new member, old keris

asomotif · 19th October 2013, 09:31 PM

I like the blade.

A new stain and a better mendak would suit the blade imho.

PeterP · 20th October 2013, 11:07 PM

About the stain. A few of the kerisses I own I cleaned with pinapplejuice or limejuice to get rid of any rust, and they always came out dull and with the pores of the metal openend, which give it a rather course feel. I handled a few balinese kerisses which had a much smoother feel, like the keris I have. I recall reading in one of the posts that in earlier days the kerisses fom java received a treatment similar to the ones from bali. Could it be that this keris hasn't had a stain for a very long time, so the smoothness of the keris is the remains of the original stain. Just wondering, I'm trying to figure out why it has such a different feel from the other kerisses I own

A. G. Maisey · 21st October 2013, 03:10 AM

Yes, the cleaning process will expose any material that does not have a tight grain. That's certain. If the material is good quality and the grain in the iron is tight cleaning only removes the rust and dirt. Often cleaning an old keris will result in the keris coming out of the cleaning solution --- pineapple juice, lime juice, citric acid, vinegar --- whatever --- looking as if it has just been stained. But you cannot compensate for poor quality material. If you have any doubts about the quality of material in a blade it is safer to clean it mechanically --- stones, wet & dry paper --- and then just lightly etch with vinegar or similar.

Balinese keris are not cleaned in the same way as Javanese keris, they are polished clean with sand, or with ground up lime stone. We can achieve the same finish with wet & dry paper.

Old keris that have been out of Jawa for a long time do very often have a smooth finish to the blade.

Sajen · 21st October 2013, 10:50 AM

Before cleaning and etching the blade I would look for a proper dress. A better mendak and a scabbard would be my first step. The blade don't show active corrosion so a cleaning will have time.

Regards,

Detlef

PeterP · 21st October 2013, 10:19 PM

Thanx again for your comments. As mr. Maisey draws our attention to certain aspects of this keris (the form of the gonjo and the ron dha, and the lack of erosion), could somebody explain me the implication of these features. I'm a novice concerning the finer points of keris knowledge so any help would be appreciated.
Two more additional pictures, one of the other side of the elephants head in which you can see the top layer extending beyond the head, and one from the top of the gonjo

21st October 2013, 10:19 PM	#5
PeterP Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 15	Thanx again for your comments. As mr. Maisey draws our attention to certain aspects of this keris (the form of the gonjo and the ron dha, and the lack of erosion), could somebody explain me the implication of these features. I'm a novice concerning the finer points of keris knowledge so any help would be appreciated. Two more additional pictures, one of the other side of the elephants head in which you can see the top layer extending beyond the head, and one from the top of the gonjo Attached Images

19th October 2013, 09:31 PM	#1
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,228	I like the blade. A new stain and a better mendak would suit the blade imho.

20th October 2013, 11:07 PM	#2
PeterP Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 15	About the stain. A few of the kerisses I own I cleaned with pinapplejuice or limejuice to get rid of any rust, and they always came out dull and with the pores of the metal openend, which give it a rather course feel. I handled a few balinese kerisses which had a much smoother feel, like the keris I have. I recall reading in one of the posts that in earlier days the kerisses fom java received a treatment similar to the ones from bali. Could it be that this keris hasn't had a stain for a very long time, so the smoothness of the keris is the remains of the original stain. Just wondering, I'm trying to figure out why it has such a different feel from the other kerisses I own

21st October 2013, 03:10 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Yes, the cleaning process will expose any material that does not have a tight grain. That's certain. If the material is good quality and the grain in the iron is tight cleaning only removes the rust and dirt. Often cleaning an old keris will result in the keris coming out of the cleaning solution --- pineapple juice, lime juice, citric acid, vinegar --- whatever --- looking as if it has just been stained. But you cannot compensate for poor quality material. If you have any doubts about the quality of material in a blade it is safer to clean it mechanically --- stones, wet & dry paper --- and then just lightly etch with vinegar or similar. Balinese keris are not cleaned in the same way as Javanese keris, they are polished clean with sand, or with ground up lime stone. We can achieve the same finish with wet & dry paper. Old keris that have been out of Jawa for a long time do very often have a smooth finish to the blade.

21st October 2013, 10:50 AM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,165	Before cleaning and etching the blade I would look for a proper dress. A better mendak and a scabbard would be my first step. The blade don't show active corrosion so a cleaning will have time. Regards, Detlef