Choosing a Ukiran

COYOTE · 3rd June 2015, 02:39 AM

Hi Blue Lander,
Yes you are absolutely right. You are supposed, as a collector, to re-establish the piece as close as it was when it was created. So, probably Javanese - my "nose" says but I can't be sure, around 50-100 years old; please someone more experienced than me is allowed to deny what I just "feel". I would choose a nice vintage wood, simply carved but with a good smooth patina hilt. It will match perfectly I guess, especially if you can find a wood of same color as the sheath.

GIO · 4th June 2015, 05:12 PM

Making a good ganja is not so easy for an untrained person. I personally tried a few times with not very convincing results. Moreover in your case, since the blade is in good conditions, the ganja should have about the same appearance.
You could try to find out a scrap keris with a good ganja and adapt it to your blade, if necessary. This is a method I used a couple of times.
Alternatively you could look for loose ganjas in the Swap Forum. I bet in Java is plenty of such parts.

blue lander · 5th June 2015, 11:00 AM

Thanks for the advice everyone. When it arrives I'll clean the wood and try to find a matching one on eBay . In the mean time I do have an ukiran from a 50's era tourist keris that will probably fit.

A friend is going to cut a piece of steel for me that I can file into shape for the ganja. If it doesn't turn out well I'll try procuring an original one

Sajen · 5th June 2015, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue lander

A friend is going to cut a piece of steel for me that I can file into shape for the ganja. If it doesn't turn out well I'll try procuring an original one

Hello Blue,

the suggestion Roland has given you is a very good one, I know this website and the ganja will be worked in Indonesia and don't will be very expensive. When you pm me I can explain it.

Regards,
Detlef

blue lander · 11th June 2015, 12:22 AM

It arrived today. It's a rather delicate and thin compared to my other keris. It's a bit rusty but not too bad. The tang is really long, too long to fit any of my other ukirans. I'll give it a soak in some coconut water.

A. G. Maisey · 16th June 2015, 08:59 AM

The material you use for the gonjo should be mild steel, and preferably anneal it first, because even mild steel can have up to 4% or 5% carbon. You anneal by taking to cherry red and letting it cool slowly, maybe push into a pile of old ash or similar. You will find this material very soft and very easy to work with.

To make it you drill the hole and fit to the pesi first, then using a scribe you mark the outline of the blade on the bottom of the gonjo to be, you file the buntut urang end profile from the finish of the blade wadidang, which is just a continuation of the blade curve.

Then you detach the gonjo to be, file the profile of the sirah cecak end, then file the top curve of the gonjo.

All you need then do is decide how wide you want it and using the outline scribed on the bottom of the gonjo you file the angle through to the top, following the scribed shape.

A little bit of finessing and adjusting fit and finish and you've got a new gonjo.

The first attempt will not be quick, I'd reckon for someone reasonably skilled with hand tools, probably about 8 to 10 hours, but it is by no means a difficult job, it just requires patience.

11th June 2015, 12:22 AM	#5
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	It arrived today. It's a rather delicate and thin compared to my other keris. It's a bit rusty but not too bad. The tang is really long, too long to fit any of my other ukirans. I'll give it a soak in some coconut water. Attached Images

3rd June 2015, 02:39 AM	#1
COYOTE Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Rio de Janeiro - Brazil Posts: 27	Hi Blue Lander, Yes you are absolutely right. You are supposed, as a collector, to re-establish the piece as close as it was when it was created. So, probably Javanese - my "nose" says but I can't be sure, around 50-100 years old; please someone more experienced than me is allowed to deny what I just "feel". I would choose a nice vintage wood, simply carved but with a good smooth patina hilt. It will match perfectly I guess, especially if you can find a wood of same color as the sheath.

4th June 2015, 05:12 PM	#2
GIO Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 329	Making a good ganja is not so easy for an untrained person. I personally tried a few times with not very convincing results. Moreover in your case, since the blade is in good conditions, the ganja should have about the same appearance. You could try to find out a scrap keris with a good ganja and adapt it to your blade, if necessary. This is a method I used a couple of times. Alternatively you could look for loose ganjas in the Swap Forum. I bet in Java is plenty of such parts.

5th June 2015, 11:00 AM	#3
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	Thanks for the advice everyone. When it arrives I'll clean the wood and try to find a matching one on eBay . In the mean time I do have an ukiran from a 50's era tourist keris that will probably fit. A friend is going to cut a piece of steel for me that I can file into shape for the ganja. If it doesn't turn out well I'll try procuring an original one

16th June 2015, 08:59 AM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	The material you use for the gonjo should be mild steel, and preferably anneal it first, because even mild steel can have up to 4% or 5% carbon. You anneal by taking to cherry red and letting it cool slowly, maybe push into a pile of old ash or similar. You will find this material very soft and very easy to work with. To make it you drill the hole and fit to the pesi first, then using a scribe you mark the outline of the blade on the bottom of the gonjo to be, you file the buntut urang end profile from the finish of the blade wadidang, which is just a continuation of the blade curve. Then you detach the gonjo to be, file the profile of the sirah cecak end, then file the top curve of the gonjo. All you need then do is decide how wide you want it and using the outline scribed on the bottom of the gonjo you file the angle through to the top, following the scribed shape. A little bit of finessing and adjusting fit and finish and you've got a new gonjo. The first attempt will not be quick, I'd reckon for someone reasonably skilled with hand tools, probably about 8 to 10 hours, but it is by no means a difficult job, it just requires patience.