contrast in pamor

[sjors]

Most pictures of the pamor I see on the keris Bali here show a bright pamor with a lot of contrast.
One of mine, an ordinairy keris Bali I have for about 25 years now, doesn't have that bright pamor and never had during that time.
Does that mean it has to be stained again or do I have to leave it that way?

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by sjors

One of mine, an ordinairy keris Bali I have for about 25 years now, doesn't have that bright pamor and never had during that time.
Does that mean it has to be stained again or do I have to leave it that way?

Dear Sjors,
IMHO, your keris needs not to be stained, but just need to be cleaned. (With very soft brush and soft cream detergent, dry it with soft cloth and then oil it with keris oil).

Actually, it is a simple but perfect balinese keris: the good (timoho wood) sheath, especially the "kendhit" hilt (mystical one...), simple but good keris ring, and of course a simple but perfect blade... Glittering pamor, is not always better...

[Rick]

That is a beautiful rendition of that hilt form .

[David]

Originally Posted by Rick

That is a beautiful rendition of that hilt form .

I agree. Wouldn't mind some better pics.
On your question, well yes, this keris is somewhat out of stain, so to speak. Still, finding someone to give it the proper Bali treatment might be a bit difficult. For the time being you might just want to keep it oiled.
Might just be the pics, but it looks like the very beginnings of rust might be starting up in the sogakan. Might just be dirt. Either way, a good oiling couldn't hurt.
BTW, the blade is very nice as well. Nice and deeply carved.

[A. G. Maisey]

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.

[asomotif]

Sjors,

Agree with all the previous speakers. Do not restain.

I wish I could find a keris like yours nowadays.
In case you get bored with it, you can PM me