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Matt the method I used really does leave a lot to be desired. But it did work and it takes a bit of messing with the blade to make it so.
After removing the handle, gently heat the blade near the top and with a twisting, pulling motion remove the handle. The handles are usually put on with a twist of hair or cloth rolled on the tang.
I soaked the blade in a mixture of concentrated lime juice and apple cider vinegar.
I know about acids and aluminium, but with mild acids like these one of the aluminium turkey roasting pans worked well for me.
I wouldn't use aluminium for any stronger acid though.
After soaking what little rust that was on the tang off, about 4 days of soaking, I washed it with dish soap and hot water and dried it
thoroughly.
The next step should be a mixture of arsenic and lime juice to bring out the pamor, but I wasn't sure where I could get arsenic and I really didn't want to mess with it anyway.
I wound up using some Birchwood Casey's cold gun blue and the acid mixture to bring out the pamor the best I could by alternately using the blue and then soaking for short periods of time and rubbing very gently with 4 ought, 0000, steel wool.
I know it doesn't compare with the original method of cleaning and restoreing, but it helped it quite a bit.
On the other hand the very old or either horribly mistreated Keris I have didn't take to this method.
I don't know if there's any pamor left on the blade or if it needs the original restoreation to properly bring out the pamor.
One of these days I may try the arsenic if I can find where to get it without a lot of hassle.
But the problem of proper disposal worries me.
But then on the other hand my grandfather used Arsenic of Lead powder in water to kill any bugs on his tomato plants. He would gather a bunch of tall weeds and tie them together to use to brush the mixture on. When he was done he would pour any left over mixture around his fruit trees or berry bushes.
When you're done, if you try it, give the blade a good oiling and use a small strip of slightly oiled cloth replace the handle, again with a twisting motion.
Be careful to not get too big a piece of cloth and crack the handle.
Sometimes the handle on a Keris may be worth as much or more than the blade!!!
I think it's worth a doing a cleaning anyway on a Keris to remove any rust that may be present and to prevent any rust from forming.
I understand that people in the Keris countries either send or take their Keris for cleaning once a year.
I don't think we need to do it that often, but I do take mine apart periodically to check for rust and reoiling.
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Yvsa.
"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.
