Why do some pulwars and Tulwars have sloppily and roughy cut fullers?

[Sakalord364]

I would assume it’s because some smiths (such as individual smiths or those belonging to a small workshop) did not have the time nor the resources to practice cutting fullers precisely, and their main focus was to make good blades, and foreign aesthetic elements such as fullers thus took the back seat.

On the other hand smiths who belonged to large workshops or smiths who had well off patrons could afford to practice cutting fullers and other design elements finely and with precision perhaps?

[Nihl]

So, I'm guessing that the swords you're referring to are mostly 19th century products, as that's when most of the examples I've seen have been made (specifically in the second half of the 19th century). If that is the case then there is indeed a fairly simple reason why quality suffered during this time period: colonization.

Colonial restrictions effectively prohibited the production of quality mid-level swords, such that only low-level village smiths could get away with weapon production, while conversely high quality products were reserved exclusively for elites and/or wealthy western tourists. Subsequently, the skills required for competent sword making were slowly but surely strangled out of most of the population, as only a select few would ever make it to high enough levels to be permitted to learn the trade, while rural production was slowly stomped out with increasing regulations and modernization. The combination of all of this is what results in weapons of poorer and poorer quality being made.

In the case of Afghan pulwars, afghanistan was actively resisting colonization for pretty much the entirety of the 19th century, so it would make sense that weapon quality might not be too high of a priority other than, again, in specific elite workshops.

Edit: this is to say that, basically, you are correct, but there is an underlying reason why these lesser quality items were produced in the first place.

[Sakalord364]

Originally Posted by Nihl

So, I'm guessing that the swords you're referring to are mostly 19th century products, as that's when most of the examples I've seen have been made (specifically in the second half of the 19th century). If that is the case then there is indeed a fairly simple reason why quality suffered during this time period: colonization.

Colonial restrictions effectively prohibited the production of quality mid-level swords, such that only low-level village smiths could get away with weapon production, while conversely high quality products were reserved exclusively for elites and/or wealthy western tourists. Subsequently, the skills required for competent sword making were slowly but surely strangled out of most of the population, as only a select few would ever make it to high enough levels to be permitted to learn the trade, while rural production was slowly stomped out with increasing regulations and modernization. The combination of all of this is what results in weapons of poorer and poorer quality being made.

In the case of Afghan pulwars, afghanistan was actively resisting colonization for pretty much the entirety of the 19th century, so it would make sense that weapon quality might not be too high of a priority other than, again, in specific elite workshops.

Edit: this is to say that, basically, you are correct, but there is an underlying reason why these lesser quality items were produced in the first place.

Thanks, I deliberately left out Persia because they produced blades on an almost industrial level there, it was a massive industry to I’m assuming they were able to weather hardship more efficiently?

[Nihl]

Originally Posted by Sakalord364

Thanks, I deliberately left out Persia because they produced blades on an almost industrial level there, it was a massive industry to I’m assuming they were able to weather hardship more efficiently?

Not really, Qajar era (19th c) persia made some pretty poor quality stuff as well. Most of it was shoddy "revival" (of older styles) -type stuff intended for parades and just general nationalism. A lot of the higher quality stuff was admittedly pretty good, but it was again stuff intended for elites and not fighting warriors per say. I'd guess on average the quality might be better than some indian or afghan items, but I'm no expert on persian arms so I really can't comment much on the quality of mid-level qajar era swords.