Restoration project
 

I would like to submit the pics of the various step of a restoration of a keris.
The reason is mainly for obtaining comments and some advice of the reason of a deceiving result. Moreover: why the blade is about 3/4 corroded and the upper part seems almost new ? Maybe because of tempering ?
Thanks in advance

Before the treatment:

After cleaning :

Final result :

Yes, the part of the blade that has been heat treated always shows more corrosion than the part that has not been heat treated.

It is not "tempering".

It is "heat treating"

The blade is brought to critical temperature and plunged into a cooling medium, water or oil.

This hardens it, and for a keris that is all that is done.

If it were to be tempered, the next step would be to heat it gently until a polished section of the blade showed the correct colour, typically for a knife blade, straw/blue.

This tempering, or "drawing of the temper" process is not carried out for keris, as it is not necessary:- the steel core which has been hardened is protected from damage by the pamor which does not contain steel, and hence is softer than the core.

One of seldom seen (on this forum) better quality Javanese blades. It would be nice to see a picture of the whole blade in correct upright position.

Looks like someone excessively tested it, if it's heat trated or not :D I hope, these marks are not so deep.

Mr Maisey, many thanks for explaining the correct definition. Often the less qualified books refer to the heat treatment as "tempering".
Gustav, shall post a pic of the whole blade as soon as I get a decent image.

In my opinion the pamor is Tungak Semi/Udan Mas. Am I correct ?

If the blade was mine, I would probably qualify the pamor style as Banyu Satetes but I may be wrong... :)

Only udan mas :)

As far as I can see on the pictures, the pamor circles are more or less lined-up in the center of the blade only, this is why I selected Banyu Satetes and not Udan Mas. Pamor Banyu Satetes is not referenced in the EK and Keris Jawa books but well known in Central Java. I attach 2 pictures of blades with this pamor. :)
Regards
Jean

Ok, Jean, I didn't know pamor Banyu Satetes. Thanks for informing.
Your blades are very nice

[QUOTE=Gustav]One of seldom seen (on this forum) better quality Javanese blades. It would be nice to see a picture of the whole blade in correct upright position.

Hi Gustav,
Here are the pictures of the whole blade. Unfortunately I coudn't make the pics in good lighting conditions.