3 worn out keris

[jagabuwana]

Yes, apply the mineral oil after you have done the WD40 treatments, and once it has completely dried.

Historically, the keris is an object that is dressed and anointed because it was more than just a merely decorative or utilitarian object. Yes the oil does protect it from corrosion but the primary reason for doing so might have been to further beautify and make it elegant to the senses. In the milieu of where the keris originated, it was and is appropriate and encouraged to do so. It is becoming of the blade.

Whether you choose to pay attention to this and go down this road is up to you. Mineral oil on its own (after a WD40 treatments have dried) will do a decent job to protect the blade and you can choose to leave it at that. But I do feel that this blade is quite nice and it would be a shame if it was not wangi (fragrant/perfumed).

I personally would not use any oils that have been mixed with other stuff.

I like to use 50% mineral oil, with 50% sandalwood essential oil. I got my stuff off eBay and it was relatively inexpensive compared to the stuff you can buy off the shelves at hippy shops. To my knowledge, sandalwood is the only scent that is most commonly used in keris oils while also being widely available outside of Indonesia/Java.

Patchouli isn't a scent that I'm familiar with in the context of keris.

[jagabuwana]

As for the discolouration, this is most probably surface rust/oxodation. Of all the blades I cleaned this happened most rapidly to my bugis keris.

If you can't get it off by getting it under running water with detergent and a brush, put it back in vinegar for a short while and brush it off or use a pick. Bicarb slurry again, completely dry it, then wd40 immediately.

[A. G. Maisey]

Drying can best be facilitated by following the clean, lint free cloth with a hairdryer.

[apolaki]

I dried it throughly with hair dryer, and I am at the WD40 stage for the heavily rusted keris. It looks like there is pamor; Once I dry various applications of WD40, I plan to apply a final layer of pure mineral oil as a last step.

Is this turning out okay? There are trace amounts of yellowing. When oiled I can no longer make out the pamor as the first photo.

I also could not remove the ganja, but I could see some rust remaining in a small interior crevasse.

[A. G. Maisey]

That's coming up OK, but you see all those little black dots, well, they need to be cleaned out.

I use two tools for this, a dentists pick, and a saddlers awl with a fine blade in it, I also use a machinists loupe, about 2.5X or 3X. You need to dig the rubbish out of those pits, if you do not, over time rust will usually spread from them.

Ordinary mineral oil after the WD40 is fine. Medicinal paraffin or Singer sewing machine oil is what I use, but I add a fragrant oil to that. The fragrance does nothing in the way of protection, but it is traditional.

When it has been oiled, it is best to store it in a plastic sleeve.

The gunk in the joint between blade & gonjo is nearly always full of rubbish in old keris, a full restoration would involve removal, cleaning and a tight refix, for the last 50 years most m'ranggis have used a two part epoxy cement on the joining surfaces, not to hold the blade and gonjo together, but to protect against further erosion. Since this is your first, I would suggest that you do not attempt the demount of the gonjo, just clean out what gunk you can with a pick and let the oil soak in.

[apolaki]

Thanks for the good news! I have been trying the same technique with a moro blade at the same time and it is not turning out so well......

In any case, where do you recommend places to get plastic sleeves? I understand you are based in Australia. Perhaps you may still know or might recommend some everyday object that happens to work perfect but isn't intended to be a sheath for keris?

Maybe other members who are familiar with the US can chime in as well?

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

That's coming up OK, but you see all those little black dots, well, they need to be cleaned out.

I use two tools for this, a dentists pick, and a saddlers awl with a fine blade in it, I also use a machinists loupe, about 2.5X or 3X. You need to dig the rubbish out of those pits, if you do not, over time rust will usually spread from them.

Ordinary mineral oil after the WD40 is fine. Medicinal paraffin or Singer sewing machine oil is what I use, but I add a fragrant oil to that. The fragrance does nothing in the way of protection, but it is traditional.

When it has been oiled, it is best to store it in a plastic sleeve.

The gunk in the joint between blade & gonjo is nearly always full of rubbish in old keris, a full restoration would involve removal, cleaning and a tight refix, for the last 50 years most m'ranggis have used a two part epoxy cement on the joining surfaces, not to hold the blade and gonjo together, but to protect against further erosion. Since this is your first, I would suggest that you do not attempt the demount of the gonjo, just clean out what gunk you can with a pick and let the oil soak in.

[A. G. Maisey]

Well, I buy the sleeves in a 100 meter roll from a shop behind Pasar Gede in Solo, Jawa Tengah, but if you don't really feel like the trek, you could try plastic cling wrap.

[apolaki]

Originally Posted by jagabuwana

Yes, apply the mineral oil after you have done the WD40 treatments, and once it has completely dried.

Historically, the keris is an object that is dressed and anointed because it was more than just a merely decorative or utilitarian object. Yes the oil does protect it from corrosion but the primary reason for doing so might have been to further beautify and make it elegant to the senses. In the milieu of where the keris originated, it was and is appropriate and encouraged to do so. It is becoming of the blade.

Whether you choose to pay attention to this and go down this road is up to you. Mineral oil on its own (after a WD40 treatments have dried) will do a decent job to protect the blade and you can choose to leave it at that. But I do feel that this blade is quite nice and it would be a shame if it was not wangi (fragrant/perfumed).

I personally would not use any oils that have been mixed with other stuff.

I like to use 50% mineral oil, with 50% sandalwood essential oil. I got my stuff off eBay and it was relatively inexpensive compared to the stuff you can buy off the shelves at hippy shops. To my knowledge, sandalwood is the only scent that is most commonly used in keris oils while also being widely available outside of Indonesia/Java.

Patchouli isn't a scent that I'm familiar with in the context of keris.

I just applied Mineral oil to my keris after a period of letting WD40 set in the keris.

I just noticed that while it says 100% mineral oil, it also says infused with Vitamin E. The mineral oil is very thick.

Did I purchase the wrong type of mineral oil? How does Vitamin E effect the metal.

I am wondering, should just the excel oil into the blade to penetrate into the metal with a cloth until it is dry?

[A. G. Maisey]

Spray with WD40, let it dry off overnight.

Medicinal paraffin or Singer Sewing Machine Oil + fragrant oil, usually sandalwood + kenanga.

Place in a plastic sleeve.

I've been using this approach for around 50 or 60 years, I've recommended it to probably hundreds of people over that time, most of them since I began to use the internet. It works, and gives good long term protection.

Variations from this I cannot comment on because I have not used all possible variations.

[jagabuwana]

Originally Posted by apolaki

I just applied Mineral oil to my keris after a period of letting WD40 set in the keris.

I just noticed that while it says 100% mineral oil, it also says infused with Vitamin E. The mineral oil is very thick.

Did I purchase the wrong type of mineral oil? How does Vitamin E effect the metal.

I am wondering, should just the excel oil into the blade to penetrate into the metal with a cloth until it is dry?

I don't think Vit E is going to do anything or react with your blade. Not sure what else is in it though. I wouldn't worry too much but if you're losing sleep over it just wash it again and get a plain mineral oil, or as Alan mentioned, Singer brand machine oil.

As for application just use a small, flat tipped paint brush to give it a light coat.

[David]

Well, you know, the vitamin E oil in there will probably help heal all these battle scars. LOL!
But seriously, pure mineral oil (medicinal variety) is the same thing as medical paraffin. Sounds like you got one that is meant for topical skin application. probably won't hurt your blade, but you might want to get some of the pure stuff for future uses. As Alan suggests, i generally mix in a little sandalwood and kenanga oils. I also brush on with a paint brush, enough t fully cover all surface areas.

[Mickey the Finn]

This brings to mind images of several different kinds, none of which necessarily are the type of plastic sleeve you're talking about. I'd hazard a guess that something like the heat-shrink tubing sometimes used on electrical leads, or chains exposed to the elements, might be close to what you mean.
Minyak cendana, mawar, dan melati, as per Mpu Djeno's instructions, mixed with mineral oil is what I've been using. Since the Mpu did not specify any ratio, I'm still working on it, and leaning toward more melati, less mawar.
On a related note: the minyak known as "Seribu Bunga"...is it anything like the style of perfume called a "flower bomb"? Does anyone have any specific information about the formulation of "Seribu Bunga", or it's dominant floral notes? Or is it just a catchall term for a "flower bomb"?

[Jean]

Seribu bunga means one thousand flowers so it should be a mix of many flower extracts/ essential oils
Regards