Wilah from?

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes Harley, the grain in most Bali scabbards is horizontal.

However, it is not that simple with Javanese scabbards.

The ideal grain orientation for a Javanese scabbard is with the grain running at about 40 degrees from the top right, to the bottom left, with the scabbard facing you.

That is the ideal, but a tukang wrongko will change this ideal orientation to suit the grain of the wood, the size of the wood, and to maximize effect.

In some woods it is not possible to get a piece of wood large enough to allow the ideal grain orientation, for instance, in scented sandalwood pieces large enough to allow cutting across the grain have become quite rare.

The examples:-

A--- shown in reverse to allow better ID of grain orientation; this is a typical, village quality Bali scabbard

B--- better quality Bali in timoho

C--- the angle of the grain in this East Javanese scabbard is a trifle too steep.

D--- Solo, and the angle is far too steep, almost vertical

E--- Solo, and the grain is absolutely horizontal, dictated by the size of the wood available.

F--- Solo, and the angle is close to ideal.

G--- Solo, and carved to maximize grain effect.

Mostly fancy grain in a log is maximised by quarter sawing that log, and this is the way we achieve the best results with fancy grains such as feather crotch( Jawa:- simbar), but the tukang wrongko does not have control over the sawing of the log, he gets a precut plank or even a roughed out bakalan , and he needs to make the best of what he has been given.