Moro kris , to clean or not to clean ?

[tom22]

I recently acquired this moro kris , I'm not sure what region it's from etc , but there is quite alot of rust , I have taken the light surface rust off with some steel wool ,but im wondering should I go further with cleaning ,or is it stripping it of its age and use ?

[Battara]

Looks like a nice3 1920s Magunindanao kris. I would clean the silver - silver was meant to shine.

Also, if you cleaned the blade, re-etch it to have the laminations come out.

[Ian]

Tom, I agree with Battara. The silver should be cleaned, as well as the white metal on the scabbard (hard to say whether this is silver, probably not--could be nickel, white brass, or tin). The blade justifies a thorough cleaning and etching as there is already a nice pattern visible.

Nice kris. As Battara noted, an early 20th C example.

[Rick]

Interesting metal tab that is attached to the ferrule ring and laying on top of the gonjo .

Suppose it ever had a baca-baca stirrup once?
Sure looks like it did.

[tom22]

Originally Posted by Rick

Interesting metal tab that is attached to the ferrule ring and laying on top of the gonjo .

Suppose it ever had a baca-baca stirrup once?
Sure looks like it did.

Yes I wondered about this tab ,was it originally there to hold a stirrup in place , Also thanks for everyone's advice in cleaning the sword , I will do the best I can but looks like it will take alot of work , thanks

[Sajen]

Agreed with the others, clean it and try to give it a new baca-baca.

I would oil and clean the wooden parts with oil (linseed, olive..) and polish the metal parts. I also would clean the blade further and like suggested by Jose and Ian etch it.

Regards,
Detlef

[tom22]

Well I've given it a good clean , the silver came up well and the scabbard, but the blade needs more work than I thought , I havnt etched the blade yet because i think it needs to be cleaner to see any pattern , I'm not sure whether to carry on with it as it will take so much work to sand it down , I wouldn't use a machine sander as I know they can distort the shape of the blade ?

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Agreed with the others, clean it and try to give it a new baca-baca.

I would oil and clean the wooden parts with oil (linseed, olive..) and polish the metal parts. I also would clean the blade further and like suggested by Jose and Ian etch it.

Regards,
Detlef

For really dry wood I've been experimenting with lots of almond oil. The wood just soaks it up because of its extremely low viscosity. Then after a few days to a week I add the coats of linseed oil.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

For really dry wood I've been experimenting with lots of almond oil. The wood just soaks it up because of its extremely low viscosity. Then after a few days to a week I add the coats of linseed oil.

Jep, almond oil is very good!

[Battara]

OH much nicer!

[tom22]

Well thanks for all you advice,
I have cleaned the scabbard,and used olive oil for the wood,
Then i have sanded the blade with a fine grit wet and dry paper , it's took quite alot of work to get it looking like this ,I'm not sure where to stop,should I carry on sanding untill it's got rid of all the light pitting ? ,in general it looks alot btter

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by Battara

Looks like a nice3 1920s Magunindanao kris. I would clean the silver - silver was meant to shine.

What features identify this kris as 1920s?


Tom22 your cleanup of this piece turned out very well. Did you ever etch it?

As per oils discussed I have been using heavy coats of almond oil to pre-treat very dry wood because of its low viscosity. Depending on condition I may repeat the almond oil a few times. Then 12-24 hrs. after the last coat of almond oil I add a coat of a viscous oil such raw linseed to begin to seal the wood. I let that dry for a few days to a couple weeks, then repeat the linseed oil.

[Battara]

I say 1920s due to the style of okir work at the base (ganga) of the blade, and the fact that the ganga is not separated from the rest of the blade.

Also it is from the Maguindanao tribe.