Warangan

[Gajah]

Does anyone have advice on the correct formulation for warangan solution?

I have been told thus. 1 heaped teaspoon of finely ground Warangan(Realgar or Arsenic Sulphate) to one litre of lemon or lime juice. Leave at least a month to 'mature' before use.

Any advice?

I hope this question is appropriate for the forum

Terimah kasih banyak

[Ranggalana]

Does anyone have advice on the correct formulation for warangan solution?

I have been told thus. 1 heaped teaspoon of finely ground Warangan(Realgar or Arsenic Sulphate) to one litre of lemon or lime juice. Leave at least a month to 'mature' before use.

Any advice?

I hope this question is appropriate for the forum

Terimah kasih banyak

Hi Martin,
Several myths about warangan are alive out there, one most widely believed is that a blade with warangan on it is poisoned, which is not true. Always use the crystal realgar, the redder the colour the better. The white arsenic you get in chemists is no good. Always peel the limes before you extract the juice, something in the skin is bad for the warangan process.

Marangi is a difficult thing to do as you need to watch the blade in the process and have to recognize the important phases. To get the best information about marangi in English, check out Alan Maisey (an Oztralian keris maker and student) on the Warung Kopi forum of www.vikingsword.com ... There are many 'ahli-keris' there.

The best way to marangi a pusaka, in my opinion, is to bring the pusaka to Jawa and have an expert do it for you for a charge. Good realgar is not cheap.

Warm salaams,
Bram.

[Gajah]

The best way to marangi a pusaka, in my opinion, is to bring the pusaka to Jawa and have an expert do it for you for a charge. Good realgar is not cheap.

Maybe when I've saved up for my next trip

The Kris was actualy chosen for me just before I returned to the UK, so it's a case of doing my own merawat pusaka.

Pak Jati was adamant that it was the most suitable kris for me. I must say, I was initialy a little disappointed as it had been clearly neglected over the years and the blade resembled a lump of rust :'(

However, following the slow process of removing the rust the true beauty of the pamor is now apparent the dapur is lurus with pamor bulu ayam, the kembang kacang is fully intact. There is one lambe gajah and two jalu memet.

I have no idea regarding the age & origin, as I know little about the subject. The wilah does contain a very high degree of nickel and is very 'prickly' which would suggest it is reasonably old and could well be of meteoric origin. Certainly no tourist trinket that's for sure.

I hope the description doesn't contravene adat. I of course will not be posting pictures etc.

Anyway, thanks for the link and particularly the tip about the lime skins

Terimah kasih Bram

NB. My actual query is 'what amount of warangan to lime juice'? I have managed to source some deep red warangan from China

[Ranggalana]

The best way to marangi a pusaka, in my opinion, is to bring the pusaka to Jawa and have an expert do it for you for a charge. Good realgar is not cheap.

Maybe when I've saved up for my next trip

The Kris was actualy chosen for me just before I returned to the UK, so it's a case of doing my own merawat pusaka.

Pak Jati was adamant that it was the most suitable kris for me. I must say, I was initialy a little disappointed as it had been clearly neglected over the years and the blade resembled a lump of rust :'(

However, following the slow process of removing the rust the true beauty of the pamor is now apparent the dapur is lurus with pamor bulu ayam, the kembang kacang is fully intact. There is one lambe gajah and two jalu memet.

I have no idea regarding the age & origin, as I know little about the subject. The wilah does contain a very high degree of nickel and is very 'prickly' which would suggest it is reasonably old and could well be of meteoric origin. Certainly no tourist trinket that's for sure.

I hope the description doesn't contravene adat. I of course will not be posting pictures etc.

Anyway, thanks for the link and particularly the tip about the lime skins

Terimah kasih Bram

NB. My actual query is 'what amount of warangan to lime juice'? I have managed to source some deep red warangan from China

I wouldn't know the name of your keris without consulting a table and seeing the keris, might be one of the Jalak types. The Warung Kopi guys would be able to point you step by step to marangi your blade. You will need time and space and little Gajah should be kept away... and also you need the sun. If you have the realgar, hey why not try do it yourself. I can't tell you exactly how much warangan to lime juice as I don't know.

I keep my keris putihan, and haven't got round to marangi them. For keeping keris putihan, just get some gun oil and scent it with essensial sandalwood, or ylang-ylang, or jasmine, or rose, or whatever you fancy and oil it like that at least once a year. Let oil dry on blage before returning to sheath, or risk oil stains that are not easy to remove.

[Gajah]

Well, sunshine may be a problem in rainy old England :'(

I understand that enough sunlight is needed to act as a catylist in the platination process.

I am at the putihan stage, via soured coconut water & many limes

I do intend to marangi the blade myself and reveal the true extent ofe the workmanship involved....the hundreds of layers required to produce the feathered pamor.

 

[Ranggalana]

....
I am at the putihan stage, via soured coconut water & many limes

I do intend to marangi the blade myself and reveal the true extent ofe the workmanship involved....the hundreds of layers required to produce the feathered pamor.

 

Make sure you wash all the lime off... sometimes so 4dwd is good to make sure no rust and damp is left.

Sounds like you have a really good keris, hundreds of layers, kembang kacang and jalu memet still intact, rust all comes off... If it is heavy it would tend to be a coastal keris from Jawa or Madura. The more inland you tend to get less iron, until the West began to bring in alot of iron beginning the 16th century but particularly after the railway in Jawa during the late 19th century. Then you get heavy built Surakarta keris.

Selamat. Keris are wonderfull things.

Hormat saya,
Bram.