one. However i still think about removing the lacquer from the hilt. It is already quite brittle and has fallen of in some locations. Does anyone have an idea what material the black gripping area of the hilt could be made of? Looks like rattan covered with tar. Attached Images

25th September 2010, 09:12 PM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	If it were mine I would leave it alone; I can see the pattern fine and there seems to be no rust . Don't touch the cloth wrap; there may be a anting anting in there; the fabric looks like a Poleng pattern . That makes me wonder if this sword saw a few Japanese soldiers in its day .

25th September 2010, 11:16 PM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	Not sure if the mouth at the ganga still applies like the old days, but if it does I would think it might indicate a Maguindanao make. This plus what I can tell of the cloth wrap makes this a definite Maguindanao origin. I once had a similar piece but of Sulu origin (now belongs to my father, a full blood Tagalog). Nice piece. The wranga, I don't know. As long as it is stable....... Keep the cloth wrap just as it is - it was meant to be this way and itself may be the anting-anting. Oh the stories it could tell........

26th September 2010, 12:02 AM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	How about the age/era Jose ? What do you think ?

26th September 2010, 07:20 AM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	I'd say WWII at the earliest. Looks like 1940s-1950s.

26th September 2010, 04:41 PM	#6
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,165	Try carefully with acetone at a unvisible place. About cleaning the blade: I haven't look very well, the blade is clean enough. I have had looked only to the first picture when I give the advice to clean the blade better. Regards, Detlef

26th September 2010, 04:59 PM	#7
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	A word of caution. The fact that the lacquer is brittle would suggest that it is a local plant or tree resin lacquer rather than "POLYURETHANE" Just the melting of tree resin over a low heat and painting on will look like this. So I think I would leave it.