Old keris ?

Richard G · 8th July 2014, 01:44 PM

Hello,
Keris is not really my thing, I am normally to be found on the ethnographic forum. However, I do have this, possibly old, keris. The blade has been been badly rusted and pitted but it is still possible to see the remains of what looks to have been quite a complicated pamor. What makes me think it might once have been quite a good one are the remains of, quite thick, gold encrustation to the top of the ganja.
Any and all comments welcome.
Regards
Richard

Henk · 8th July 2014, 09:00 PM

A very lovely blade, with golden remains on the ganja. I would clean the rust with pineapple or lemmon juice. Lemmon juice is more agressive but is mostly used to clean a keris blade. Is a mendak present? I only see the ukiran.
Maybe Alan can tell more.

Rick · 8th July 2014, 11:58 PM

The ukiran looks like a variation on the 'woman' motif .

A. G. Maisey · 9th July 2014, 01:02 AM

Nice keris.

I can't see much rust on this blade.

Yes, if I was going to stain it, I'd clean it first, and that clean would be vinegar, simply because our pineapple juice these days is garbage.

However, the gonjo would not be cleaned with vinegar, pineapple juice, Coca-Cola, tomatoes nor any other sort of soak.

I would use a very bright light close up, along with a saddler's needle held in an awl and a 3X tool maker's loupe. I would very carefully remove all the corrosion manually. That gold may not get through a soak.

Richard G · 9th July 2014, 11:39 AM

Thank you Henk, Rick and Alan,
No, Unfortunately there is no mendak. I have already given the blade a preliminary clean by soaking with Plusgas and rubbing down with crumpled aluminium foil. this has got rid of most of the surface rust but it is still present in the "pittings" which gives the blade a brownish tinge. I will try vinegar, lemon juice etc. and see what happens.
I also attach photo's showing the scabbard. I am not sure whether or not this is original, it is a very close fit but not perfect. And another showing some of the pitting on the blade.
Any idea as to age or origin?
Regards
Richard.

Henk · 9th July 2014, 02:58 PM

You're welcome, Richard.

Now that you show us the scabbard as well i think the keris is from Sumatra, Palembang. It certainly has some age. I strongly advise you use the cleaning Alan sugested.

Vinegar is a good option to soak it, but for more control i usually clean a blade with a slice of lemon or lime. That gives me more control on the cleaning process. But with te remains of gold on the gonjo i would be more careful as Alan said.

Sorry Alan for still using the term ganja in stead of gonjo. That's a dutch habbit just like we say Wrangka in stead of Wrongko. But i still do remember your wise lessons. But learning something new is easier than turning an old habbit into another one

8th July 2014, 01:44 PM	#1
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 402	Old keris ? Hello, Keris is not really my thing, I am normally to be found on the ethnographic forum. However, I do have this, possibly old, keris. The blade has been been badly rusted and pitted but it is still possible to see the remains of what looks to have been quite a complicated pamor. What makes me think it might once have been quite a good one are the remains of, quite thick, gold encrustation to the top of the ganja. Any and all comments welcome. Regards Richard Attached Images Last edited by Richard G; 8th July 2014 at 02:12 PM.

9th July 2014, 11:39 AM	#5
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 402	Thank you Henk, Rick and Alan, No, Unfortunately there is no mendak. I have already given the blade a preliminary clean by soaking with Plusgas and rubbing down with crumpled aluminium foil. this has got rid of most of the surface rust but it is still present in the "pittings" which gives the blade a brownish tinge. I will try vinegar, lemon juice etc. and see what happens. I also attach photo's showing the scabbard. I am not sure whether or not this is original, it is a very close fit but not perfect. And another showing some of the pitting on the blade. Any idea as to age or origin? Regards Richard. Attached Images

8th July 2014, 09:00 PM	#2
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	A very lovely blade, with golden remains on the ganja. I would clean the rust with pineapple or lemmon juice. Lemmon juice is more agressive but is mostly used to clean a keris blade. Is a mendak present? I only see the ukiran. Maybe Alan can tell more.

8th July 2014, 11:58 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,262	The ukiran looks like a variation on the 'woman' motif .

9th July 2014, 01:02 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,703	Nice keris. I can't see much rust on this blade. Yes, if I was going to stain it, I'd clean it first, and that clean would be vinegar, simply because our pineapple juice these days is garbage. However, the gonjo would not be cleaned with vinegar, pineapple juice, Coca-Cola, tomatoes nor any other sort of soak. I would use a very bright light close up, along with a saddler's needle held in an awl and a 3X tool maker's loupe. I would very carefully remove all the corrosion manually. That gold may not get through a soak.

9th July 2014, 02:58 PM	#6
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	You're welcome, Richard. Now that you show us the scabbard as well i think the keris is from Sumatra, Palembang. It certainly has some age. I strongly advise you use the cleaning Alan sugested. Vinegar is a good option to soak it, but for more control i usually clean a blade with a slice of lemon or lime. That gives me more control on the cleaning process. But with te remains of gold on the gonjo i would be more careful as Alan said. Sorry Alan for still using the term ganja in stead of gonjo. That's a dutch habbit just like we say Wrangka in stead of Wrongko. But i still do remember your wise lessons. But learning something new is easier than turning an old habbit into another one