Keris Sepang

David · 6th October 2012, 11:14 PM

hmmm...i was hoping to raise more interest in this thread because i would really like to hear more opinions on the keris sepang form. Anyone have any examples they might like to post?
In the interest of re-sparking the conversation here are some shot of this one i just received. I spruced it up as best i could, but it seems obvious that it will need the full treatment to eliminate remaining rust.
I think it is clear in these photos that this is the original gonjo. The iron and pamor are identical. I am also intrigued by a line of brighter high contrast pamor that appears along the edge when the blade is held at an angle. It isn't easy to photograph, but i think you will be able to see what i mean in at least one of these photos.

So, any thoughts on the sepang dhapur in general or this keris in particular?

A. G. Maisey · 7th October 2012, 01:05 AM

Looks a better quality piece in these shots.

If this keris were mine, I probably would not restain it, its acceptable as it is in my book. I'd certainly WD40 it, good long soak and then carefully work over it to remove as much of that surface rust as possible. Good scrub with a stiff brush and hot soapy water to start with. You can get into the grooves and hollows with fine steel wool wrapped around a sate stick --- bambu skewer.

I do not believe in cleaning and restaining a blade simply because it is slightly less than immaculate, the less you can clean a keris the better off you are. Even when a blade is heavily rusted its possibly not a good idea to try to get it 100% perfect with the first clean. I'll usually come back to a very badly rusted blade several times over several years, especially so if it is a quality blade.

David · 7th October 2012, 03:16 AM

Thanks Alan...yes, i also think it turned out to be a somewhat better keris than the auction photos showed. I agree about not restaining if i can get rid of the existing rust residue without removing much of the existing stain. As i stated, i only gave this a quick sprucing up to get a better idea of what i had bought and get some pictures done. It only had a fairly quick working over with WD-40 a toothbrush and then some fine steel wool.
Do you have any thoughts on that line of brighter pamor. Only shows super bright at about a 45º angle. You can see it best in photo #3.

A. G. Maisey · 7th October 2012, 11:37 AM

I'm not at all sure of what I can see David, but whatever did cause this uneven distribution of contrasting material it was simply some sort of lack of control in process.

kai · 7th October 2012, 02:27 PM

Hello David & Alan,

from the pics, it looks like a grinding mark to me?

Regards,
Kai

David · 7th October 2012, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kai

Hello David & Alan,

from the pics, it looks like a grinding mark to me?

Regards,
Kai

I thought that at first as well Kai, and that just might be, but it reacts really differently from the rest of the pamor and seems to be of a higher contrast material than the rest. As Alan points out, it does seem rather uncontrolled...

David · 12th October 2012, 07:11 PM

Well, i'm going to give this one more try before putting it to rest. ANY more info or examples of keris sepang out there?

I have checked our archives, of course, and seen a few more examples, but there is little real info to go along with them. The books i own don't seem to shed too much more light on the subject either. I am interested in approximately when this form may have emerged and what significance it might have held (since it is a departure from the norm for keris dhapur). Anybody?

Naga Sasra · 14th October 2012, 03:40 AM

Okay David, I will attemps to be the "anybody" here

Attached five pieces from various area's that with one exception would qualify as the dapur Sepang

6th October 2012, 11:14 PM	#1
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	hmmm...i was hoping to raise more interest in this thread because i would really like to hear more opinions on the keris sepang form. Anyone have any examples they might like to post? In the interest of re-sparking the conversation here are some shot of this one i just received. I spruced it up as best i could, but it seems obvious that it will need the full treatment to eliminate remaining rust. I think it is clear in these photos that this is the original gonjo. The iron and pamor are identical. I am also intrigued by a line of brighter high contrast pamor that appears along the edge when the blade is held at an angle. It isn't easy to photograph, but i think you will be able to see what i mean in at least one of these photos. So, any thoughts on the sepang dhapur in general or this keris in particular? Attached Images

14th October 2012, 03:40 AM	#8
Naga Sasra Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Boca Raton, Florida, USA Posts: 108	Okay David, I will attemps to be the "anybody" here Attached five pieces from various area's that with one exception would qualify as the dapur Sepang Attached Images

7th October 2012, 01:05 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,989	Looks a better quality piece in these shots. If this keris were mine, I probably would not restain it, its acceptable as it is in my book. I'd certainly WD40 it, good long soak and then carefully work over it to remove as much of that surface rust as possible. Good scrub with a stiff brush and hot soapy water to start with. You can get into the grooves and hollows with fine steel wool wrapped around a sate stick --- bambu skewer. I do not believe in cleaning and restaining a blade simply because it is slightly less than immaculate, the less you can clean a keris the better off you are. Even when a blade is heavily rusted its possibly not a good idea to try to get it 100% perfect with the first clean. I'll usually come back to a very badly rusted blade several times over several years, especially so if it is a quality blade.

7th October 2012, 03:16 AM	#3
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	Thanks Alan...yes, i also think it turned out to be a somewhat better keris than the auction photos showed. I agree about not restaining if i can get rid of the existing rust residue without removing much of the existing stain. As i stated, i only gave this a quick sprucing up to get a better idea of what i had bought and get some pictures done. It only had a fairly quick working over with WD-40 a toothbrush and then some fine steel wool. Do you have any thoughts on that line of brighter pamor. Only shows super bright at about a 45º angle. You can see it best in photo #3.

7th October 2012, 11:37 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,989	I'm not at all sure of what I can see David, but whatever did cause this uneven distribution of contrasting material it was simply some sort of lack of control in process.

7th October 2012, 02:27 PM	#5
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	Hello David & Alan, from the pics, it looks like a grinding mark to me? Regards, Kai

12th October 2012, 07:11 PM	#7
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	Well, i'm going to give this one more try before putting it to rest. ANY more info or examples of keris sepang out there? I have checked our archives, of course, and seen a few more examples, but there is little real info to go along with them. The books i own don't seem to shed too much more light on the subject either. I am interested in approximately when this form may have emerged and what significance it might have held (since it is a departure from the norm for keris dhapur). Anybody?