Keris-Yogya nice wood Waranka

[Roland_M]

Dear Members of the Forum and Anonymous Readers,

A couple of years I was waiting for a oppurtunity to buy a typical antique Java-Keris with a straight blade, a silver Pendok, Waranka and Hulu made from dark wood.
Finally I found 100% exactly what I was looking for.
It is a Yogyakarta style Keris with a 32cm long, thin and slender blade, with a width of only 16mm at its widest point.
I guess it is finely forged Pamor Wos Wutah.
The silver Boenlon-Pendok is nicely engraved, the well carved Waranka is made from the most beautiful wood in my collection.
Waranka and Hulu were covered with a thick layer of modern lacquer. It took a while to remove it and the result is breathtaking.
This wood is incredibly beautiful in my eyes, depending on the angle of light (last two pictures), dark brown stripes appear or disappear.
The color of the wood reaches from chocolate brown under roomlight conditions to a fantastic red-brown in the sun, shortly before the sunset is the best time to make pictures of it.

The mask(?)-carvings in the Hulu are well made and very deep carved. It was difficult to reach the bottom of the carvings during the cleaning with a tooth-pick!
I wonder, what type of tool did they used for that tiny carvings? I can only say, that it was a tool, finer than a tooth-pick!

I have one question. I am looking for a source of the wood of the Waranka. I need just a little bit of this wood for the new grips of my Colt 1911.
I found nothing in the internet and so I would be very happy, if anyone can tell me a source, where I can buy such wood.
Hopefully it is not extinct or banned from trading.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and please give me some comments.


Best wishes,
Roland