SHARE : How to Polish Horn Materials by Acehnesse Traditional BlackSmith

[utami]

This knowledge has actually been passed for many generations by acehnesse blacksmith. And because of very close & good relationship with these blacksmith, they passed the information to me. I've done this methode on my gloomy rencong hilt made from black buffalo horn and i'm successfully make this gloomy one into shiny and pretty one. I belief many of you is a blacksmith who deal with horn material or a collector who have a horn material in their collection. So I'm passing this information to all of you.

The Acehnesse, rubbed the horn material with "serumpet leaves" after they finish shapping the horn material such as hilt and scabbard. This is the picture of serumpet which send directly from aceh.

This is the detail of the leave. I dont know about species / family name of this leaves.

This serumpet leaves is more or less almost similiar effect with sandpaper grid 1500/1600. Once the horn is smooth enough / already smooth then they used "Abu Gosok". "Abu gosok" is kind of wooden ashes, when i was a child ( in 80's - 90's ) we used "abu gosok" to washes the dishes / plate. Today, only on suburn or villages that still used "abu gosok" for washes the dishes/plate, i can not find this abu gosok in jakarta or bogor.

This is the picture of "abu gosok".

After asking the blacksmith, they teach me how to create "abu gosok" with the same quality as their "abu gosok". You can create "abu gosok" by burning the coconut fibre till the fibre became white ashes. Before I burn the coconut fibre, I put in the sun to dry. After the coconut fibre became so dry, then I burned it till became abu gosok.

[utami]

This is my gloomy rencong hilt


I put some "abu gosok" and put in into my hand. Then as been told by acehnesse blacksmith, i rubbed and move my hand around the hilt with presure. Just like this :


After few times rubbing the hilt with abu gosok by hand, then I rubbed the hilt a white cleaner's cloth with presure by hand.


I rubbeb the hilt with till i'm happy with the result.


And finally my gloomy rencong became shiny and pretty one
This is My gloomy rencong


and This is the Shiny rencong after I polish with "abu gosok"


I found that by using this methode, the thin and soft scratch could be remove, remove all the dust and stain. My hope by sharing this info could give you the idea, how our acehnesse blacksmith polish their rencongs.

Regards.

[Ferguson]

That is great information. Thank you very much!
Steve

[Berkley]

Fascinating post and pictures! Thank you.

[RhysMichael]

I can only echo what the others here have said this is wonderful information. Thanks for sharing it and I look forward to anything else you can tell us about traditional swordmaking techniques from this area

[Ian]

utami:

Excellent post -- thanks for the information and pictures. It seems that the abu gosok is being used as a mild abrasive or polishing agent, much like jeweler's rouge or similar polishing techniques on Japanese swords. Do you think that using other mild abrasive/polishing powders might serve as well as abu gosok. My guess is they probably would.

Thanks again for a very informative post. Now I know what to do with those old coconut husks.

Warm regards,

Ian.