removing clear varnish from a old blade

[werecow]

Originally Posted by Sajen

You're welcome! BTW, it's a nice Kabeala, nice grain to the wooden handle. Attached is my own, similar example.

Regards,
Detlef

Ah, that is almost identical! Do you have any more information on it by any chance (age, etc)?

[JoeCanada42]

I recently cleaned a Mandau, and it came out very nice, maybe it was varnished of some sort in the past. I have read that once a year ceremonialy the blade was coated with oils etc. likely that ritual was also for reasons to protect the blade

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by JoeCanada42

I recently cleaned a Mandau, and it came out very nice, maybe it was varnished of some sort in the past. I have read that once a year ceremonialy the blade was coated with oils etc. likely that ritual was also for reasons to protect the blade

Hello Joe, where did you read this ?

[JoeCanada42]

Originally Posted by asomotif

Hello Joe, where did you read this ?

possibly on this forum, or one of a few other websites I checked out recently.
I am Shure I read about it. something along the lines of the same time every year, almost like a holiday everyone does it. think I also heard it mentioned on Youtube... and just today actually on another sword forum I read someone talk about the sword receiving the incense and oil treatment.

[kai]

Hello Joe,

Sounds like people are mixing things up - some just confuse islands and stuff...

And the quenching treatment with clay-covered blades is most famously known from Japan. I don't think this is documented from anywhere on Borneo...

Regards,
Kai

[milandro]

Originally Posted by JoeCanada42

... and just today actually on another sword forum I read someone talk about the sword receiving the incense and oil treatment.

Blades from Indonesia MAY be treated with incense ( as a part of a ritual, incense is thought the world , frankincense is after all a form of it, used to carry an offer to the heavens) and then treated with perfumed oils, the oil of course served the purpose to keep the blade from rusting AND the addition of a fragrance is another form of offering to the powers beyond human.

More worldly form is to treat the blades with things like Balistol or Singer sewing machine oil (with or without a scent).

[JoeCanada42]

Originally Posted by asomotif

Hello Joe, where did you read this ?

"likely that ritual was also for reasons to protect the blade"

this I did not read or hear, this i am saying, maybe, like years upon year of dried oil could work as a laquer,

I remember it was done to keep the spirits in the blade appeased maybe, something along the lines of need to keep the sword happy or it loses it magic power, apparently they point the swords at the ground before enactment fighting to nullify the magic.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by werecow

Ah, that is almost identical! Do you have any more information on it by any chance (age, etc)?

Kabealas are still in use on Sumba so you can find quiet recent/vintage examples in nearly identical appearance. I get my one from a friend in GB, judging by the wear and patination I guess around WWII or short before.
It was shown before in this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=kabeala

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

A very good indicator of good age are always the small cracks in rotan bindings,
see the attached pictures from some of my items, just use a good magnifying glass!

[werecow]

Originally Posted by Sajen

A very good indicator of good age are always the small cracks in rotan bindings,
see the attached pictures from some of my items, just use a good magnifying glass!

Interesting. Would varnish protect against such cracks, or do they still form regardless?

FWIW I don't expect my kabeala to be particularly old. Does the presence of varnish itself say anything about the likely (minimum) age range, or people still do that today?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by werecow

Interesting. Would varnish protect against such cracks, or do they still form regardless?

FWIW I don't expect my kabeala to be particularly old. Does the presence of varnish itself say anything about the likely (minimum) age range, or people still do that today?

I think that those cracks are already present when someone will coat an item. They come from age and handling.
I would place your example carefully as mid. to end 20th century, judging by the color of the wood but keep in mind that light/flash can cozen.
People coming to the most crazy ideas, I've seen shellac coated items (most of the time early collected items, to varnish with shellac was popular from end 19th to first quarter 20th century), here works benzine, this items were most of the times good preserved), chromed blades (a real horror ), many elbow grease required, items coated with clear modern varnish (every time difficult to find the good solution), the most annoying is when people "cleaned" a blade with a grinder or something else. Disgusting is a blade coated with centuries old grease.

Regards,
Detlef