Question about preserving a keris

[A. G. Maisey]

A keris of this type can be quite difficult to maintain.

The number one, essential to observe is that it should not be kept in an unprotected situation.

It must be protected as much as possible from dust, fly spots, temperature and humidity variation. In a normal home environment this can be pretty challenging.

Do not keep the keris in its scabbard.The blade should be lightly oiled and kept in a plastic sleeve. Gun oil is a very good protective agent, but depending on how that kinatah work was applied it could loosen it. My approach would be to use medicinal paraffin or Singer sewing machine oil lightly applied to the bare ferric material only, with an artist's paint brush, I like to add sandalwood oil to the oil. I would store the oiled and plastic sleeve protected blade in a horizontal position in a drawer or cupboard.


Kayu arang can be very subject to cracking unless treated with care. It must never be exposed to direct sunlight. I use a good quality furniture oil, worked into the wood with a toothbrush, only use a very small quantity of oil, the pendok might be held in place with adhesive, try not to let the oil penetrate behind the pendok if adhesive has been used. You don't need to use the oil very often, maybe once every 6 or 12 months, but you do need to keep the wrongko in a soft cloth cover, and stored without the blade in it, and in a protected situation, as with the blade.

This type of hilt uses adhesive to hold the metal enhancements in place. I would not use oil on this hilt, possibly a smear of good quality furniture wax applied with a finger tip or cotton bud to only the bare wood. Again, the hilt should be kept in a protected situation.

Most people want to have their keris out on display, so all the above advice is quite likely not to be followed. However, if it is followed your keris can be kept as it is now virtually forever.

In the past I have kept keris & other weapons on display, it was not kind to what I had out, and it was very time consuming to keep the keris & other things in good condition.

Protected environment is paramount:- blade out of scabbard, oiled + plastic sleeve, store flat; wrongko never sees the sun & is kept as protected as possible from dust, flies, heat & humidity variation; hilt is treated as with the wrongko.

Oil should be used sparingly.

[shadejoy]

Thank you very much @A. G. Maisey!

I have seen people enclosing the wilah in 'plastik mika'. I use plastic wrap instead, fully enshroud from pucuk to peksi. However, I wrap it in a way that the wilah is still able to be put in in the scabbard along with selut and hilt. My understanding at that time was to to have the Keris 'fully dressed' in the storage but with the wilah wrapped in plastic to avoid making contact with the wood. Granted, it's not fully in. I am going to follow your suggestion to leave it out of the scabbard and its hilt while fully covered. I store both of my Kerises laying horizontally in a Keris wooden box.

Another alternative I've seen people are using is mineral oil. Could we also use good quality (medical grade) mineral oil for Keris rust prevention; if so, do you think mineral oil is safer to kinatah compared to gun oil or should we also apply it to the bare iron only?

You mentioned sandalwood oil, are pure essential oils like sandalwood, rose, jasmine, etc going to stain the iron and/or the pamor overtime or that's not the case?

For warangka, I'll look for a good quality furniture oil from my local hardware store. Do you have suggestion on how to treat and care for the silver pendok?

For hilt, boy this is a tough one since the piece is so intricate. Both wood and metal carvings are so fine and I am usually not a patient one. Do you have suggestion on how to bring back the luster on the hilt's silver and gold?

Thanks again for your input, I appreciate it very much!

[shadejoy]

Originally Posted by shadejoy

Thank you very much @A. G. Maisey!

I have seen people enclosing the wilah in 'plastik mika'. I use plastic wrap instead, fully enshroud from pucuk to peksi. However, I wrap it in a way that the wilah is still able to be put in in the scabbard along with selut and hilt. My understanding at that time was to to have the Keris 'fully dressed' in the storage but with the wilah wrapped in plastic to avoid making contact with the wood. Granted, it's not fully in. I am going to follow your suggestion to leave it out of the scabbard and its hilt while fully covered. I store both of my Kerises laying horizontally in a Keris wooden box.

Another alternative I've seen people are using is mineral oil. Could we also use good quality (medical grade) mineral oil for Keris rust prevention; if so, do you think mineral oil is safer to kinatah compared to gun oil or should we also apply it to the bare iron only?

You mentioned sandalwood oil, are pure essential oils like sandalwood, rose, jasmine, etc going to stain the iron and/or the pamor overtime or that's not the case?

For warangka, I'll look for a good quality furniture oil from my local hardware store. Do you have suggestion on how to treat and care for the silver pendok?

For hilt, boy this is a tough one since the piece is so intricate. Both wood and metal carvings are so fine and I am usually not a patient one. Do you have suggestion on how to bring back the luster on the hilt's silver and gold?

Thanks again for your input, I appreciate it very much!

Up ..looking for further advices, in case it's missed. I should also apologize in advance if my questions were rather rudimentary. I have close to zero knowledge of metal and woodwork treatments and preservation.