What kind of iron ?
 

Hi all,
I have recently got this kudi tranchang. I etched (lightly) the blade and I found a pattern that IMO is nor pamor nor laminated steel. It looks to me like a not too contrasting wootz :confused: , but I must be wrong because this kind of iron be very unusual for this area and for this kind of tool/weapon.
May I have Your opinion ?
Thank You
Paolo

The pics of the blade close ups are the best I can do.

Hi Paolo,
Its a nice thing for sure! I'm not familiar with them, so I'm not sure how the steel/iron is produced.
So I'm just gonna throw some thoughts out there.
Could the steel be produced from a mixture of salvaged/reclaimed ferrous items which may result in a final product with 'hard spots'?
I know that this can be the case even with industrially produced western steel from recycled sources, I wonder if the larger 'spots' which look almost like a birds eye or raindrop pattern could be something to do with an accidental mixture of steel grades not completely mixing in the smelting process.

How oxidised was the surface before you etched it?
Is some of the pattern from cleaning out the pitting?
If you can remove the blade you could 'recut' an area of the tang to completely flat and polished then etch that area and see what pattern emerges?

Edit:

Do the wootz style patterns diminish where the blade looks to have been filed (As in where the surface has been cut back)?
Just been comparing it with bits of steel I've got laying around, sadly I've no actual 'wootz' but I've got some pattern welded.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...Bowl/001-8.jpg

Hi Atlantia,
Thank You for Your thoughts.
I try to give some answers. I received the kudi polished, with the trucks of file You saw, so I don't know the oxidation degree it had.
I looked under some patterns, so I etched the blade before with citric acid and then (only few seconds with a brush) with ferric chloride diluted 1 : 3 with distilled water (the spine has brass and copper inlays). I don't think that the patterns are dued to the rust (or pitting) removed (but it's only my opinion).
I don't want to remove the blade from the shaft; You are right when say that "... patterns diminish where the blade looks to have been filed "
So :confused: :confused: :confused:
Paolo

I forgot, very nice blade You have . May You send pics of all the weapon ?
Paolo

Its certainly an interesting thing Paolo, is it a weapon?
How long is is?

I think that your etching looks great as it has 'evened out' the colour of the steel.

There must be metal specialists on this BB who can offer a more informed analysis than mine?

Hopefully some other board members will have similar examples which can be compared.
Alternatively can you research the construction techniques on the net to get some clues as to how the metal is forged etc?

P.S. Thanks, the blade is a Bhuj.

Hello Paolo,

That's not wootz. I suspect that this pattern developed from heat treatment of monosteel (this usually happens by chance).

Regards,
Kai

Hi Kai,
I suspected it was monosteel, but I didn't know that the heat treatment on this kind of iron may cause this kind of (so wide spread) pattern.

Atlantia,
the kudi tranchang is 65 cm long (25,5 inches).
On Van Zonneveld book " traditional weapons of the indonesian archipelago" it is so described : a knife with a fanifully shaped blade and a long hilt, to which magical powers are attributed.

Paolo

I remember seeing a sword with a 'wootz-like' pattern, Lew kindly re-educated me with the notion of shear steel, but this type of steel was mass produced late 19thC -early 20th C. It may be possibly 're-cycled' shear steel and forged into this interesting piece.

Regards David

I think this is what my bladesmith friend calls the orange peel effect. Comes from over heating the steel during the forging process I think. This causes a a growth in the carbide stucture which ends up looking like an orange peel.


Lew

Lew,
What You suggest to do ?
Paolo

Do nothing my friend it looks fine to me :)


Lew

I follow Your advice.
Thank You
Paolo