Hi ww:
Nice late 19th C Maguindanao kris you have for restoration. While the pommel could be banati wood covered with some grime it might also be kamagong, which is a darker wood and its grain does not have the chatoyancy of banati. Both banati and kumagong are considered "precious" woods within the local culture.
You have received some good advice already. On heavily oxidized blades like this one, I prefer to start with 400 wet and dry sandpaper. It gives a faster clean of the surface oxidation (but don't remove all of it or you will scratch the surface of the stee)l. Then I switch to higher grades, such as 800 and 1200 grit to remove the remaining oxidation. Steel wool 0000 works well, but is slower. Remember too, that in the original culture these blades often had residual grinding and polishing marks — a mirror-like finish is a Western aesthetic and is not traditional in the host culture. I think over-polishing detracts from the original item and its value. The aim should just be to remove the surface oxidation (etching is optional).
With respect to the hilt binding, beware of what looks simple! I have tried to emulate some of these "simple" bindings with limited success. My work has been rather clumsy (similar to what Sajen's example shows). Rattan is even harder. Fortunately, the original culture used even simpler wraps than shown on yours. Take a look at some examples in the archives here. Experiment carefully and practice on some wood doweling first. You can find black lacquered cord online.
As far as restoring the scabbard, consider the "wingless" style used on late 19th/early 20th C kris. If you have some woodworking skills, this should be a relatively easy repair. Again, check the archives here and consult Robert Cato's book on Moro Swords where he discusses the different styles of Maguindanao scabbards.
Good luck. You will learn a lot from working on this one.
Regards, Ian.
|