Modified Barong, Farm Implement or Something Else?

[drac2k]

Your posts are always insightful, informative, and appreciated.

[kronckew]

happy to help when I can. (and sometimes when I can't )

[Sajen]

Hello Drac2k,

Have you tried to etch the blade? The way the lamination looks near the tip could give a clue if the blade is cut at this point.

The handle with the ferrule looks very old and worn to my eyes and can be very well original to the blade.

Only my thoughts when I look at your pictures.

Regards,
Detlef

[drac2k]

Hello back.
I think your assessment on the handle and the ferrule being original to the blade are correct as well as it having good age.
In regards to etching the blade to determine if the tip has been cut is a great idea, however, my one attempt at doing it scared the heck out of me and showed me that I had no business in doing so! It was a mess!

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by drac2k

Hello back.
I think your assessment on the handle and the ferrule being original to the blade are correct as well as it having good age.
In regards to etching the blade to determine if the tip has been cut is a great idea, however, my one attempt at doing it scared the heck out of me and showed me that I had no business in doing so! It was a mess!

Would a light polish and vinegar be inappropriate? Like the one in Jim Hrisoulas' chapter on tanto's in "the complete bladesmith"? It is hard to mess up, other than the polish, and non-toxic. Very subtle results that remind me superficially of a patina from age.

[drac2k]

Believe it or not, that is what I was using the first and the last time; the blade started rusting and it looked horrible. I did neutralize it with baking soda and continuous rinses and I oiled the blade, but the laminations were very dark and not at all pleasing to me.
To me, etching isn't extremely desirable("The Fox & the Grapes,"), if it has it, wonderful (such as Tibetan blades with strong patterns), and if not, that is fine too.
I do appreciate your input and I thank you.

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by drac2k

Believe it or not, that is what I was using the first and the last time; the blade started rusting and it looked horrible. I did neutralize it with baking soda and continuous rinses and I oiled the blade, but the laminations were very dark and not at all pleasing to me.
...
I do appreciate your input and I thank you.

Etching works by selectively attacking the differing metallurgy, the most susceptible getting attacked and removed more, but all will corrode. The trick is to stop etching before you remove too much material - a personal judgement.

FeCl looks really nasty until neutralised and cleaned,Acetic acid less so, and is easier to remove colour with easy polishing. Fruit acids tend to give good results too. Limes are popular. Arsenic washing is probably not a good idea unless you have an Indonesian Keris and a death wish. My Barungs and Kris have been vinegar tested just to confirm or deny laminations, then simichrome repolished to bring it back to original. I'm not too pleased with the color FeCl leaves.

Interesting aside: lemons and limes are essentially the same, their taste and smell component that makes the difference is exactly the same molecule, just arranged slightly differently one is right handed, the other is left handed, they're isomers of each other. To further confuse, limes can also be yellow and lemons green.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by drac2k

Hello back.
I think your assessment on the handle and the ferrule being original to the blade are correct as well as it having good age.
In regards to etching the blade to determine if the tip has been cut is a great idea, however, my one attempt at doing it scared the heck out of me and showed me that I had no business in doing so! It was a mess!

It's a pity since an etch would show probably if the blade is cut down.