Keris Selit

[A. G. Maisey]

Thanks for your opinion Green.
In fact, in the 19th century pamor in Malay blades was brought out by the use of salt and sulphur, I've used this method, it both etches and stains, and on an old blade that has been previously stained it gives quite an effective finish. I do not know if the sulphur and salt method was the only method used.
In respect of the word "warangan" it is a word that exists in Classical Malay, it is a loan word from Javanese, but in was in use in 19th century Malaya and is recognised as a part of the Classical Malay lexicon. It will be found in Wilkinson where the English meaning is given as "ratsbane; realgar". Warangan also can be found in Old Javanese, but there it means "a special colour". In Modern Javanese "warangan" means "arsenic", the correct word for staining a blade is "marangi", which can also mean to poison somebody or something.

So it is not quite correct to say that "warangan" has never been a part Malay usage, it definitely has been, but I agree, it is not now.

The evidence of two keris, collected in Pattani in about 1920, that are stained seems to indicate that 100 years ago blade staining was carried out in Pattani.

This still leaves the question:- when did it become general practice not to stain, because the evidence seems to indicate that 100 years ago, blades from Malaya, Pattani, and even Sulawesi, could be either stained or unstained.

Yes, possibly Javanese influence may have played a part in staining of blades. Javanese culture was the most influential culture in Maritime SE Asia for a very long time.But new Malay blades were subjected to the salt and sulphur treatment, so some Malay blades were stained at least when new, but perhaps were never re-stained.

[Green]

Alan;

Many thanks for your further clarification. It is interesting to note that you said 'warangan' has been a part of malay language usage. I as a Malay from Kelantan myself has never encounter this word until fairly recently when I got involved in keris collecting. Of course me not knowing this word does not mean that it was not a part of an original malay word and I am no linguist so I can not say you are wrong in this respect.

I have to defer this point to other more learned people in the forum. (they must be lurking somewhere as "CCTV" ...)

[A. G. Maisey]

There would be several books of English words that I don't know Green, and I get paid for writing. Once a word falls from common colloquial usage it soon becomes a forgotten word, or its normally understood meaning can change. That's the reason we have dictionaries.

You will find warangan in Wilkinson, which is still the standard reference for Classical Malay --- or so I have been told by people who teach Classical Malay language and culture. It was published in 1901, so it is not really able to be relied upon for current Malay usage, only for that which used to be.

https://archive.org/stream/aeg2034.0...e/714/mode/2up

I've actually got a pretty poor memory for things that I don't deal with everyday, so when I quote something about language, even English, I usually take the precaution of checking first.

[Jean]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Thanks for your opinion Green.
In fact, in the 19th century pamor in Malay blades was brought out by the use of salt and sulphur, I've used this method, it both etches and stains, and on an old blade that has been previously stained it gives quite an effective finish. I do not know if the sulphur and salt method was the only method used.

So it is not quite correct to say that "warangan" has never been a part Malay usage, it definitely has been, but I agree, it is not now.

The evidence of two keris, collected in Pattani in about 1920, that are stained seems to indicate that 100 years ago blade staining was carried out in Pattani.

This still leaves the question:- when did it become general practice not to stain, because the evidence seems to indicate that 100 years ago, blades from Malaya, Pattani, and even Sulawesi, could be either stained or unstained.

Yes, possibly Javanese influence may have played a part in staining of blades. Javanese culture was the most influential culture in Maritime SE Asia for a very long time.But new Malay blades were subjected to the salt and sulphur treatment, so some Malay blades were stained at least when new, but perhaps were never re-stained.

I referred to the book "Keris and other Malay weapons" written by GB Gardner (Johore Civil service) in 1936 and it says on page 10:
"The keris blade is next laid in a trough containing boiling rice water, sulphur and salt, for three or four days. This blackens the steel but scarcely touches the iron. It attacks the marks of the welds, which show as tiny etched lines. When this damascened pattern is clear, the blade is cleaned with lime juice".

Although I do not fully agree with the chemical attack description by Gardner, it is clear that the new Malay blades were still stained at that time (1936) as said by Alan.
Regards

[A. G. Maisey]

I'd forgotten it was in that book, and I've also forgotten the exact book it was in. It might have been an Oxford in Asia reprint, something like "In the Forests of the Far East" or some similar title, I came across it when I was about 16 or 18, it was an eye witness account, they wrapped the keris in a paste of sulphur and salt and rice water and in a banana leaf for 7 days, I used to wrap the blade in plastic. I haven't seen it since I first read it, but the book it was in I still have, I'd just need to find it --- something I am unlikely to ever do.

[Gustav]

Newbold, "Political and Statistical Account of the British Settlements in the Straits of Malacca (...)", 1839, quotation from a Malayan MS on Krisses and process of damasking.

"How to damask Krises. - Place on the blade a mixture of boiled rice, sulphur, and salt beat together, first taking the precaution to cover the edges of the weapon with a thin coat of virgin wax. After this has remained on seven days, the damask will have risen on surface; take the composition off, and immerse the blade in the water of a young cocoa-nut, or the juice of a pine-apple, for seven days longer, and wash it well with the juice of a sour lemon. After the rust has been cleared away, rub it with warangan (arsenic) dissolved in lime juice; wash it well with spring water; dry, and anoint it with a cocoa-nut oil."

A very nice Keris Selit, David, in fact one of the nicest I have seen so far. Unusual to see one with a manipulated (more elaborate) Pamor. For so many of these KS blade wasn't the important part anymore. Yours is an exception.

[David]

Thanks for your comments Gustav. I assume that this British settlement was on the Peninsula side of the straits, since as far as i know the English didn't have any settlements on the Sumatra side. The description you quote here does seem to establish both the process of staining and the use of warangan (as well as sulfur) to stain keris blades on the peninsula as early as 1839.

[RSWORD]

Since David asked to share examples I will share 4 from my collection.

[RSWORD]

Example 2