Janggelan Hilt

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

The hilt cracks did not close up but seem to have stabilized.

I've closed cracks in hilts successfully with a long bath in linseed oil and let drying again, even ivory!

[A. G. Maisey]

Around 50 years ago I bought a Balinese carving from Makassar ebony in a shop on Queensland's Gold Coast, it is about a 5" cube. I got it cheap because it had a long crack that at its widest was about 5/16ths of an inch.

I soaked this carving in boiled linseed for an extended period, I forget how long, but I waited until the crack had closed.

That crack is still closed.

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by Sajen

I've closed cracks in hilts successfully with a long bath in linseed oil and let drying again, even ivory!

Thanks I wondered but was afraid to try a submersion. I will give it a try when I clean the blade this spring after it warms up. I also collected around a cup of pinyon pine resin to help reset some blades. My down time in the spring should be interesting if I make it that far.

[A. G. Maisey]

IP. we normally do not use any adhesive to fit a blade to a hilt, it is a pressure fit only, and has been for a very long time.

The exception is keris that might have been used as weapons, and occasionally we do come across an old blade that has been fixed to the hilt with jabung --- hard resin + wax + terracotta dust --- but very often this has been done because the pesi is residual and not sufficient to support a pressure fit.

I strongly recommend against any sort of permanent or semi permanent fixing of a hilt to a blade. Apart from anything else this will impact on value, some buyers will not buy a keris until they have seen the pesi.

The best material to use for a pressure fit is knitting wool.

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

IP. we normally do not use any adhesive to fit a blade to a hilt, it is a pressure fit only, and has been for a very long time.

The exception is keris that might have been used as weapons, and occasionally we do come across an old blade that has been fixed to the hilt with jabung --- hard resin + wax + terracotta dust --- but very often this has been done because the pesi is residual and not sufficient to support a pressure fit.

I strongly recommend against any sort of permanent or semi permanent fixing of a hilt to a blade. Apart from anything else this will impact on value, some buyers will not buy a keris until they have seen the pesi.

The best material to use for a pressure fit is knitting wool.

Sorry I should have been clearer the cutler resin is for non keris repairs.

Knitting wool for keris. I would not have thought about that. My bad writing has paid off again.