Interesting Gunong Handle

[Nirghosa]

Recently picked up this neglected dress Gunong. Took a chance based on the poor auction photos and was pleased with what arrived.

To me it is clearly an old dress Gunong. The handle wood is nice banati after I started a simple clean up and the metalwork is cleaning up nicely with steel wool alone. lots of gunk there.
the blade is heavily rusted though. I had hoped it was just simple recent rust but after the initial cleaning there is some heavy black rust. Lots of elbow grease to slowly and carefully take it off.
But the blade is also nothing special. If ever "used", it would likely be a one time, then broken off, use.

Has anyone else seen similar era Gunongs with this work on the handle?

[Sajen]

Have watched the auction, you are right, the pictures have been very poor. I think that the sheet at the handle is a tribal repair because the wood was split.

Regards,

Detlef

[Battara]

Needs lots of repair, but it does seem to be an early one.

[Robert]

Hello Nirghosa, Nice little gunong you have acquired. Even though it does seem to need a bit of TLC it is complete with the scabbard which is sadly missing on most of the ones I have found. Take your time on the blade and I'm sure it will turn out fine. Remember to post some photos of the finished product. Congratulations on your new project and addition to your collection.

Best,
Robert

[Battara]

The blade form is slightly unusual for a gunong blade. Usually I see wavy gunong blades as having tighter luk and the blade length a little shorter.

Hmmm........

[Robert]

Hello Jose,
I was thinking the same, maybe a northern blade refitted to a gunong hilt? Something else unusual is the blade does not look to have a medial ridge either. Perhaps this is another non-traditional gunong to go with the one I posted earlier. No matter what, I like it.

Best,
Robert

[Nirghosa]

My apologies for the slow reply with more pictures. I have been preparing for a Band audition and all spare time has been consumed with practice

Here are more photos after an initial cleaning.
Sajen's suggestion of a repair to split wood (by covering with sheet) has some merit and I hadn't considered. However there is a minor crack along the top spine of the handle which would then be at complete opposite grain to the proposed break on the end that would have needed to be covered.

Figuring I will have to remove the sheet to get a better look underneath to see what is there. it looks quite rough. Like the original wood was a burl and instead of polishing, they decided to cover instead.
Any suggestions for safely removing the nails?
also, any suggestions for a non-invasive cleaning of the wood. Much of it is fragile and I don't want to be too agressive. I normally only use lighter fluid and then wood polish but this has been neglected for a very long time. There is a lot of accumulation