Keris

Roland_M · 19th November 2015, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrozaB

So, just use some oil to stop rust and leave surface as-is, right?

Yes, this is imho the best option, otherwise you will lose the contrast of the pamor.
I suggest to use a creeping oil like Ballistol. A nice side effect, after a few weeks of usage, Ballistol improves the black and white contrast. Cleaning and oiling once a week and the red rust disappears after a few days or weeks. All you need is a little patience.

Creeping oil is also very useful for removing the hilt, just oiling and waiting. Alternatively you can try it with a hot air gun with a maximum temperature of ~100°C.

Roland

A. G. Maisey · 19th November 2015, 06:59 PM

Roland, I had never heard the term "creeping oil" before your post.

I immediately checked this term and I found that it is the oil we know as "penetrating oil".

The oil that David has recommended is in fact a penetrating oil:- WD40

I usually use this, but I have also used another penetrating oil:- Penetrol, but that was years back.

Ballistol is essentially a gun oil, and I've used it on firearms, never on keris, but it would provide a good long term protection on keris and other edged weapons, however, the smell is not appropriate for items of tosan aji.

I don't like heat guns to apply heat to a blade to assist in hilt removal. It is too difficult to control the heat dispersion and it can also heat the hilt as well as the blade, which can damage the hilt. A small flame is preferable to apply heat to a blade.

The big problem with a hilt that is difficult to remove from a keris is that the tang can be heavily rusted, locking it to the hilt and splitting the hilt. In these circumstances the tang will sometimes break. This is not something that we want to happen, but it can be fixed.

The tang can be replaced, the broken tang can be drilled out of the hilt. But both these jobs need to be approached with a great deal of care and more than a little skill.

GrozaB · 19th November 2015, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Ballistol is essentially a gun oil, and I've used it on firearms, never on keris, but it would provide a good long term protection on keris and other edged weapons, however, the smell is not appropriate for items of tosan aji.

In my experience Ballistol is excellent all-around oil to use on metal, wood, leather etc. Work miracles on small cuts on my hands too

Smell... Well, it is smells much better then many other chemicals I use around my guns

Sajen · 19th November 2015, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

The big problem with a hilt that is difficult to remove from a keris is that the tang can be heavily rusted, locking it to the hilt and splitting the hilt. In these circumstances the tang will sometimes break. This is not something that we want to happen, but it can be fixed.

The tang can be replaced, the broken tang can be drilled out of the hilt. But both these jobs need to be approached with a great deal of care and more than a little skill.

Both I can confirm. Looking to the pictures from GrozaB I get a misgiving feeling: be very, very careful by removing the hilt.

Regards,
Detlef

A. G. Maisey · 19th November 2015, 09:43 PM

Yep, I get the same feeling Sajen.

Yeah Groza, Ballistol doesn't smell all that bad, in fact it is a reasonably pleasant smell. I don't like to use this type of oil on fine woodwork, nor on leather, as for medicinal qualities that's new to me. Interesting.

However, all these chemical smells can disturb a keris, so when we use them, we like to also give a little "gift" to the keris of a traditional oil, something like cendana (sandalwood), or melati (white rose). We of the Keris World like to keep our krisses happy.

Bit primitive maybe, but we're all primitives if you look hard enough.

19th November 2015, 06:59 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Roland, I had never heard the term "creeping oil" before your post. I immediately checked this term and I found that it is the oil we know as "penetrating oil". The oil that David has recommended is in fact a penetrating oil:- WD40 I usually use this, but I have also used another penetrating oil:- Penetrol, but that was years back. Ballistol is essentially a gun oil, and I've used it on firearms, never on keris, but it would provide a good long term protection on keris and other edged weapons, however, the smell is not appropriate for items of tosan aji. I don't like heat guns to apply heat to a blade to assist in hilt removal. It is too difficult to control the heat dispersion and it can also heat the hilt as well as the blade, which can damage the hilt. A small flame is preferable to apply heat to a blade. The big problem with a hilt that is difficult to remove from a keris is that the tang can be heavily rusted, locking it to the hilt and splitting the hilt. In these circumstances the tang will sometimes break. This is not something that we want to happen, but it can be fixed. The tang can be replaced, the broken tang can be drilled out of the hilt. But both these jobs need to be approached with a great deal of care and more than a little skill.

19th November 2015, 09:43 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Yep, I get the same feeling Sajen. Yeah Groza, Ballistol doesn't smell all that bad, in fact it is a reasonably pleasant smell. I don't like to use this type of oil on fine woodwork, nor on leather, as for medicinal qualities that's new to me. Interesting. However, all these chemical smells can disturb a keris, so when we use them, we like to also give a little "gift" to the keris of a traditional oil, something like cendana (sandalwood), or melati (white rose). We of the Keris World like to keep our krisses happy. Bit primitive maybe, but we're all primitives if you look hard enough.