Corroded keris

jagabuwana · 16th May 2018, 12:45 AM

I'm interested in acquiring this keris from an auction with a view to clean and restore it. I'd be curious to see how clean I can get it and what lies beneath. I like to think I learned enough lessons from the last time I cleaned an old blade (the hard way

) to give this proper treatment.

However the extent of corrosion on this blade is more extensive. Has anyone had experience cleaning and dressing a blade with this degree of age and wear, and what was your result?

Secondly, I'm interested in this keris because I like the shape and style. Is it dapur brojol?

jagabuwana · 16th May 2018, 12:49 AM

Apologies, here is the keris. The file quality diminished when I resized it but hopefully it gives you a good idea.

Sajen · 16th May 2018, 05:47 AM

It's a Bugis sepokal blade!

A. G. Maisey · 16th May 2018, 06:04 AM

Yes, I have cleaned a very great number of blades as bad and worse than this, I can show after pics, but I cannot show before pics. I don't record this sort of thing, its just a job, nothing special.

Household vinegar and patience.

The stain process can get a bit difficult, but the clean process is straight forward.

Sajen · 16th May 2018, 09:05 AM

Yes, I've cleaned also several keris blades in a similar bad condition like the blade in question but I've used citrus acid instead of vinegar. Like Alan said, it's just a job which need patience.

Regards,
Detlef

jagabuwana · 16th May 2018, 12:48 PM

Thank you Detlef and Alan.

Some questions:

1) What characterises a sepokal blade? The keris books I have on hand (Groneman and Solyom & Solyom) don't mention it. I have done some cursory research on Google and haven't been able to find any statements or descriptions of sepokal blades, and it seems that both keris luk and keris lurus can be keris sepokal. I could be wrong (maybe it's my eyes..) but from what I can see, keris sepokal are slightly convex, if one were to draw a line following the centre of the blade from peksi to penatas. Is my observation correct, a red herring, or entirely incorrect?

2) Without dressings, what features of this blade make you say it's Bugis? My question is not a challenge or a skepticism towards your assessment, and I am asking only so that I may learn. Interestingly, many blades (though not necessarily dressings) that I am drawn to are bugis keris. There is an aspect about them that I can only describe as bold, strong or aggressive to my eye and feeling.

16th May 2018, 12:45 AM	#1
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 280	Corroded keris I'm interested in acquiring this keris from an auction with a view to clean and restore it. I'd be curious to see how clean I can get it and what lies beneath. I like to think I learned enough lessons from the last time I cleaned an old blade (the hard way ) to give this proper treatment. However the extent of corrosion on this blade is more extensive. Has anyone had experience cleaning and dressing a blade with this degree of age and wear, and what was your result? Secondly, I'm interested in this keris because I like the shape and style. Is it dapur brojol?

16th May 2018, 12:49 AM	#2
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 280	Apologies, here is the keris. The file quality diminished when I resized it but hopefully it gives you a good idea. Attached Images

16th May 2018, 05:47 AM	#3
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,770	It's a Bugis sepokal blade!

16th May 2018, 06:04 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,890	Yes, I have cleaned a very great number of blades as bad and worse than this, I can show after pics, but I cannot show before pics. I don't record this sort of thing, its just a job, nothing special. Household vinegar and patience. The stain process can get a bit difficult, but the clean process is straight forward.

16th May 2018, 09:05 AM	#5
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,770	Yes, I've cleaned also several keris blades in a similar bad condition like the blade in question but I've used citrus acid instead of vinegar. Like Alan said, it's just a job which need patience. Regards, Detlef

16th May 2018, 12:48 PM	#6
jagabuwana Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 280	Thank you Detlef and Alan. Some questions: 1) What characterises a sepokal blade? The keris books I have on hand (Groneman and Solyom & Solyom) don't mention it. I have done some cursory research on Google and haven't been able to find any statements or descriptions of sepokal blades, and it seems that both keris luk and keris lurus can be keris sepokal. I could be wrong (maybe it's my eyes..) but from what I can see, keris sepokal are slightly convex, if one were to draw a line following the centre of the blade from peksi to penatas. Is my observation correct, a red herring, or entirely incorrect? 2) Without dressings, what features of this blade make you say it's Bugis? My question is not a challenge or a skepticism towards your assessment, and I am asking only so that I may learn. Interestingly, many blades (though not necessarily dressings) that I am drawn to are bugis keris. There is an aspect about them that I can only describe as bold, strong or aggressive to my eye and feeling.