44 METHOD OF COLOURING KRIS BLADES. 
rubbing with the fingers is continued, and towards the end of the 
operation a little coconut milk is added. During all this time the blade 
is kept in the sun, as the warmer it is the sooner the deposit of arsenic 
takes place. When it is judged to be dark enough, more coconut milk 
is added and the arsenic is gradually all washed away. The darkening 
goes on for some time after the removal of all the arsenic. When quite 
finished, the blade is dried with a cloth, rubbed with bamboo shavings, 
and finally dressed with a little coconut oil. 
The time taken to warang a kris by this method varies with the 
nature of the steel and the heat of the sun, from 20 to 40 or even 60 
minutes. The result is, in appearance, the same as that obtained by the 
other method, but it is said not to protect the blade from rust so 
efficiently. 
The edges of inferior blades, or those whose edges will not darken 
properly, are carefully rubbed over with the juice of a young betel-nut, or 
of the shoot of the coconut palm. Wherever these fluids touch the 
blade it will become quite black; veinings may also be traced on it with 
them. Again, parts that are intended to be white are sometimes coated 
with wax before the arsenic is applied, to protect them from its action. 
These are, however, hardly legitimate processes, and are only used to 
give inferior blades the appearance of better quality ones, like the sham 
colouring that is given to common gun-barrels in imitation of the real 
Damascus barrels. 
Yet another way of colouring blades has been described to the 
writer, though not actually shown in operation like the two preceding 
methods. The blade is cleaned and is then rubbed with the following 
mixture. Coconut milk, black pepper, bird pepper and arsenic. This 
preparation is not boiled, and the colouring is performed in the day in 
full sunshine. 
When it is wished to remove the arsenic from a blade, lime-juice 
and fresh crushed sirih leaves (Chavica betle) are rubbed over it. Lime 
juice by itself or other weak acids will not remove the coating of arsenic, 
and may therefore be used to clean and brighten up an old blade that 
has previously been coloured, the blade being afterwards washed in 
coconut milk and dried as already described. 
It may perhaps be of interest to mention here that a very excellent 
preparation to preserve the blades of weapons is made by dissolving best 
white wax in white spirits of turpentine or benzole. The wax should be 
cut up into thin shavings, put into a bottle, and just covered with the 
solvent. The bottle may then be stood in hot water until the wax has 
dissolved. When cold, the mixture should be of the consistency of 
cream. When using benzole as the solvent, the greatest care must be 
taken not to bring a light anywhere near the bottle during the time it is 
being heated by immersion in hot water. The cream is to be lightly 
applied to the blades and well rubbed in with a piece of flannel. 
When dry the blade presents a dead surface ; and the beauty of the damask 
is in no way interfered with. Vaseline and other oils make the blade look 
shiny, and they rapidly turn yellow and brown, and afford very little pro- 
tection against rust. They also have the added disadvantage that they 
make greasy marks on anything they come in contact with. 
