Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

nechesh · 13th May 2006, 05:29 AM

Doecon, my understanding is that what is known as warangan is not the acid bath, but the mixture of arsenic and lime that is used for staining the keris after thye acid bath. Certainly if one is removing rust in the acid bath step they are helping to "protect" their keris from being eaten away by rust by stopping present oxidation. The warangan blackens the iron, therefore raising the pamor. It's main purpose seems to be aesthetic to me though it may help reduce rust in the future. Keris oil, on the other hand will definitely help protect a keris from future oxidation. It does, of course, have ritual purpose as well.
The Radio Shack etchant which Naga speaks of is indeed an acid etchant, but it doesn't "whiten" the blade like a traditional acid bath will, but darkens the iron like warangan does. As Naga points out, it works well with some swords, but the color it produces is not the same as warangan and therefore not correct for keris. If Naga is familar with the methods Mr. Maisey has suggested then he probably doesn't need to do a google search (though i guess you can't have too much information). I have been staining keris with this method for 2 yrs. now and i am more successful every time. Though i am glad that i started out on some low grade damaged blades. Believe me, even these i worked with much care and respect and left them in much better shape than i found them in. Your implication that any of us would treat these blades with disrespect, or that you somehow know better about such things is assuming to say the least.
BTW, in regards to positive ID, my statement was a response to Alan's remark that he wasn't "good enough" to make a positive ID with the given information. I suppose Alan found it necessary to explain his caution after your somewhat sarcastic remark that you "hardly dare to comment since Alan has given an opinion already" . I in no way implied that YOU had made such an ID nor was i trying to say that YOU were somehow being foolish. Not sure why you are being defensive on this issue but i would appreciate it if you would not project on my statements.

13th May 2006, 05:29 AM	#18
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Doecon, my understanding is that what is known as warangan is not the acid bath, but the mixture of arsenic and lime that is used for staining the keris after thye acid bath. Certainly if one is removing rust in the acid bath step they are helping to "protect" their keris from being eaten away by rust by stopping present oxidation. The warangan blackens the iron, therefore raising the pamor. It's main purpose seems to be aesthetic to me though it may help reduce rust in the future. Keris oil, on the other hand will definitely help protect a keris from future oxidation. It does, of course, have ritual purpose as well. The Radio Shack etchant which Naga speaks of is indeed an acid etchant, but it doesn't "whiten" the blade like a traditional acid bath will, but darkens the iron like warangan does. As Naga points out, it works well with some swords, but the color it produces is not the same as warangan and therefore not correct for keris. If Naga is familar with the methods Mr. Maisey has suggested then he probably doesn't need to do a google search (though i guess you can't have too much information). I have been staining keris with this method for 2 yrs. now and i am more successful every time. Though i am glad that i started out on some low grade damaged blades. Believe me, even these i worked with much care and respect and left them in much better shape than i found them in. Your implication that any of us would treat these blades with disrespect, or that you somehow know better about such things is assuming to say the least. BTW, in regards to positive ID, my statement was a response to Alan's remark that he wasn't "good enough" to make a positive ID with the given information. I suppose Alan found it necessary to explain his caution after your somewhat sarcastic remark that you "hardly dare to comment since Alan has given an opinion already" . I in no way implied that YOU had made such an ID nor was i trying to say that YOU were somehow being foolish. Not sure why you are being defensive on this issue but i would appreciate it if you would not project on my statements. Last edited by nechesh; 13th May 2006 at 06:26 AM.