Keris lurus/sepokal Bugis for comment

jagabuwana · 24th June 2018, 05:23 AM

Thanks a lot Alan, that's reassuring. I'll be sure to ping you if I still end up having issues

The container is a plastic rectangular plant pot tray.

It's soaking in vinegar again now, I put it back in because seeing the surface rust freaked me out. Should I take it out, bi-carb it, detergent clean it, dry it and drench it in WD40 now?

A. G. Maisey · 24th June 2018, 05:47 AM

Nope, leave it there until you have time to do the followup wash and drench. I only said put it in on Thurs. because I figure it probably only needs a couple of days to clean that surface rust off and Thurs. > Sat. would be long enough.

If you have time during the the week, by all means have a look day by day and do the job then if you can.

Jean · 24th June 2018, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagabuwana

The container is a plastic rectangular plant pot tray.

It's soaking in vinegar again now, I put it back in because seeing the surface rust freaked me out. Should I take it out, bi-carb it, detergent clean it, dry it and drench it in WD40 now?

Acetic acid from the vinegar is volatile so it evaporates quickly and partly looses its reactivity unless the container is closed, you should put a cover on it.

Regards

A. G. Maisey · 24th June 2018, 09:20 AM

I do not doubt for one moment that you are correct Jean, but I think I might have done something like 300 to 600 keris and other small blades during the last 10 years or so, and all I've ever used is open plastic troughs.

I have of course done more blades than the numbers I quote, however I cannot remember exactly when I started to use vinegar rather than pine juice, but it was certainly more than ten years ago.

Maybe the volatility of the acetic acid is the reason why the vinegar will never damage a blade, no matter how long the blade is left in it:- the acidity of the fluid decreases over time.

In any case, the advice I have given is exactly what I've been doing for years, and it works. For me, it always works perfectly.

Bjorn · 25th June 2018, 08:11 PM

I also cleaned a few of my blades some 2 months ago, and those blades also quickly developed a brownish layer of rust when left exposed overnight.

I've just now taken one of them out of the vinegar bath, given in a scrub of bi-carb, cleaned it with warm water and detergent, dried it with a cloth and blowdryer, and soaked it with WD40. It's now in the garden, and tomorrow I'll drench it with WD40 again.

In some 2 days I'll inform you of my, hopefully successful, progress.

jagabuwana · 26th June 2018, 12:32 PM

Bjorn - please do. I'd be very interested to see how it goes.
Alan - okay, thank you. I've just given it the first WD40 treatment. I think there's still some yellow tinges to it but it was better than the first time around. I'll take a photo after the second treatment. I presume it's just a matter of repeating the process again to get rid of all of the yellowing?

A. G. Maisey · 26th June 2018, 01:45 PM

If the blade was clean and white when you did the final drying, it is clean, all you need do is protect it with the oil to prevent it getting surface rust again. But if the rust is still coming back you need to continue the cleaning. If it is a general light dusting of corrosion, scrubbing with steel wool is often helpful. Id know better if I saw it, but it may not be necessary to put it back into vinegar maybe just working over it with steel wool will get it back to white, just make sure you get rid of all the steel wool dust by vigorous brushing.

Bjorn · 28th June 2018, 11:43 AM

Hello all,

Below the photos of the keris Madura I was cleaning. This keris was covered in rust from top to toe, so I'm quite happy with the results. The bi-carb and WD40 have kept that brownish shine from coming back.

Like Alan suggested, I also used some fine steel wool to get rid of some specks of rust. The only area where there is still a visible amount of rust now is between the gonjo and wilah, and some rust in the pejetan.

28th June 2018, 11:43 AM	#8
Bjorn Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 188	Hello all, Below the photos of the keris Madura I was cleaning. This keris was covered in rust from top to toe, so I'm quite happy with the results. The bi-carb and WD40 have kept that brownish shine from coming back. Like Alan suggested, I also used some fine steel wool to get rid of some specks of rust. The only area where there is still a visible amount of rust now is between the gonjo and wilah, and some rust in the pejetan. Attached Images Last edited by Bjorn; 28th June 2018 at 12:02 PM.

24th June 2018, 05:23 AM	#1
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 290	Thanks a lot Alan, that's reassuring. I'll be sure to ping you if I still end up having issues The container is a plastic rectangular plant pot tray. It's soaking in vinegar again now, I put it back in because seeing the surface rust freaked me out. Should I take it out, bi-carb it, detergent clean it, dry it and drench it in WD40 now?

24th June 2018, 05:47 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Nope, leave it there until you have time to do the followup wash and drench. I only said put it in on Thurs. because I figure it probably only needs a couple of days to clean that surface rust off and Thurs. > Sat. would be long enough. If you have time during the the week, by all means have a look day by day and do the job then if you can.

24th June 2018, 09:20 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	I do not doubt for one moment that you are correct Jean, but I think I might have done something like 300 to 600 keris and other small blades during the last 10 years or so, and all I've ever used is open plastic troughs. I have of course done more blades than the numbers I quote, however I cannot remember exactly when I started to use vinegar rather than pine juice, but it was certainly more than ten years ago. Maybe the volatility of the acetic acid is the reason why the vinegar will never damage a blade, no matter how long the blade is left in it:- the acidity of the fluid decreases over time. In any case, the advice I have given is exactly what I've been doing for years, and it works. For me, it always works perfectly.

25th June 2018, 08:11 PM	#5
Bjorn Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 188	I also cleaned a few of my blades some 2 months ago, and those blades also quickly developed a brownish layer of rust when left exposed overnight. I've just now taken one of them out of the vinegar bath, given in a scrub of bi-carb, cleaned it with warm water and detergent, dried it with a cloth and blowdryer, and soaked it with WD40. It's now in the garden, and tomorrow I'll drench it with WD40 again. In some 2 days I'll inform you of my, hopefully successful, progress.

26th June 2018, 12:32 PM	#6
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 290	Bjorn - please do. I'd be very interested to see how it goes. Alan - okay, thank you. I've just given it the first WD40 treatment. I think there's still some yellow tinges to it but it was better than the first time around. I'll take a photo after the second treatment. I presume it's just a matter of repeating the process again to get rid of all of the yellowing?

26th June 2018, 01:45 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	If the blade was clean and white when you did the final drying, it is clean, all you need do is protect it with the oil to prevent it getting surface rust again. But if the rust is still coming back you need to continue the cleaning. If it is a general light dusting of corrosion, scrubbing with steel wool is often helpful. Id know better if I saw it, but it may not be necessary to put it back into vinegar maybe just working over it with steel wool will get it back to white, just make sure you get rid of all the steel wool dust by vigorous brushing.