Planning to make a wrongko

[kai]

Hello Johan,

Congrats for progressing with your feat!

There should be no distinct upper rim: a gentle widening would be perfect, especially towards the ends; the curve of the side surfaces should blend into the upper surface though...

Regards,
Kai

[Jean]

Hello Johan,
This is how the integral tenons/ tongues should look like on the gandar side. Sorry, the piece is not in pristine condition (very old balinese scabbard). This joint was nailed but it should normally be glued only.
Regards

[A. G. Maisey]

Johan, when you get to finishing the glued together wrongko, it would be advisable to make a long, thin wedge to insert down into the gandar, you can then pack the sides of the wedge against the inside of the gambar mouth, this will give you additional support for the finishing process.

[Johan van Zyl]

Jean & Kai, looking once more at your latest pics, I am totally impressed with the craftmanship of the old mranggi's. And I am now in the position to appreciate their skill even more!

Thanks, Alan, your suggestion deserves full consideration - anything to get the joint sturdy. BTW, I googled some pics of the special tools you mentioned earlier: the thin one with the serrated teeth like a miniature ladder, and the other like an arrowhead. Fascinating!

[rasdan]

You have very artistic hands Johan. I doubt I will ever be able to make a wrangka.

It is fun to imagine that this keris will someday continue to travel the world, and probably 100 years from now some keris "specialist" will classify your wrangka to a certain (or probably even a pinpoint) region in Sumatra whereas it is actually from South Africa.. Since you have the skills, probably you can come up with a slightly different design of the gambar - just to get those future "specialists" scratching their heads..

[Johan van Zyl]

Rasdan, of course it's not my intention to cause future keris archeological havoc, but I am laughing merrily at the scenario you sketched. You suggest I make the gambar in my own signature style, but let me tell you it's going to come out like that even if I don't mean it. At least I can attest that I have TRIED to follow all the kind pieces of advice the forum guys have proposed til now.

[Johan van Zyl]

I'm sorry to burden you all with more pics of my project so soon (I know there's lots more important stuff going on in our forum members' collections & discussions) but I'm feeling like a kid now, who's just won a big prize. The reason I say this is that I've been dreading the moment of joining the gandar to the gambar. What if I don't do it correctly & accurately and the join looks sloppy? Well, the job went well & I've got a burden off my shoulders! So I'd like to share my method with you, not to brag about my success but because I'm so relieved. I've got new enthusiasm now for the endless sanding procedure to make the join look neat on the outside.

The four pics will show. First I made a few cardboard templates and experimentally clipped holes into them that correspond to the four bambu pins in the gandar. From these I selected the one that fits best. Then I transferred the hole marks onto the end of the gambar with a pencil, following which I drilled pilot holes into the gambar. Of course, I had to secure the gambar on the vertical drill press platform and make sure the drill holes are made perpendicularly into the gambar join face. Then I changed to a bigger drill bit and expanded the pilot holes. You'll see from the 3rd & 4th pics that I have some reason to be elated. The epoxy has not been applied yet, there will come a time for that. Alan's suggestion will also still be put into practice.

I excitedly explained the steps I followed to my 82 year old sister living with us, and she had the following to say: "What a beautiful pink colour the wood is!" Pink indeed.

[rasdan]

Originally Posted by Johan van Zyl

You suggest I make the gambar in my own signature style, but let me tell you it's going to come out like that even if I don't mean it.

Actually I think this is part of a natural process going on. It is very probable that a majority of wrangka (and also blade) styles what we currently have throughout the keris region is a result of copying. And copying form copies that also produces different designs along the way whether the maker realise or not. Anyhow thank you for sharing your project with us.