It's that time of the year in the Tropics again...

BluErf · 10th December 2009, 01:07 AM

Yep, I'm talking about the MONSOON season! Keris collectors living in the Tropics should dread this season, because it marks the beginning of rust, mould and clammy-feeling sheaths and hilts.

How about let's talk about various methods of preventing/inhibiting those evil processes that eat away our precious collection?

Let me start with my experience. I used to stay in the extreme west of Singapore. I kept my kerises in singeps and place them in a wooden cupboard, with 3-4 packs of pellet dehumidifiers, and change them promptly when they are near their absorption capacity. Even though the cupboard was not very air-tight, somehow the combination of the wood, the fabric singep and the dehumdifiers worked to prevent mould and rust in most kerises. For some reasons, some kerises (perhaps due to worn off finishing), are still susceptible to mould on the exterior and, more dreadedly, the inside of the sheath. This in turn led to some rust if not cleaned off in time.

Cleaning mould off the exterior is easy. The tougher part comes when we try to clean the interior. I don't have a good way, so I use a brush or sometimes even tissue (careful not to leave tissue residues inside the sheath!). I thought about using a blower, but that could make things worse by blowing the spores further down the batang.

Oiling and cleaning the keris is easy enough provided you don't let it rust due to the mould. But I would take care to bring out the kerises only on a relatively dry and hot day, which is not many during the Monsoon seaon.

And then, I moved to extreme East of Singapore 2 years ago...

I did not have the benefit of the wooden cupboard anymore, and could only store my kerises, outside of their singep, in 2 steel cabinets in the bomb shelter which has terrible ventilation. Humidity builds up and you get a musky smell. Fellow Singaporeans living in newer apartments should find this familiar...

Anyhow, the first year was traumatic! The pellet humidifiers didn't work, even in large quantities. A small electric dehumidifier was not effective and conked out after 3 months. Kerises which did not rust before started rusting! (Luckily not my most precious few

)

I sealed all the inlets into the bomb shelter and plonked in an industrial strength dehumdifier (ok, a small one) which could regulate humidity at a preset level (I set it at 65%; 60% was too dry, causing shrinkage in some sheaths!). It took months for the air in the bomb shelter to stabilize. And now for my more important pieces, I also wrap the blades in thin plastic after I oil them, and keep them in the Singep. So far so good! The only thing is that I have to bring them out once in a while to 'air', to oil the wooden parts and let them reabsorb some moisture from the air. But of course, I'm reluctant to do so during the Monsoon season because there is simply too much humidity in the air! Will see how things turn out come February...

Alam Shah · 10th December 2009, 02:57 AM

I'm in the East too.. I store mine in singep and inside carton boxes, which is then placed inside the cupboard.. I put a 'thirsty hippo'.. in each cupboard, according to its storage space size. There are a few on display and these are ok.. practically rust free.

After each handling, I'll wipe and oil the blade lightly before storing..

BluErf · 12th December 2009, 12:20 AM

Thanks Shahrial. Maybe the use of wood or wood-derived product (cupboard cartons) is one of the factors that could help control humidity fluctuations.

Hartadi · 12th December 2009, 01:00 AM

dear All.. excuse for me as a new comer in VS.

I store my collection in a special room, perhaps a bit different with other people store their collection, I'm taking the blade off the sheath, and hang it beside the standing sheath.

The reason is cause i need to enjoy view of my collection, not only the wood (outside appearance) cause the Keris having some parts as Blade, sheath, hilt, etc.

I can attached picture when requested.

Regard,
Hartadi

Alam Shah · 12th December 2009, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluErf

Thanks Shahrial. Maybe the use of wood or wood-derived product (cupboard cartons) is one of the factors that could help control humidity fluctuations.

Perhaps.. I also put cloves (cengkeh, Syzygium aromaticum) in a small plate, to give a nice aroma in my storage space.. also I put a little in the carton boxes.. simply because I like the smell.

BluErf · 12th December 2009, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alam Shah

Perhaps.. I also put cloves (cengkeh, Syzygium aromaticum) in a small plate, to give a nice aroma in my storage space.. also I put a little in the carton boxes.. simply because I like the smell.

I have my Banyan Tree incense in the store room.

Yes, the nice aroma makes you feel better when you open up your keris storage space.

A. G. Maisey · 12th December 2009, 05:00 AM

Reading what you gentlemen have written is of interest to me. I've often been in Indonesia during the wet, and I've seen perfectly stained blades accumulate light rust almost overnight. The mildew is simply unbelieveable. If you leave a pair of leather shoes for a week without brushing them, they become totally covered in green fungus. Of course, the mildew also grows on wood.

Fortunately I do not live in this sort of climate all the time, but where I do live poses its own special problems. I live in a marine environment, less than 25 meters to a salt water lake, with prevailing south winds blowing across that lake straight onto my house.

This type of situation will also easily generate rust and mildew, even though not nearly as badly as the Wet in Solo.

I store blades in plastic sleeves after oiling with WD40 that has been allowed to dry on the blade, followed by a mix of sandal wood oil, kenanga oil, and medicinal parafin. The smell from this oil on all blades in a small room creates a scented atmosphere. However, better protection could probably be provided by a good gun oil.

Wood is regulary cleaned and protected with a good quality wax.

A .22 calibre bristle brush on a rifle cleaning rod is ideal for brushing out the inside of scabbards; you can then use a long thin copper tube that has been pinched at the end to create a very small exit hole to blow out the dust.

Scabbards are stored in cloth covers (singep), and then placed into either wooden chests or cardboard boxes. In my house I have only one keris on open display, but I do have a number of tombak out in the open.

Following the above I do not ever have any problems with rust or mildew, but for pieces that are undergoing restoration and are out in my workshop without protection, rust and mildew are quite common occurrences.

10th December 2009, 01:07 AM	#1
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	It's that time of the year in the Tropics again... Yep, I'm talking about the MONSOON season! Keris collectors living in the Tropics should dread this season, because it marks the beginning of rust, mould and clammy-feeling sheaths and hilts. How about let's talk about various methods of preventing/inhibiting those evil processes that eat away our precious collection? Let me start with my experience. I used to stay in the extreme west of Singapore. I kept my kerises in singeps and place them in a wooden cupboard, with 3-4 packs of pellet dehumidifiers, and change them promptly when they are near their absorption capacity. Even though the cupboard was not very air-tight, somehow the combination of the wood, the fabric singep and the dehumdifiers worked to prevent mould and rust in most kerises. For some reasons, some kerises (perhaps due to worn off finishing), are still susceptible to mould on the exterior and, more dreadedly, the inside of the sheath. This in turn led to some rust if not cleaned off in time. Cleaning mould off the exterior is easy. The tougher part comes when we try to clean the interior. I don't have a good way, so I use a brush or sometimes even tissue (careful not to leave tissue residues inside the sheath!). I thought about using a blower, but that could make things worse by blowing the spores further down the batang. Oiling and cleaning the keris is easy enough provided you don't let it rust due to the mould. But I would take care to bring out the kerises only on a relatively dry and hot day, which is not many during the Monsoon seaon. And then, I moved to extreme East of Singapore 2 years ago... I did not have the benefit of the wooden cupboard anymore, and could only store my kerises, outside of their singep, in 2 steel cabinets in the bomb shelter which has terrible ventilation. Humidity builds up and you get a musky smell. Fellow Singaporeans living in newer apartments should find this familiar... Anyhow, the first year was traumatic! The pellet humidifiers didn't work, even in large quantities. A small electric dehumidifier was not effective and conked out after 3 months. Kerises which did not rust before started rusting! (Luckily not my most precious few ) I sealed all the inlets into the bomb shelter and plonked in an industrial strength dehumdifier (ok, a small one) which could regulate humidity at a preset level (I set it at 65%; 60% was too dry, causing shrinkage in some sheaths!). It took months for the air in the bomb shelter to stabilize. And now for my more important pieces, I also wrap the blades in thin plastic after I oil them, and keep them in the Singep. So far so good! The only thing is that I have to bring them out once in a while to 'air', to oil the wooden parts and let them reabsorb some moisture from the air. But of course, I'm reluctant to do so during the Monsoon season because there is simply too much humidity in the air! Will see how things turn out come February...

10th December 2009, 02:57 AM	#2
Alam Shah Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,248	I'm in the East too.. I store mine in singep and inside carton boxes, which is then placed inside the cupboard.. I put a 'thirsty hippo'.. in each cupboard, according to its storage space size. There are a few on display and these are ok.. practically rust free. After each handling, I'll wipe and oil the blade lightly before storing..

12th December 2009, 12:20 AM	#3
BluErf Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,180	Thanks Shahrial. Maybe the use of wood or wood-derived product (cupboard cartons) is one of the factors that could help control humidity fluctuations.

12th December 2009, 01:00 AM	#4
Hartadi Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 56	dear All.. excuse for me as a new comer in VS. I store my collection in a special room, perhaps a bit different with other people store their collection, I'm taking the blade off the sheath, and hang it beside the standing sheath. The reason is cause i need to enjoy view of my collection, not only the wood (outside appearance) cause the Keris having some parts as Blade, sheath, hilt, etc. I can attached picture when requested. Regard, Hartadi

12th December 2009, 05:00 AM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,871	Reading what you gentlemen have written is of interest to me. I've often been in Indonesia during the wet, and I've seen perfectly stained blades accumulate light rust almost overnight. The mildew is simply unbelieveable. If you leave a pair of leather shoes for a week without brushing them, they become totally covered in green fungus. Of course, the mildew also grows on wood. Fortunately I do not live in this sort of climate all the time, but where I do live poses its own special problems. I live in a marine environment, less than 25 meters to a salt water lake, with prevailing south winds blowing across that lake straight onto my house. This type of situation will also easily generate rust and mildew, even though not nearly as badly as the Wet in Solo. I store blades in plastic sleeves after oiling with WD40 that has been allowed to dry on the blade, followed by a mix of sandal wood oil, kenanga oil, and medicinal parafin. The smell from this oil on all blades in a small room creates a scented atmosphere. However, better protection could probably be provided by a good gun oil. Wood is regulary cleaned and protected with a good quality wax. A .22 calibre bristle brush on a rifle cleaning rod is ideal for brushing out the inside of scabbards; you can then use a long thin copper tube that has been pinched at the end to create a very small exit hole to blow out the dust. Scabbards are stored in cloth covers (singep), and then placed into either wooden chests or cardboard boxes. In my house I have only one keris on open display, but I do have a number of tombak out in the open. Following the above I do not ever have any problems with rust or mildew, but for pieces that are undergoing restoration and are out in my workshop without protection, rust and mildew are quite common occurrences.