Please help me identify this Keris.

Rick · 5th November 2014, 10:29 PM

Any ideas about the mottled appearance of the blade ?

A. G. Maisey · 5th November 2014, 10:52 PM

On Jean's keris, Rick?

On a keris like this it is probably the result of the mix of ferric materials that went into it:- some irons (notably high phosphorus irons) come up paler than other irons.

It can also be just simple abrasion, but on an old keris like Jean's my first guess would be the variation in ferric material.

Rick · 6th November 2014, 12:15 AM

Sorry, I meant the OP's keris; instead of a uniform black it appears blotchy .
I should have been more specific .

A. G. Maisey · 6th November 2014, 03:07 AM

Don't know Rick.

It could be abrasion, maybe from cleaning, or it could be the stain going off --- an old stain will sometimes fade over time, and this has been stored for 40 years.

Scott B. · 6th November 2014, 08:58 AM

It's from a light clean I did with a scourer prior to oiling. Having only owned blades like Kukris previously I treated the Keris in the same way - wash and a quick scrub followed by oil. I didn't know they were stained.

A. G. Maisey · 6th November 2014, 11:57 AM

I wouldn't worry about it too much Scott, the pamor is still perfectly clear, the stain is original, the blade is not in bad condition.

There are a number of old blades in my personal collection that have less than a perfect stain, but my principle is that wherever possible I prefer to keep an original stain as long as possible, it prolongs the life of the blade, and when its all said and done, we only have these to look after for a little while.

6th November 2014, 12:15 AM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Sorry, I meant the OP's keris; instead of a uniform black it appears blotchy . I should have been more specific . Attached Images

5th November 2014, 10:29 PM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Any ideas about the mottled appearance of the blade ?

5th November 2014, 10:52 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	On Jean's keris, Rick? On a keris like this it is probably the result of the mix of ferric materials that went into it:- some irons (notably high phosphorus irons) come up paler than other irons. It can also be just simple abrasion, but on an old keris like Jean's my first guess would be the variation in ferric material.

6th November 2014, 03:07 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Don't know Rick. It could be abrasion, maybe from cleaning, or it could be the stain going off --- an old stain will sometimes fade over time, and this has been stored for 40 years.

6th November 2014, 08:58 AM	#5
Scott B. Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 7	It's from a light clean I did with a scourer prior to oiling. Having only owned blades like Kukris previously I treated the Keris in the same way - wash and a quick scrub followed by oil. I didn't know they were stained.

6th November 2014, 11:57 AM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	I wouldn't worry about it too much Scott, the pamor is still perfectly clear, the stain is original, the blade is not in bad condition. There are a number of old blades in my personal collection that have less than a perfect stain, but my principle is that wherever possible I prefer to keep an original stain as long as possible, it prolongs the life of the blade, and when its all said and done, we only have these to look after for a little while.