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1st October 2018, 11:48 AM | #1 | |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 523
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Quote:
thank you very much for your words and the information about Trembalu Jawa wood. I think i have to look now for another type of wood. Shellac provides a very beautiful finish on wood, if it is well done, which is not too simple. But on my Waranka was a nasty and poorly painted modern lacquer. I prefer a natural finish with oil and wax, since it brings out more of the structure of the wood, while shellac makes everything flat and even, but this is just my personal taste. Best wishes, Roland |
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1st October 2018, 01:52 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 6,736
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The most usual finish on a quality Javanese wrongko is french polish, which is one of the ways in which shellac can be applied. Another popular finish is to burnish the wood with bone or ivory.
A very good finish for people who are not professional polishers to use is one of the oil finishes, Danish Oil or similar. This requires almost no specialist skill, it enhances grain, and can be rubbed back with 0000 steel wool and then waxed to provide a very good imitation of a worn, quality, original finish. Gun stock finishes like Birchwood Casey Tru-oil can provide a similar finish, possibly a bit better and easier to apply. Roland, it seems to me that the quality you like in that wrongko wood is its chatoyancy. There are a lot of chatoyant woods available, and it would surprise me if you could not source something suitable from a specialist supplier in your part of the world. You could start by looking for pau marfin, bubinga, fiddle back maple, sapele --- lots of stuff around, it will most likely be quarter sawn. Maybe just doing a Google search for "chatoyant wood" will give you some results. Knife makers supplies and musical instrument supplies and makers are often a good source of quality woods. |
1st October 2018, 02:28 PM | #3 | |
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 523
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Quote:
Hello Alan, thank you for your advise! The term "Chatoyant Wood" is a great step forward for me! Oh and I like everything on my Waranka, the carving including its imperfections, the structure and color, the silky gloss of the wood, simply everything. And to me it seems, that no one shares my admiration for this Keris, so this wonderful little artwork (in my eyes) was perhaps made especially for me and my perception. Roland |
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1st October 2018, 02:54 PM | #4 | |
Keris forum moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 7,042
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Quote:
I will, however, share you admiration of this wrongko. The wood grain is absolutely beautiful to my eye. Really lovely. I will second Alan's comments on Birchwood Casey Try-Oil. I have used it myself and it is really easy and produces a really nice finish. I simply applied a few coats (taking it down a bit with 0000 steel wool each time. I finally finish like the would really pop the grain even more. |
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1st October 2018, 08:22 PM | #5 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,740
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Hello Roland,
Trembalo Jawa is Cassia Javanica L. but your highly chatoyant warangka seems to be made from rarer trembalo Aceh wood (a different species). See an old warangka iras from Yogyakarta made from the same wood as yours I think. Regards |
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