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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,069
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Another one of my junk box finds, but quite a nice one. 20cm long overall, 3.5 cm at it's widest point and a hefty (for it's size) 7.5 mill wide at it's base. I bought it at an antiques fair for a pittance, and I suspect it may be wootz, it has that feel about it, very fine grain, slightly greasy like silver.
What I am hoping someone can tell me is, where it is from, and what sort of hilt it would have had. I have found blades of the same basic flame shape in my books, but none with the same ogee detail at the heel of the blade. Once I have some idea, I can then make a replacement grip, and put it on my wall. I suspect it had a V nice grip originaly, stripped to go on a better blade, or even scrapped for the metal value. |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: between work and sleep
Posts: 731
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resembles the same shape as some south Indian blades I've been seeing.. they say those are from Kerala but I don't know.
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brooklyn, NY USA
Posts: 227
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You know, I was also about to say India (and Kerala is one of the regions famous for downcurved single-edged knife blades) but there is something "unindian" about this item, even despite a little figural cut out at the bottom of the edge... Perhaps it is the thickness of the blade? Kerala knifes are usually much thiner and compensate for that by having a T-spine on the back of the blade. Sorry, I wish I could be more helpful. If you do decide to turn this into a kerala knife, here are a few examples to give you an idea for the construction of the hilt.
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 131
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Cool looking blade. Sadly it looks like it's lost half of it's heat treat, if it was ever hardened.
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,069
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I have began proper cleaning of the blade, starting with the old coke soak, getting the first layers off, so to speak. Interestingly, a third of the width of the blade, along the edge, has come out distinctly darker, along a clearly defined line. So, edge insert or wootz, or is there a tradition that uses both. Any ideas anyone??
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#6 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brooklyn, NY USA
Posts: 227
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