Removing Epoxy

[Spunjer]

Yes!
placing the heat closer to the stirrups helped, i'm guessing, or perhaps it finally weakened after messing with it for more than a week!
it was a challenge removing this handle without altering anything. i actually thought about what you suggested, Tim, regarding snipping the stirrups awhile back, but that was going to be my last resort. anyway, posting pictures of the aftermath, for future reference.
i was able to scrape most of the epoxy inside the handle. i've enclosed pictures of it, and also the tools of the the trade (homemade shanks).
thank you all, esp. to you Alan!

[A. G. Maisey]

Nice to see Spunger!

Wonderful thing what can be done with perseverance.

Those little stirrups don't go up very far, do they? As I've said, I am not familiar with these weapons I've never had one apart, but I had a mental picture of the stirrup running up inside the hilt for maybe a couple of inches.

[kai]

Hello Alan,

Those little stirrups don't go up very far, do they? As I've said, I am not familiar with these weapons I've never had one apart, but I had a mental picture of the stirrup running up inside the hilt for maybe a couple of inches.

Usually these are running along the outside of the wooden grip area rather than inside the hilt hole (along the tang); in Ron's example, the metal strings appear to have been shortened to be placed along the tang by an epoxy wielder trying an repair job despite being not terribly knowledgeable regarding Moro kris...


Here's a pic of an asang-asang made from a single piece of metal:


And here the usual hilt configuration (without braided grip binding which would also secure the clamp or metal strips):


Regards,
Kai

[kai]

Congrats, Ron!

That looks like a bit of brittle stuff coming off, too. Remnants of the original resin?

BTW, please let us have an unobstructed peek at the hilt/pommel, too!

Regards,
Kai

[A. G. Maisey]

Thanks Kai, that clarifies things for me.

[Spunjer]

here's a close up of the handle.. sorry, i had it all assembled together before i read your request, kai.
had this kris for awhile. just didn't like the space between the handle and the blade with the epoxy actually bulging out in some areas.
as far as the variation on how the strap is assembled, i've seen this done before, whereas the straps run inside the handle as oppose to the outside. the only difference on this is how short the strap was; normally it's about the length of the tang itself.

[kai]

Thanks for the pic, Ron!

as far as the variation on how the strap is assembled, i've seen this done before, whereas the straps run inside the handle as oppose to the outside. the only difference on this is how short the strap was; normally it's about the length of the tang itself.

Yeah, the short(ened), pointed pieces don't look right.

I have yet to see an example with strips running inside the hilt that proves to be at least 19th c. and being unaltered; I guess this may rarely be a genuine feature, especially with hilt types that don't favor attachment to the outside. However, this construction would not offer any benefit over any tang-only attachment (like most other swords of the region).

Regards,
Kai