PawnShop Keris… looking for information
 

I found this Keris in a pawnshop in a little town in Southern California. I would love to know what you all think. Thank you in advance… This forum is invaluable!

Seems like a pretty decent "everyman's keris". Nothing particularly fancy here, but it seems to be a well formed dhapur tilamupih (?) with good pamor. The sheath seems to be wrongko iras (all one piece of wood), which is always a nice find. Ladrang Capu? Does the blade fit the wrongko correctly. Seems to need a little TLC, but basically in good condition.
As a pawn shop buy i trust you got a good deal on it? I love when we find keris in unusual and unexpected places. :)

for the price of a decent dinner out for two
 

they had a few others in there, including one that has been sanded so badly that all the pamor was gone. (Sigh.) this one at least was in pretty fair condition. Thank you, Alan, for your no nonsense explanation on how to wash it with detergent and a toothbrush and give it some WD-40. Yes, the scabbard fits perfectly.

Yes Montino, simple things sometimes work best.

I think this keris is likely to tangguh Tuban.

Hello Montino,

You should polish up the brass pendok (over sheath). Pamor is wos wutah.

Regards,
Detlef

I like it.

I agree. Part of what i had intended when i wrote that it needs a little TLC. Sometimes i think collectors are afraid to polish up metal accessories like pendoks believing that "patina" is all important, but from my perspective the dress of a keris is supposed to be maintained and metal parts are supposed to shine. I would also condition the wood a bit as well as washing the blade with some soap and warm water and applying a good oiling. Be sure to completely dry the blade before oiling though.
I might even consider replacing the somewhat worn out mendak if i really wanted to spiff-up this ensemble. :)

Dirty old mendak respond well to a couple of hours in a white vinegar soak, brush well under running water, dry.

True, though it does look a bit out of kilter and missing some babbles. It could still be cleaned up for an acceptable look though. :)

That beadwork can drop off even on new mendak, its not a big deal, & this mendak has a bit of age & appears to be complete & overall OK. I'd stick with this one --- if it did not come apart when it is taken off the keris.

The out of kilter "thing is usually due in poor mating of the mendak with the bottom of the handle, if the handle has a recess intended to accept the mendak, that recess might need to be made a whisker wider, if it is a flat bottom it might need to be levelled, sometimes the problem can be with the tang, use alloy jaw liners, put the tang into a vice, very gently bend the tang to the appropriate angle --- if it is a cold day warm the tang.

A mendak should always be test mated to the hilt before mounting to the tang.

thank you so much for this information. As I said before, this forum is invaluable.