Restored Mandau

Tim Simmons · 4th September 2008, 07:02 AM

Well it is still a natural Asian substance and it feels jolly hard to me

.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellac

A. G. Maisey · 4th September 2008, 11:03 PM

Yes, of course it is.In fact I have lifelong experience with shellac. My father was fine art cabinet maker, and as a little kid one of the jobs I used to get given was using button shellac to fill tiny imperfections in cabinet work. You melt the shellac over a candle, smear it into the hole, and then the surface gets refinished.

Button shellac is probably the most favoured traditional adhesive for use on Javanese wrongkos, however, it is not a very strong adhesive, and only works well when the gandar is supported by a pendok.

Shellac is sometimes used in recent times as a filler for silver handles in Indonesia, but its not very durable, and over time it will crack, and you can hear the pieces rattling around inside the handle.

The traditional filler for sword and dagger handles was damar mixed with beeswax and a solid filling agent. This stuff sets like rock and will never crack, but a handle can be fairly easily removed from a blade simply by heating the blade.

In all the mandau that I have had to restore, the lump on the bottom of mandau handle has displayed the properties of damar + beeswax, and sometimes with a filler, like the Javanese handle filler. When I have had to replace this lump, I've always used damar + beeswax + plus a terracotta filler.

I don't know the tree that damar comes from, but when you melt it, it has a very strong pine-like smell, and is very flammable, in fact, its pretty dangerous stuff to use.If you get a drop on your skin it just sticks and burns right through. Pretty painful.

http://www.rfpaints.com/PUWin/Damar.htm

David · 5th September 2008, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

In all the mandau that I have had to restore, the lump on the bottom of mandau handle has displayed the properties of damar + beeswax, and sometimes with a filler, like the Javanese handle filler. When I have had to replace this lump, I've always used damar + beeswax + plus a terracotta filler. http://www.rfpaints.com/PUWin/Damar.htm

Thanks Alan. Can you share the formula you have used when mixing these ingredients.

A. G. Maisey · 5th September 2008, 02:00 AM

David, I don't want to be a miserable old so & so, but I'm sorry, I cannot. In fact, I've probably already said too much. This was given to me by the grandson of one of the old-time , great, mranggis, and along with the qualification:- "this is enough for Pak Alan alone". In other words, keep your mouth shut. This man is still alive, so out of respect for him, I've said as much as I intend to.

If you wanted to try it, just play around a bit with proportions, and use common sense. But it is dangerous stuff, it throws off clouds of very inflammable smoke when you make it, and if it catches fire its best just to run and let it burn itself out. Goes without saying you do it outside away from any buildings.

4th September 2008, 07:02 AM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	Well it is still a natural Asian substance and it feels jolly hard to me .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellac Last edited by Tim Simmons; 4th September 2008 at 08:03 PM.

4th September 2008, 11:03 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	Yes, of course it is.In fact I have lifelong experience with shellac. My father was fine art cabinet maker, and as a little kid one of the jobs I used to get given was using button shellac to fill tiny imperfections in cabinet work. You melt the shellac over a candle, smear it into the hole, and then the surface gets refinished. Button shellac is probably the most favoured traditional adhesive for use on Javanese wrongkos, however, it is not a very strong adhesive, and only works well when the gandar is supported by a pendok. Shellac is sometimes used in recent times as a filler for silver handles in Indonesia, but its not very durable, and over time it will crack, and you can hear the pieces rattling around inside the handle. The traditional filler for sword and dagger handles was damar mixed with beeswax and a solid filling agent. This stuff sets like rock and will never crack, but a handle can be fairly easily removed from a blade simply by heating the blade. In all the mandau that I have had to restore, the lump on the bottom of mandau handle has displayed the properties of damar + beeswax, and sometimes with a filler, like the Javanese handle filler. When I have had to replace this lump, I've always used damar + beeswax + plus a terracotta filler. I don't know the tree that damar comes from, but when you melt it, it has a very strong pine-like smell, and is very flammable, in fact, its pretty dangerous stuff to use.If you get a drop on your skin it just sticks and burns right through. Pretty painful. http://www.rfpaints.com/PUWin/Damar.htm

5th September 2008, 02:00 AM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	David, I don't want to be a miserable old so & so, but I'm sorry, I cannot. In fact, I've probably already said too much. This was given to me by the grandson of one of the old-time , great, mranggis, and along with the qualification:- "this is enough for Pak Alan alone". In other words, keep your mouth shut. This man is still alive, so out of respect for him, I've said as much as I intend to. If you wanted to try it, just play around a bit with proportions, and use common sense. But it is dangerous stuff, it throws off clouds of very inflammable smoke when you make it, and if it catches fire its best just to run and let it burn itself out. Goes without saying you do it outside away from any buildings.