new member, old keris

Jean · 19th October 2013, 09:21 AM

This blade has a very peculiar dapur without pejetan especially.
Looking at the 4th picture from the top, it seems that the metal on the elephant head has a different colour from the base and no pamor lines as if if it had been patched later? Or am I overly suspicious?

Regards

A. G. Maisey · 19th October 2013, 10:43 AM

It could be an addition Jean, but I think it is more likely to be original, probably an outer skin used during the manufacturing process.

Jean · 19th October 2013, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

It could be an addition Jean, but I think it is more likely to be original, probably an outer skin used during the manufacturing process.

Thank you Alan, your opinion makes much sense since Peter bought it in the seventies but I found it unusual.

Peter, could you please show us the sheath if there is one?
Regards

PeterP · 19th October 2013, 12:04 PM

Well, first of all, thanks for your comments so far. As for the questions: the length of the blade is 41 cm including the peksi, 34 without. It has no dress, I bought it as it is now, with the same handle, which doesn't mean it is the original one. If I have a close look at the elephants head, it has the same colour and material expression as the rest of the keris, on the other side of the keris the pamorline of the head extends down towards the base and merges with the other lines, so I can't imagine it to be a later addition. I will post additional pictures later to give more details about the construction. Also the outer tip of the gonjo received a bump during it's life (I'm innocent) and is slightly bent.

asomotif · 19th October 2013, 09:31 PM

I like the blade.

A new stain and a better mendak would suit the blade imho.

PeterP · 20th October 2013, 11:07 PM

About the stain. A few of the kerisses I own I cleaned with pinapplejuice or limejuice to get rid of any rust, and they always came out dull and with the pores of the metal openend, which give it a rather course feel. I handled a few balinese kerisses which had a much smoother feel, like the keris I have. I recall reading in one of the posts that in earlier days the kerisses fom java received a treatment similar to the ones from bali. Could it be that this keris hasn't had a stain for a very long time, so the smoothness of the keris is the remains of the original stain. Just wondering, I'm trying to figure out why it has such a different feel from the other kerisses I own

A. G. Maisey · 21st October 2013, 03:10 AM

Yes, the cleaning process will expose any material that does not have a tight grain. That's certain. If the material is good quality and the grain in the iron is tight cleaning only removes the rust and dirt. Often cleaning an old keris will result in the keris coming out of the cleaning solution --- pineapple juice, lime juice, citric acid, vinegar --- whatever --- looking as if it has just been stained. But you cannot compensate for poor quality material. If you have any doubts about the quality of material in a blade it is safer to clean it mechanically --- stones, wet & dry paper --- and then just lightly etch with vinegar or similar.

Balinese keris are not cleaned in the same way as Javanese keris, they are polished clean with sand, or with ground up lime stone. We can achieve the same finish with wet & dry paper.

Old keris that have been out of Jawa for a long time do very often have a smooth finish to the blade.

19th October 2013, 09:21 AM	#1
Jean Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,740	This blade has a very peculiar dapur without pejetan especially. Looking at the 4th picture from the top, it seems that the metal on the elephant head has a different colour from the base and no pamor lines as if if it had been patched later? Or am I overly suspicious? Regards Last edited by Jean; 19th October 2013 at 09:56 AM.

19th October 2013, 10:43 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,989	It could be an addition Jean, but I think it is more likely to be original, probably an outer skin used during the manufacturing process.

19th October 2013, 12:04 PM	#4
PeterP Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 15	Well, first of all, thanks for your comments so far. As for the questions: the length of the blade is 41 cm including the peksi, 34 without. It has no dress, I bought it as it is now, with the same handle, which doesn't mean it is the original one. If I have a close look at the elephants head, it has the same colour and material expression as the rest of the keris, on the other side of the keris the pamorline of the head extends down towards the base and merges with the other lines, so I can't imagine it to be a later addition. I will post additional pictures later to give more details about the construction. Also the outer tip of the gonjo received a bump during it's life (I'm innocent) and is slightly bent.

19th October 2013, 09:31 PM	#5
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,228	I like the blade. A new stain and a better mendak would suit the blade imho.

20th October 2013, 11:07 PM	#6
PeterP Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 15	About the stain. A few of the kerisses I own I cleaned with pinapplejuice or limejuice to get rid of any rust, and they always came out dull and with the pores of the metal openend, which give it a rather course feel. I handled a few balinese kerisses which had a much smoother feel, like the keris I have. I recall reading in one of the posts that in earlier days the kerisses fom java received a treatment similar to the ones from bali. Could it be that this keris hasn't had a stain for a very long time, so the smoothness of the keris is the remains of the original stain. Just wondering, I'm trying to figure out why it has such a different feel from the other kerisses I own

21st October 2013, 03:10 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,989	Yes, the cleaning process will expose any material that does not have a tight grain. That's certain. If the material is good quality and the grain in the iron is tight cleaning only removes the rust and dirt. Often cleaning an old keris will result in the keris coming out of the cleaning solution --- pineapple juice, lime juice, citric acid, vinegar --- whatever --- looking as if it has just been stained. But you cannot compensate for poor quality material. If you have any doubts about the quality of material in a blade it is safer to clean it mechanically --- stones, wet & dry paper --- and then just lightly etch with vinegar or similar. Balinese keris are not cleaned in the same way as Javanese keris, they are polished clean with sand, or with ground up lime stone. We can achieve the same finish with wet & dry paper. Old keris that have been out of Jawa for a long time do very often have a smooth finish to the blade.