What is this ?

kai · 2nd November 2007, 12:59 AM

Hello Alan,

Sorry forgot to reply earlier: This seems to be a high-contrast pamor and I'd tend to stain this with arsenic, especially if assuming an origin from Lombok, etc. This is quite an art in and of itself but several people got reasonable results: search for warangan as well as arsenic on the fora here to get you started. It's not as difficult as it sounds (correct staining of keris Jawa being another matter) and you can always go back if you don't like the result.

You could also try to stain the blade with hot vinegar (another search here...) which will result in a more subdued contrast. This would be probably the kind of finish to be expected from northern Sumatra. Ferric chloride would be another, non-traditional resort but this can cause excessive corrosion if not handled correctly. In my experience either waranngan or vinegar are the way to go with vast majority of SE Asian blades...

Regards,
Kai

2nd November 2007, 12:59 AM	#14
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Hello Alan, Sorry forgot to reply earlier: This seems to be a high-contrast pamor and I'd tend to stain this with arsenic, especially if assuming an origin from Lombok, etc. This is quite an art in and of itself but several people got reasonable results: search for warangan as well as arsenic on the fora here to get you started. It's not as difficult as it sounds (correct staining of keris Jawa being another matter) and you can always go back if you don't like the result. You could also try to stain the blade with hot vinegar (another search here...) which will result in a more subdued contrast. This would be probably the kind of finish to be expected from northern Sumatra. Ferric chloride would be another, non-traditional resort but this can cause excessive corrosion if not handled correctly. In my experience either waranngan or vinegar are the way to go with vast majority of SE Asian blades... Regards, Kai