Kris hilt problems, solution anybody?

[S.Workman]

Hello everyone,
I am in the process of rejuvenating a (probably) Bali kris. I got some great tips from lurking on this forum, especially concerning blade care and restoration. When I removed the blade, it proved to be very easy as the tang was wrapped in rotten cloth which I guess was used to take up the extra room in the hulu, which has a very much larger hole than the kris has a tang. Is there a traditional or rational method for securing the undersized tang? I was thinking along the lines of jute twine secured with pine tar.
On another note, before I cleaned the blade, this kris had a very unpleasant smell, like fish and rotten eggs combined. Very odd...