Searching for a Coftgari artist in Europe

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Great catch my friend! I am already curious to see the finished sword! Are the remains of the handle scales from rhino horn?

Regards,
Detlef

Hi Detlef my friend,

yes they are from rhino horn but totally corroded, partially almost mineralized.

I'm still unsure whether I make them from buffalo horn or grenadill ebony wood. Grenadill is much more beautiful than buffalo horn but I afraid not really traditional.


Regards,
Roland

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by Roland_M

Hi Detlef my friend,

yes they are from rhino horn but totally corroded, partially almost mineralized.

I'm still unsure whether I make them from buffalo horn or grenadill ebony wood. Grenadill is much more beautiful than buffalo horn but I afraid not really traditional.


Regards,
Roland

Hello Roland,

Fantastic blade and in very good condition. But didn't see too much of the koftgari.

Maybe Grenadil is not traditional, but I have certainly seen Kilij swords with antique wooden scales, although the scales may have been old replacements as well. So maybe dark dyed walnut or ebony would be better than grenadil.

The problem with buffalo horn is that it would be rather difficult to find the adequate size and quality in Europe. You may need to look to Nepal or India for replacements.

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

Hello Roland,

Fantastic blade and in very good condition. But didn't see too much of the koftgari.

Maybe Grenadil is not traditional, but I have certainly seen Kilij swords with antique wooden scales, although the scales may have been old replacements as well. So maybe dark dyed walnut or ebony would be better than grenadil.

The problem with buffalo horn is that it would be rather difficult to find the adequate size and quality in Europe. You may need to look to Nepal or India for replacements.

Hi Marius,

I have this very old wooden club. The wood is heavy, dense and has a fantastic color, perfect for the Pala. Very simpel and archaic shape. But it is a very old (up to hundreds of years old) and very rare club, so I think the club is too good for that purpose.
The club still has an old inhabitant, a mummified maggot, which was trapped inside by a resin cover. The resin cover got lost during exercising and the maggot mummy "saw" the first daylight after maybe 500 years .

What do you think is it a sacrilege?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Roland_M

What do you think is it a sacrilege?

Yes!!!

[Sajen]

It don't will be a great deal to get black horn in the correct size!

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Yes!!!

Sure, I will not touch the club.

It was just because such a fantastic russet ebony wood is unavailable nowadays.

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

Hello Roland,

Fantastic blade and in very good condition. But didn't see too much of the koftgari.

Hello Marius,

this is all what's left over. Enough Information for a new koftgari.

[mariusgmioc]

Well, I don't know if it is sufficient information for new Koftgari. It seems to be rather faint to me.

As with regards to the scales, while ebony may be hard to find, you certainly have alternatives to the grenadil. Walnut is rather easy to find. Mahogany and palisander are also quite easy to get from old, broken furniture. In the end, I guess that any kind of hardwod would do since it can be dyed to look almost like ebony, but...

... probably will look better with black buffalo horn.

[David]

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

Well, I don't know if it is sufficient information for new Koftgari. It seems to be rather faint to me.

Personally i would have to agree with Marius on this one. While i do understand that we all have our own ideas as to what restoration is i don't see that you really have enough of the koftgari left on this blade to legitimately "return" it to its past splendor. It would be very unlikely the whatever pattern you would have an artist place on this blade would be anything like what was there before. So you would not be "restoring" the blade in that context, but inventing it anew. It's yours to do with as you please i suppose, but that might be somewhat misleading to the next generations that might become its caretaker in the future.

[ariel]

I agree. New koftgari will stick out as a sre thumb. It will be not authentic.
Same with the handle. This sword has history in it. Do not destroy it.

[Rick]

Well, if you really must; maybe something to inspire the artist whoever he might be?
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=kilij

[asomotif]

Originally Posted by ariel

I agree. New koftgari will stick out as a sre thumb. It will be not authentic.
Same with the handle. This sword has history in it. Do not destroy it.

Dear Ariel,

The hilt looks like relic state to me.

What do you suggest ?