Pedang from java (?)

A. G. Maisey · 7th February 2024, 01:03 AM

Buy a little bottle of silver test from a jeweller's supply house, it is cheap, it lasts forever, you only need a tiny drop for testing, & it can prevent costly error.

Other names for mamas are paktong, p'aitun, it is a nickel + copper + zinc alloy, Chinese in origin.

Similar, or maybe even the same as alpaka/albata, nickel silver, argentum, german silver, mailechort.

There has been a real lot of "silver" ornamented weaponry from Indonesia & SE Asia in general that has been sold into the Western World that is in fact ornamented with mamas.

thomas hauschild · 8th February 2024, 07:39 AM

Ok I think now that this is mamas on this piece. (Not a big issue for me, have paid a low price for it)

I have tested some pieces yet with my „grandma‘s cleaning tip for silver“ saltwater and aluminium foil. I put a drop of saltwater on a silver coin and some weapons of my collection, hold a piece of aluminiumfoil for 30 sec in that drop, and after this I saw a clear cleaning effect by the form of the drop when there was definetly silver. On other pieces of white metal as on this pedang, no effect ( due to nickel ? ) . What do you think about this simple test guys ?

Best Thomas

Ian · 8th February 2024, 09:06 AM

White metal on weapons can also include white brass, which is a Copper/Zinc alloy (no Nickel). Yellow brass is a similar alloy and the main difference between the two is that white brass has 66% Zinc and yellow brass 63%. The additional Zinc makes white brass a little more durable and tougher than yellow brass, but white brass may corrode more easily.

Nice blade, Thomas, for an inexpensive purchase.

7th February 2024, 01:03 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Buy a little bottle of silver test from a jeweller's supply house, it is cheap, it lasts forever, you only need a tiny drop for testing, & it can prevent costly error. Other names for mamas are paktong, p'aitun, it is a nickel + copper + zinc alloy, Chinese in origin. Similar, or maybe even the same as alpaka/albata, nickel silver, argentum, german silver, mailechort. There has been a real lot of "silver" ornamented weaponry from Indonesia & SE Asia in general that has been sold into the Western World that is in fact ornamented with mamas.

8th February 2024, 07:39 AM	#2
thomas hauschild Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Germany Posts: 141	Ok I think now that this is mamas on this piece. (Not a big issue for me, have paid a low price for it) I have tested some pieces yet with my „grandma‘s cleaning tip for silver“ saltwater and aluminium foil. I put a drop of saltwater on a silver coin and some weapons of my collection, hold a piece of aluminiumfoil for 30 sec in that drop, and after this I saw a clear cleaning effect by the form of the drop when there was definetly silver. On other pieces of white metal as on this pedang, no effect ( due to nickel ? ) . What do you think about this simple test guys ? Best Thomas

8th February 2024, 09:06 AM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,361	White metal on weapons can also include white brass, which is a Copper/Zinc alloy (no Nickel). Yellow brass is a similar alloy and the main difference between the two is that white brass has 66% Zinc and yellow brass 63%. The additional Zinc makes white brass a little more durable and tougher than yellow brass, but white brass may corrode more easily. Nice blade, Thomas, for an inexpensive purchase.