Question on tulwar blade construction

Pukka Bundook · 18th January 2016, 03:16 AM

Eric,

There Might be a photo on this forum from maybe 10 years ago.
If I cannot find the thread, I will take a photo or two.

By the pattern of the blade, the original broken off piece was re-joined.

Actually I had a look at this sword this morning, and the break was just at the end of the fullers, so maybe 9 inches from the tip.

Of course, attaching a hard edge to a softer blade, like an axe, has been common practice for maybe a thousand years, maybe more,

To be honest, unless we see documentation for the type of work we see in the swords above, I feel that some of them are definitely mended broken blades, rather than a recognised technique.
It is usually unsound practice to join two dissimilar metals, and expect them to work and flex together. The exception is the Japanese layering, or the old twisted rod construction where the mass becomes homogenous.
Some of the above blades are coming apart at the join.
Could not this have been spun into a story by those selling such blades in more recent times? We do see a lot of rubbish written.

Yes, we see evidence of joining, but Did they start out that way?
As we still see more old good quality sword blades worked in one piece, the above examples still compel me to think mended. :-)

I will look for that photo now;

Regards,
Richard.

18th January 2016, 03:16 AM	#27
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Eric, There Might be a photo on this forum from maybe 10 years ago. If I cannot find the thread, I will take a photo or two. By the pattern of the blade, the original broken off piece was re-joined. Actually I had a look at this sword this morning, and the break was just at the end of the fullers, so maybe 9 inches from the tip. Of course, attaching a hard edge to a softer blade, like an axe, has been common practice for maybe a thousand years, maybe more, To be honest, unless we see documentation for the type of work we see in the swords above, I feel that some of them are definitely mended broken blades, rather than a recognised technique. It is usually unsound practice to join two dissimilar metals, and expect them to work and flex together. The exception is the Japanese layering, or the old twisted rod construction where the mass becomes homogenous. Some of the above blades are coming apart at the join. Could not this have been spun into a story by those selling such blades in more recent times? We do see a lot of rubbish written. Yes, we see evidence of joining, but Did they start out that way? As we still see more old good quality sword blades worked in one piece, the above examples still compel me to think mended. :-) I will look for that photo now; Regards, Richard.