eBay MORO KRIS WOOTZ??

[Double Edge]

I appreciate the introduction, Gene. Yes, the wootz and jade kris is mine, made for a collector a few years ago. This was my second sword, the first being a boarding cutlass. Both swords were made as interpretive art pieces, not as historical reproductions.
As Gene said, this blade is made from Al Pendray's wootz. Al forged the blade to shape with all its hills and valleys, and forged in the raised center ridge. Al is unusually skilled with his hammer and I received a pretty clean billet. I fitted the kris with bronze trim and a British Columbian nephrite jade handle. The steel does have a pattern, but like most wootz it takes some tricks with a camera to get the pattern to show easily. Pattern welded is a breeze to photograph compared to wootz! Unfortunately I do not have any more pictures of this sword including close ups showing the pattern.
The man who commissioned this sword grew up in Indonesia and obviously likes the kris. He requested my style of sculpting and the wootz over a pattern welded "damascus" steel. That's why you see more of an Art Nouveau interpretation rather than a traditional look.
Gene had asked about etching the wootz. I used a diluted ferric chloride solution. It actually took three etchings to get it right, and I had to refinish and polish the blade each time. Wootz is etched by a quick wiping of the etchant followed by a rinse and oiling. I finally got my wife out in the yard with a garden hose and I would wipe on the etchant and she would hose down the blade. You can't let the ferric stay on the steel more than a few seconds or you loose the crystiline carbide structure that makes the pattern. Wootz takes a surface finish, rather than the topographical etch more commonly used on pattern welded steels.
If there are more questions about this or any other knife or sword I've made, ask away.

David

[Andrew]

Welcome to the forum, David! It's great to have another cutler posting here.

Your keris is beautiful, as are the other items on your website. In fact, I just spent a fair bit of time enjoying that site!

Hope to hear from you often.

[Battara]

David, your work is impressive. I bow in your presence.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Battara

David, your work is impressive. I bow in your presence.

And you, sir, are too modest.

(BTW, got your emails.)

[Mare Rosu]

"Gene had asked about etching the wootz. I used a diluted ferric chloride solution. It actually took three etchings to get it right, and I had to refinish and polish the blade each time. Wootz is etched by a quick wiping of the etchant followed by a rinse and oiling. I finally got my wife out in the yard with a garden hose and I would wipe on the etchant and she would hose down the blade. You can't let the ferric stay on the steel more than a few seconds or you loose the crystiline carbide structure that makes the pattern. Wootz takes a surface finish, rather than the topographical etch more commonly used on pattern welded steels."

DAVID
Question:
Did you polish the wootz after the last acid etching?, what did you use to do the polishing, and how? What was the dilution ratio of the Ferric Chloride? What oil, preservative did you use on the finished blade?
Now aren't you sorry for asking for more questions?
And one last question, Did you pay your wife for her help in the etching of the Kris?
WELCOME TO THE FORUM
Gene

[Double Edge]

Gene,

Now you're asking for my trade secrets. Okay, just don't tell the competition.

I finished the blade to a "worn out" 600 grit, using 3M automotive paper and water. I used the standard Archer Etchant brand ferric chloride from Radio Shack, but cut it with 5 parts water. That's far more diluted than I usually do for damascus, but the idea is to color rather than eat away metal from the surface and this ratio gives you more control. Al told me to wipe it on then rinse it off, but I just wasn't fast enough on the first two etchings. I had to go back and refinish the blade. The third etching was wipe with the etchant and rinse in about 3 seconds. It was messy, but grass has started to grow back over our work area! After that last etch and rinse I hosed the entire blade with WD-40 to displace the water. It sat with the WD-40 for a couple of days, with me adding more a few times. This let the etch "cure" a bit, then I cleaned the oil off and waxed it. I've found that certain waxes are great for rust prevention, at least in most places (and with collectors who really know how to take care of carbon steel). The sword was exhibited at the Knifemakers Guild show then delivered to its owner in Hawaii with a wax coating. I did no further polishing of the steel after the etch. The picture of the entire sword makes the blade look blacker than it really is. What you see of the blade in the handle close up is more accurate. It is a darker gray with the white crystals showing.

Did I pay my wife? Gene, I pay my wife, who works for me and is my accountant, every penny I make. She in turn gives me an allowance.

By the way, Al Pendray is not the only man making wootz these days. This past weekend at the Collectors Show, a knife show in Napa California, I got to see two blades of modern wootz from Rick Furrer. Pretty cool stuff!

Thanks for the compliments, folks. I appreciate them.

David

[Mare Rosu]

Quote by David:
"By the way, Al Pendray is not the only man making wootz these days. This past weekend at the Collectors Show, a knife show in Napa California, I got to see two blades of modern wootz from Rick Furrer. Pretty cool stuff!"
David, you say Rick Furrer is also making wootz? I was under the impression that Al Pendray had a US Paten on the wootz process. If so then Rick must have another way of making his wootz, all very interesting I say.

I can see now why you work for your wife considering the way she can shoot her pistol!

Thanks for the information on the polishing of the wootz Kris, now lets see, I have a hose and water so I am now all set to go into competition with you!
Gene