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30th May 2014, 06:08 PM
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#1 |
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Member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 116
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Another restoration question - help me, experts!
I have finally gotten everything I need to restore my keris, but I have run into another issue. This keris:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18521 is now rust free, and the metal is actually a lovely, sparkling silver, almost like schist, and the pamor, which I had thought non existent, is shining through. I have high hopes, but when I take the blade out of my acid solution, it develops a very fine yellowy - red rust within minutes or seconds. Can I apply my warangan directly over this, or will I get an ugly rust reaction? If I can't apply directly on this, how can I suppress the reaction for long enough to get an application on? |
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30th May 2014, 07:16 PM
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#2 |
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Keris forum moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,121
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Just a couple of questions of my own. What are you using for an acid solution to clean the blade? Are you following specific instructions for you process that you found on this forum or somewhere else on the internet? Without a very clear and detailed step-by-step of your process it is difficult to know exactly what to tell you. Anyway, i would not apply warangan over any rust.
Photographs of your work in progress would also be helpful. 
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30th May 2014, 08:38 PM
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#3 | |
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Member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 116
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Quote:
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30th May 2014, 09:14 PM
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#4 |
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Member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 116
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Hmmmm….I am having some trouble uploading pictures, once I have them sized properly, they just don't show up in the upload pictures window. It's too bad, they say a picture is worth a thousand words….
Any ideas about my rust? In the pejeten, if I am using the proper term, the appearance of this rust is instantaneous upon removal from the vinegar solution, and the process worsens as the keris dries, whether it is allowed to dry straight from the wash, or rinsed thoroughly and then dried or allowed to dry. Eventually the entire blade is dusted with this rust. |
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30th May 2014, 09:49 PM
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#5 |
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Keris forum moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,121
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First a disclaimer…i am, by no means, an "expert" in the staining of keris. I have done, perhaps, a dozen or so blades, usually to satisfactory results (though my standards and expectations may be low), though often enough had a result that just wasn't acceptable. I believe Alan will tell you it is not unusual to have to stain a blade more than once to get a reasonable result.
I have always used pineapple juice as a cleaning bath an i use that solution straight. So i have no experience with using diluted vinegar. One thing you might try, if you feel that your vinegar must be diluted, is to try using distilled water. It is possible that your water might have a high iron content or some other mineral that is creating such a quickly appearing rust.  Take a good look here to see if you are uploading images correctly. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13631 |
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30th May 2014, 10:52 PM
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#6 |
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Member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 116
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OK, my iPad was the problem. Here is an image of the keris, with rust on the ascendant. If I took time-lapse pics, the whole thing would be orangey red in 5 minutes, but a submersion for just a second in the vinegar eliminates the effect. I use spring water for the dilution, but even so that seems like a heck of a lot of iron oxide to have in water, at any rate you would think you could taste that much in a quart of water, and you can't.
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31st May 2014, 11:39 AM
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#7 | |
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,254
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Quote:
First, you really have to make sure that there are no stubborn rust patches remaining on the blade; the warangan will still work on the clean metal but the longterm stability of the stain as well as the preservation of the blade may be compromised. From the last pic, I believe I do see remaining rust down in the blumbangan area. I'd also double-check all pitted areas and other crevices for "deep" rust: a set of fine needles, 10x (or so) magnification, and good light can do wonders. Once this old rust is taken care of, I haven't experienced that a hue of powdery instant surface rust is really an issue for the warangan process. I usually move directly from the acid solution (vinegar or pineapple juice) to warangan. However, I prefer to wipe the wet blade with pure lime juice (several times if "dirt" is still coming off) to avoid wasting the precious arsenic and lime mix. Regards, Kai |
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31st May 2014, 05:44 PM
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#8 | |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 313
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Quote:
Remember that etching a blade is not an exact science: the results depend upon the weather conditions, quality of the arsenious mineral, and first of all (at least in my opinion) type of iron. According to several experts, a bright sun would help, but, according to my experience, I cannot confirm this. A friend collector has made an etching in a cold winter, and, he told me, with unexpected good results. Don't get discouraged if the first attempts will not be satisfactory. Try again and again. Once, after endless treatments with warangan, I decided to give up and I rinsed the blade in water. At this point the pamor immediately appeared ! I am still astonished. We are all interested in seeing pics of the results, even if unsatisfactory. Good chance |
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