Tegal style Keris

[Pendita65]

Hi all,

As mentioned in my thread another Keris Bali I got a bonus in the auction as this Tegal style Keris. It was described as 8 luk but think it is wrong and I guess it should be 9 luk. It’s a sturdy blade the pamor is Adeg Rambut I think. I like the quality of the Ukiran and the blade is not in a too bad state. The Gandar has an old sticker with an inventory number 92. But it doesn’t belong original to the Warangka. It is to small although the blade fits. The fitting as you can see to the warangka is not optimal so I guess someone redressed the blade.

Would love to learn more about this blade

Regards, Martin

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes, a nice keris, but be very careful with that gonjo.

[Pendita65]

Mr. Maisey,

may i ask what you mean be carefull with that gonjo?

It's not flush with the warangka so that gives me the impression it was not made for the Keris.

But i might be wrong.


Regards, Martin

[Sajen]

Hello Martin,

I am sure that Alan means this area I've marked, the gonjo is very thin at this place and can break easily.

Regards,
Detlef

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes, Detlef is correct, the gonjo has eroded over time and at the point there it crosses the pesi(tang) it has worn through.

I cannot give a recommendation for repair from a photo, I would need to handle the keris and then I might well decide it is not really able to be satisfactorily repaired.

Based upon what I can see in the photo, this gonjo was made for this keris & is its original gonjo.

[Sajen]

With a little bit of good luck the gonjo doesn't get unfastened from the blade, otherwise I wouldn't hesitate to use a two component glue to fasten it again. But I agree, the blade/gonjo need to be handled very carefully.

BTW, in my opinion isn't the fit of the blade inside the wrongko not so bad, my only concern is the fit in the back.

Alan, may I ask you where you would place the blade?

Regards,
Detlef

[Pendita65]

Mr. Maisey and Detlef,

thank you so much, and i do understand i just took the ukiran from the Keris, and i will take some pictures tomorrow with better light. But i think i am lucky as it is more a kind of scratch that looks more severe then it is in reality. But let you see it tomorrow.

Regards, Martin

[A. G. Maisey]

Martin, I most sincerely doubt that we are looking at a scratch, I have seen this sort of erosion on many old keris.

If you look carefully, you can see a line of pamor that extends from the body of the blade into the pesi, we can actually see the pesi, the gonjo is worn through.

I have been able to repair this in some keris, a couple i gave to specialist welders to get some more metal into the gap, others I have put an inlay of plastic steel into the gap.

All of this sort of thing is very delicate work and I do not advise that it should be attempted by anybody who lacks the necessary experience. Sometimes it is necessary to reduce the diameter of of the pesi a little, & then, when you refit the gonjo you do not use the wedge method, you use some sort of suitable adhesive.

Detlef, I do not know how I would treat this mounting of the keris, I'd need it in hand. It is entirely possible I'd do nothing.

The guideline used by most tukang wrongkos I knew & know in Solo is that the tip of the sirah cecak & the tip of the buntut urang should be covered, however, I have heard other experienced craftsmen advocate for the sirah cecak & buntut urang to sit below the top of the atasan in order to permit the center of the gonjo to be covered, still others maintain that in olden times it was the practice to have the gonjo stting proud of the atasan, as we see in some Bugis keris, & this "proud of the atasan" style was also used in old Bali.

On a new Javanese wrongko I would want to see the sirah cecak tip & buntut urang tip covered, on an old wrongko I'd probably go with whatever looked OK.

[Pendita65]

Mr. Maisey,

Eagle eye your right , it’s not a scratch it’s corrosion but not through to the pesi
There is still a 1,5/2 mm of metal left. And yes the blade could use a cleaning. But I will put it aside as there are more urgent restorations to be done.

I took some better pictures.

Regards, Martin.

[A. G. Maisey]

Surprising.

EDIT

Pendita, I've just had a microscopic look at at your most recent photographs.

I do hope you are right.

[Pendita65]

Hello Mr. Maisey,

I do hope so. But for now I leave it as it is maybe WD40 spraying and wrap it in paper and clingfoil and put it aside.

Regards, Martin