Sandang walikat sheath from metal

Jean · 9th April 2019, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green

Hello/Salam

i bought this primarily because i do not have any specimen of sandang walikat waranka and i have been particularly looking for one that is made from metal preferably silver. This one , the seller (which most of you can easily identify I think) described it as made from 'white metal'. So here are the questions:

1: can anyone suggest where this metal sandang walikat originated from? (my understanding is that this form is generally from madura/east java). What metal is it made of? what is 'white metal'?

nik

Hello Nik,
You can check "nickel silver" or "alpaca" on Wikipedia (typically 60% copper/ 20% nickel/ 20% zinc alloy) and your scabbard is probably made from this metal but some pieces made from mamas have a more yellowish colour so probably have a different alloy composition.
Regards

A. G. Maisey · 9th April 2019, 10:39 AM

Jean, I've probably only handled about twenty or so of these wrongkos, and they were all made of mamas. However, having said that, frankly I do not know how to tell the difference between nickel silver, german silver, alpaca, white brass and the Chinese stuff I've forgotten the name of, short of laboratory analysis. I strongly suspect that they're all basically the same stuff, just different names in different places.

ariel · 10th April 2019, 10:02 PM

The so-called Chinese silver is called “ paktong” in Cantonese and “baitong” in Mandarin.It is an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc. No silver is involved. China flooded with it all foreign markets, especially Europe, as far back as 16 century.

German metal workers figured out how to make bright silvery paktong at
the beginning of 19 century. This is why it is often called German Silver or neusilber. It was also called “alpaca”

It is virtually the same as “Melchior” ( Ital), mutilated “maillechort” ( French) after its inventors Maillot and Chorier.

Germans and French predictably still argue about the true European origin of cupronickel, but such nationalistic pride is very commonplace. The only example of scientific generosity I know is syphilis that is called “French disease” all over the world except for France, where it generously call “Italian Disease”.

Green · 11th April 2019, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

The only example of scientific generosity I know is syphilis that is called “French disease” all over the world except for France, where it generously call “Italian Disease”.

the reason why i keep coming to this forum ...we learn something new everyday !

A. G. Maisey · 12th April 2019, 12:44 PM

Yes Ariel, that's the stuff. Could not remember the name for the life of me. I had a few similar letter combinations in my mind, but they all seemed wrong --- as they were. Thank you.

9th April 2019, 10:39 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Jean, I've probably only handled about twenty or so of these wrongkos, and they were all made of mamas. However, having said that, frankly I do not know how to tell the difference between nickel silver, german silver, alpaca, white brass and the Chinese stuff I've forgotten the name of, short of laboratory analysis. I strongly suspect that they're all basically the same stuff, just different names in different places.

10th April 2019, 10:02 PM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The so-called Chinese silver is called “ paktong” in Cantonese and “baitong” in Mandarin.It is an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc. No silver is involved. China flooded with it all foreign markets, especially Europe, as far back as 16 century. German metal workers figured out how to make bright silvery paktong at the beginning of 19 century. This is why it is often called German Silver or neusilber. It was also called “alpaca” It is virtually the same as “Melchior” ( Ital), mutilated “maillechort” ( French) after its inventors Maillot and Chorier. Germans and French predictably still argue about the true European origin of cupronickel, but such nationalistic pride is very commonplace. The only example of scientific generosity I know is syphilis that is called “French disease” all over the world except for France, where it generously call “Italian Disease”.

12th April 2019, 12:44 PM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Yes Ariel, that's the stuff. Could not remember the name for the life of me. I had a few similar letter combinations in my mind, but they all seemed wrong --- as they were. Thank you.