Tulwar with some unusual modifications

blue lander · 5th June 2014, 06:37 PM

It arrived today, and boy is that hilt weird. First the dimensions...

It's 7mm thick at the base. After the ricasso it tapers to 5mm and stays that way until the false edge at the tip.

The blade's 35mm wide at the base, tapers to 32mm after the ricasso, then towards the tip it widens back to 35mm again.

There's eyelash marks struck by the hilt, but that's the only mark I can see.

The hilt is filled with some shiny metal, maybe zinc. It looks like the hilt was dismantled, filled with zinc, and then put back together again. I don't know what you call it, but the bit of the hilt that's supposed to slide over the scabbard has been pounded down, so it would have never fit in an Indian style scabbard again. Even in this condition the hilt's quite solid and sturdy.

The blade's a very heavy, thick, nice piece of steel. It's in pretty good condition except towards the tip where it's pitted. there's a few tiny failed laminations but otherwise it's a very well built blade. It's very slightly hollow on both sides and the edge is still pretty sharp.

Is there a snowball's chance in hell the blade is wootz? Should I bother trying to etch it?

Jens Nordlunde · 5th June 2014, 09:42 PM

If you look at your pictures you will se that they are not too good, would it be possible to get better pictures?
You are asking questions, but when the picturtes are bad, it is hard to answer your questions.
Jens

blue lander · 5th June 2014, 10:03 PM

I took these pictures with a pretty good camera but they came out blurry for some reason. I think my hand was shaking. I'll try again tomorrow.

spiral · 5th June 2014, 10:28 PM

The "door knob" pommel is welded on with modern equipment... So Id guess an amalgamation of bits... {Or "associated" , as the poshest auction houses say, knowing most buyers don't understand the reality of that expression. { lots of random different age pieces stuck together with, glue,Weld & even bolts & screws to make a few extra quid out of the junk bin = "associated" I London,Paris & New York..

}

Spiral

blue lander · 5th June 2014, 10:58 PM

If I may ask, if it was up to you would you leave this frankenstein as it is or would you free the blade and pair it with at $50 hilt from ebay. I am madly in love with this skull crushing blade but the hilt doesn't do anything for me if it isn't historically interesting.

Rick · 6th June 2014, 01:42 AM

I don't hold out much hope for any part of the ensemble .

Would suggest a more discriminating eye ?

Gavin Nugent · 6th June 2014, 03:35 AM

With regards to the hilts construction, they are made from 9 pieces typically...rarer examples such as silver ones may also have been made from multiple pieces but when finished would appear as a single piece.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=tulwar+hilts

Gavin

spiral · 6th June 2014, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue lander

If I may ask, if it was up to you would you leave this frankenstein as it is or would you free the blade and pair it with at $50 hilt from ebay. I am madly in love with this skull crushing blade but the hilt doesn't do anything for me if it isn't historically interesting.

I wouldn't have bought it unless it was the price of a bag of chips....

Even then I don't know what I would do with it. If the blade turned out to be laminated/wootz or well sprung I might re.handle it... otherwise not.

That could be just throwing good money after bad...

But your the man to decide what's useful or collectable to you.

Spiral

blue lander · 6th June 2014, 06:57 PM

Well, I got it for around half the prices of the cheapest Tulwar I've seen go up for auction. I'm just glad it doesn't have "MADE IN INDIA" stamped on it.

I've attached some closeups of the blade steel. There does appear to be some layering but I don't see any evidence of a watered steel pattern. I'll give it a few hours in some diluted PCB etchant and see what happens.

5th June 2014, 06:37 PM	#1
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	It arrived today, and boy is that hilt weird. First the dimensions... It's 7mm thick at the base. After the ricasso it tapers to 5mm and stays that way until the false edge at the tip. The blade's 35mm wide at the base, tapers to 32mm after the ricasso, then towards the tip it widens back to 35mm again. There's eyelash marks struck by the hilt, but that's the only mark I can see. The hilt is filled with some shiny metal, maybe zinc. It looks like the hilt was dismantled, filled with zinc, and then put back together again. I don't know what you call it, but the bit of the hilt that's supposed to slide over the scabbard has been pounded down, so it would have never fit in an Indian style scabbard again. Even in this condition the hilt's quite solid and sturdy. The blade's a very heavy, thick, nice piece of steel. It's in pretty good condition except towards the tip where it's pitted. there's a few tiny failed laminations but otherwise it's a very well built blade. It's very slightly hollow on both sides and the edge is still pretty sharp. Is there a snowball's chance in hell the blade is wootz? Should I bother trying to etch it? Attached Images

6th June 2014, 06:57 PM	#9
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	Well, I got it for around half the prices of the cheapest Tulwar I've seen go up for auction. I'm just glad it doesn't have "MADE IN INDIA" stamped on it. I've attached some closeups of the blade steel. There does appear to be some layering but I don't see any evidence of a watered steel pattern. I'll give it a few hours in some diluted PCB etchant and see what happens. Attached Images

5th June 2014, 09:42 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	If you look at your pictures you will se that they are not too good, would it be possible to get better pictures? You are asking questions, but when the picturtes are bad, it is hard to answer your questions. Jens

5th June 2014, 10:03 PM	#3
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	I took these pictures with a pretty good camera but they came out blurry for some reason. I think my hand was shaking. I'll try again tomorrow.

5th June 2014, 10:28 PM	#4
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	The "door knob" pommel is welded on with modern equipment... So Id guess an amalgamation of bits... {Or "associated" , as the poshest auction houses say, knowing most buyers don't understand the reality of that expression. { lots of random different age pieces stuck together with, glue,Weld & even bolts & screws to make a few extra quid out of the junk bin = "associated" I London,Paris & New York.. } Spiral

5th June 2014, 10:58 PM	#5
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	If I may ask, if it was up to you would you leave this frankenstein as it is or would you free the blade and pair it with at $50 hilt from ebay. I am madly in love with this skull crushing blade but the hilt doesn't do anything for me if it isn't historically interesting.

6th June 2014, 01:42 AM	#6
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,347	I don't hold out much hope for any part of the ensemble . Would suggest a more discriminating eye ?

6th June 2014, 03:35 AM	#7
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	With regards to the hilts construction, they are made from 9 pieces typically...rarer examples such as silver ones may also have been made from multiple pieces but when finished would appear as a single piece. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=tulwar+hilts Gavin