Keris Selit

[A. G. Maisey]

Thanks for your opinion Green.
In fact, in the 19th century pamor in Malay blades was brought out by the use of salt and sulphur, I've used this method, it both etches and stains, and on an old blade that has been previously stained it gives quite an effective finish. I do not know if the sulphur and salt method was the only method used.
In respect of the word "warangan" it is a word that exists in Classical Malay, it is a loan word from Javanese, but in was in use in 19th century Malaya and is recognised as a part of the Classical Malay lexicon. It will be found in Wilkinson where the English meaning is given as "ratsbane; realgar". Warangan also can be found in Old Javanese, but there it means "a special colour". In Modern Javanese "warangan" means "arsenic", the correct word for staining a blade is "marangi", which can also mean to poison somebody or something.

So it is not quite correct to say that "warangan" has never been a part Malay usage, it definitely has been, but I agree, it is not now.

The evidence of two keris, collected in Pattani in about 1920, that are stained seems to indicate that 100 years ago blade staining was carried out in Pattani.

This still leaves the question:- when did it become general practice not to stain, because the evidence seems to indicate that 100 years ago, blades from Malaya, Pattani, and even Sulawesi, could be either stained or unstained.

Yes, possibly Javanese influence may have played a part in staining of blades. Javanese culture was the most influential culture in Maritime SE Asia for a very long time.But new Malay blades were subjected to the salt and sulphur treatment, so some Malay blades were stained at least when new, but perhaps were never re-stained.