Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

RSWORD · 14th September 2006, 04:35 PM

I am of the opinion that overall in many cultures there are more heirloom blades than heirloom handles. For the Viking, the blade was what songs were written about. In Japan, the blade was revered. In Persia, a fabulous wootz blade would have been passed father to son. I have seen very old kilij blades in much later mounts speaking to their longevity as a serviceable weapon. I think the same can be said of keris blades although you do see more heirloom handles than anywhere else. Identity is another question. One may be better able to identify a group by the handle but in most cases it is the blade that is passed down through the generations.

14th September 2006, 04:35 PM	#8
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,086	I am of the opinion that overall in many cultures there are more heirloom blades than heirloom handles. For the Viking, the blade was what songs were written about. In Japan, the blade was revered. In Persia, a fabulous wootz blade would have been passed father to son. I have seen very old kilij blades in much later mounts speaking to their longevity as a serviceable weapon. I think the same can be said of keris blades although you do see more heirloom handles than anywhere else. Identity is another question. One may be better able to identify a group by the handle but in most cases it is the blade that is passed down through the generations.