Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

A. G. Maisey · 21st July 2008, 10:48 PM

An old Bali keris with its original stain, is something that should be preserved as is.

Even if that stain has deteriorated a little, it still should be kept original.

In my experience, it is now impossible to get an authentic Bali clean and stain job done in Bali, by Balinese. It seems that everybody I talk to sends their blades away to Jawa or Madura to have them done. The result is a lot different to an authentic Bali stain. This has been the case for many years. I think it is likely that this keris was stained pre-WWII.

I have stained blades using the Balinese methods, and the work involved is many times the work involved for a Javanese stain.

This keris should be preserved exactly as it is. It is a very good example of an old Bali keris; it is not a top quality piece, but it is a good keris, and a very scarce commodity.

My advice on cleaning would vary a little from Pak Gonjo's advice.

Remove the hilt and hilt ring. Using hot water, a soft toothbrush , and dishwash detergent, thoroughly clean and rinse the blade. Dry with a soft, lint free cloth, follow this by drying with a hairdryer, then drench with WD40, and allow to stand overnight before applying a good oil. Traditional, coconut based, keris oil should be avoided for this type of blade. If you want a scented oil, make your own from medicinal paraffin and sandalwood oil; if the scent is not important to you, use a good quality gun oil. When the blade has been oiled, store it in a plastic sleeve, or wrap with plastic lunch wrap. It should not be put straight back into the wood wrongko. Ferric material against cellulose material is guaranteed to eventually cause corrosion, and in the case of this keris, preservation and conservation should be prioritised.

After this initial treatment, you might like to consider coming back to the blade in a few weeks, and using magnification and a strong light, carefully remove any active rust from the blade. Needles of various sizes are good for this job, and the most useful is a small saddler's needle mounted in an awl.You need to work pit by pit.

Forget all about any restaining. This keris is beautiful just the way it is.

21st July 2008, 10:48 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	An old Bali keris with its original stain, is something that should be preserved as is. Even if that stain has deteriorated a little, it still should be kept original. In my experience, it is now impossible to get an authentic Bali clean and stain job done in Bali, by Balinese. It seems that everybody I talk to sends their blades away to Jawa or Madura to have them done. The result is a lot different to an authentic Bali stain. This has been the case for many years. I think it is likely that this keris was stained pre-WWII. I have stained blades using the Balinese methods, and the work involved is many times the work involved for a Javanese stain. This keris should be preserved exactly as it is. It is a very good example of an old Bali keris; it is not a top quality piece, but it is a good keris, and a very scarce commodity. My advice on cleaning would vary a little from Pak Gonjo's advice. Remove the hilt and hilt ring. Using hot water, a soft toothbrush , and dishwash detergent, thoroughly clean and rinse the blade. Dry with a soft, lint free cloth, follow this by drying with a hairdryer, then drench with WD40, and allow to stand overnight before applying a good oil. Traditional, coconut based, keris oil should be avoided for this type of blade. If you want a scented oil, make your own from medicinal paraffin and sandalwood oil; if the scent is not important to you, use a good quality gun oil. When the blade has been oiled, store it in a plastic sleeve, or wrap with plastic lunch wrap. It should not be put straight back into the wood wrongko. Ferric material against cellulose material is guaranteed to eventually cause corrosion, and in the case of this keris, preservation and conservation should be prioritised. After this initial treatment, you might like to consider coming back to the blade in a few weeks, and using magnification and a strong light, carefully remove any active rust from the blade. Needles of various sizes are good for this job, and the most useful is a small saddler's needle mounted in an awl.You need to work pit by pit. Forget all about any restaining. This keris is beautiful just the way it is.