Bali keris query follow up

A. G. Maisey · 3rd February 2025, 09:41 PM

Sid, to remove those hard encrustations we use a scraper & a hard pointed tool, I use a saddler's awl for the pointy thing, and for the scraper I use an old worn out three sided file that I have ground a radius onto.

You scrape and pick at the rust & then re-immerse in the cleaning medium. For spots such as you have, I would use hydrochloride acid dabbed onto the scraped spot and watched while it was working, & then repeat as many times as needed. Then I'd finish the cleaning with brief soak in vinegar, say, about a day.

After that, polish with sink cleaner & steel wool, in Jawa we use coconut husk & abu gosok.

After you get the blade white you can stain, not before.

SidJ · 5th February 2025, 01:55 PM

Thanks Alan
Good to know the right way to do it. What do you mean by grinding a radius in the presumably triangle shaped file please?

A. G. Maisey · 5th February 2025, 05:35 PM

By a radius, I mean a curve, a part of a circle.

So, using a grinder you grind a curve into the small end, not the tang end, of a three sided file, a 6"-8" file is about the right size.

The curve runs from one of the sides to the opposite edge.

JeffS · 13th February 2025, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

By a radius, I mean a curve, a part of a circle.

So, using a grinder you grind a curve into the small end, not the tang end, of a three sided file, a 6"-8" file is about the right size.

The curve runs from one of the sides to the opposite edge.

Sorry, still trying to visualize this. Is the radius to blunt the point in order to widen the scraping surface to avoid gouging?

A. G. Maisey · 13th February 2025, 08:25 AM

The radius is to create a scraper cutting edge.

It is such as is found on a mechanic's bearing scraper.

At the moment I'm not at home, & will not be until March, then I can post a photo or two.

3rd February 2025, 09:41 PM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Sid, to remove those hard encrustations we use a scraper & a hard pointed tool, I use a saddler's awl for the pointy thing, and for the scraper I use an old worn out three sided file that I have ground a radius onto. You scrape and pick at the rust & then re-immerse in the cleaning medium. For spots such as you have, I would use hydrochloride acid dabbed onto the scraped spot and watched while it was working, & then repeat as many times as needed. Then I'd finish the cleaning with brief soak in vinegar, say, about a day. After that, polish with sink cleaner & steel wool, in Jawa we use coconut husk & abu gosok. After you get the blade white you can stain, not before.

5th February 2025, 01:55 PM	#2
SidJ Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 207	Thanks Alan Good to know the right way to do it. What do you mean by grinding a radius in the presumably triangle shaped file please?

5th February 2025, 05:35 PM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	By a radius, I mean a curve, a part of a circle. So, using a grinder you grind a curve into the small end, not the tang end, of a three sided file, a 6"-8" file is about the right size. The curve runs from one of the sides to the opposite edge.

13th February 2025, 08:25 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	The radius is to create a scraper cutting edge. It is such as is found on a mechanic's bearing scraper. At the moment I'm not at home, & will not be until March, then I can post a photo or two.