Restaining kris?

[A. G. Maisey]

Ron, if you just want to see the pamor pattern you can clean up the blade --- heaps on this in various threads --- and then hit it with ferric chloride, same stuff knife makers use to stain damascus, and used to etch electrical circuit boards.

A proper stain job becomes a bit more difficult, because you need to be able to get hold of some laboratory quality white arsenic ( arsenic tri-oxide), and some fresh limes.

However, if you want to pay somebody to do it in a western country, you could be looking at paying more than the blade is worth.

I've been staining blades since I was a kid, and I've had instruction from some of the best m'ranggi in Central Jawa. I have spent as long as several days in staining just one blade. The method I use is the same one that is used on high quality blades, it is not the quick mass production method, but my way of doing it is the only really practical one if you want to do just the occasional blade and you want a good, solid, long lasting finish.

Now, if you've got to pay somebody to do that job, even at a very low hourly rate, its going to cost money.

There might be a few people around who are still learning, and who are prepared to do the job for free, or charge just sufficient to cover expenses, so that they can gain experience, but really, it is best to try to do it yourself.