Kris hilt problems, solution anybody?

[David]

BTW, keris are almost always kept tight to the hilt in a similar manner. This is not unusual in the lest bit.
I have deleted your other post because it is a repeat of this one in your questioning. As a new member you will be on moderated status for a little while and will have to wait until myself or Rick (the other keris forum moderator) clears your post. Please be patient and we will get to you…promise.

[S.Workman]

Originally Posted by David

BTW, keris are almost always kept tight to the hilt in a similar manner. This is not unusual in the lest bit.
I have deleted your other post because it is a repeat of this one in your questioning. As a new member you will be on moderated status for a little while and will have to wait until myself or Rick (the other keris forum moderator) clears your post. Please be patient and we will get to you…promise.

Thank you for your welcome, your information, and for deleting the duplicated post. I had assumed that I had made a mistake and inadvertently hit the back arrow instead of the submit reply button. I am on an ipad and it's a common enough mistake of mine.
I live in a cold, cloudy place but I am hoping to have sufficient sun this weekend to finish up the blade to this keris. Cross your fingers for me.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by S.Workman

I live in a cold, cloudy place but I am hoping to have sufficient sun this weekend to finish up the blade to this keris. Cross your fingers for me.

Welcome to the forum S.,

good luck! Hope we get to see some pictures!

Regards,
Detlef

[A. G. Maisey]

There are a few fixes for hole bigger than tang.

Where the tang is very thin, you can make a miniature cone out of thin steel, a piece of old tin can is the sort of material to use. Fit it to the tang and hold it in place with damar or jabung, or even epoxy resin.

If the problem is a far too big hole in the tang, just plug the hole with a dowel, glue in place, and redrill.

I prefer knitting wool as the material to use for a friction fit of tang to hilt, because it compresses. Fabric and the various twines do not compress to the same degree as wool. It is pretty easy to split a hilt if you force it on.

[Battara]

That would be my concern, Alan, splitting the hulu. Thus I went with David's strategy when I worked on my Balinese ivory hulu. However never thought of what Alan said and I call him an expert. Both have merit.

Just make sure you don't split the hulu and don't use adhesive. Finally, please post your results if you would.........

[S.Workman]

I will most certainly post pictures if I can manage it. I also intend to re-do the job I did finishing another keris, so tomorrow should be a two off weather permitting.

[A. G. Maisey]

With a hilt that looks like it might split, or already has a split---and a lot of old hilts do have splits that remain unseen until the hilt is fitted--- its a good idea to only wind sufficient wool for a friction fit on the top quarter of the tang, reduce the amount of wool on the lower section of the tang to just sufficient to stop it wobbling around.

[S.Workman]

Originally Posted by S.Workman

I will most certainly post pictures if I can manage it. I also intend to re-do the job I did finishing another keris, so tomorrow should be a two off weather permitting.

I am quoting myself to report failure on this pair of keris. One of them I now have serious doubts about needing a wash with arsenic, I think it needs to be acid washed and etched. There is no trace of pamor at all. The other one needed the arsenic wash to bring up the pamor, but it came out even worse than the first time. I think the problem is that I used bottled lime juice - it was not from concentrate, its the real thing, but I don't think the acid was concentrated enough to put the arsenic into solution. I would experiment more, but it will have to wait.