Keris lurus/sepokal Bugis for comment

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.

jagabuwana · 1st July 2018, 02:26 AM

Thanks for the tips Alan - I've done as you said and it looked a lot better. Here are some photos prior to my stain attempt with sulfur, salt and rice water - I'll have pictures of that in my next post.

Bjorn - thanks for sharing. Mine too was covered in rust. I think you might be able to get into those crevices with a pick to get the rust out.

jagabuwana · 1st July 2018, 02:52 AM

First time staining attempt:

I made up a paste of
*1tbsp powdered sulphur
*1tsp salt
*Rice water

I brushed it onto the blade after cleaning and drying, and covered it in cling/saran wrap.

I checked on it this morning and it looked like black squid ink and rust in there. I got worried so I rinsed all the sulfur off and gave it a scrub with detergent.

I have a feeling that had I left it in there it would have turned very black. This is what it has looked like after roughly 20 hours.

Based on the above, what should I be doing anything differently or should I have stayed the course?

28th June 2018, 11:43 AM	#5
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.

1st July 2018, 02:26 AM	#6
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 290	Thanks for the tips Alan - I've done as you said and it looked a lot better. Here are some photos prior to my stain attempt with sulfur, salt and rice water - I'll have pictures of that in my next post. Bjorn - thanks for sharing. Mine too was covered in rust. I think you might be able to get into those crevices with a pick to get the rust out. Attached Images

1st July 2018, 02:52 AM	#7
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 290	First time staining attempt: I made up a paste of 1tbsp powdered sulphur 1tsp salt *Rice water I brushed it onto the blade after cleaning and drying, and covered it in cling/saran wrap. I checked on it this morning and it looked like black squid ink and rust in there. I got worried so I rinsed all the sulfur off and gave it a scrub with detergent. I have a feeling that had I left it in there it would have turned very black. This is what it has looked like after roughly 20 hours. Based on the above, what should I be doing anything differently or should I have stayed the course? Attached Images

24th June 2018, 09:20 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	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	#2
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	#3
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	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	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.