Materials for restoring a kaskara hilt

Mefidk · 11th May 2012, 05:47 PM

Hi folks

Ive posted this elsewhere but with no luck, so I'm hoping someone here might be able to point me in the right direction.

I'm in process of restoring a kaskara that came as a rather sad and rusty piece (old thread here), and I was hoping the practical folks here might be able to help me with some questions.

I've done the blade work and cleaned as far as I want to using very gentle methods (primarily pineapple juice and lots of time, but the occaisional use of scotch-brite for heavy deposits, and even a scalpel for really nasty lumps). Same treatment for the guard, and now I'm happy with the metal work.

The next step is the grip and pommel. The pommel I can make from a piece of wood using other kaskara I own as a pattern, and the existing wood grip is fine and can be re-used. The problem I have is how to recreate the windings used to cover the grip and leather for the pommel. I don't have enough of the original of either and so I'd like to replace with new.

So here are my questions:
1) Is it possible to get something like this winding - as far as I can see it is a very thin kind of rattan or similar vegetation-based material?
2) How might this have been applied? - e.g. would it be soaked and applied. It also looks as though there is a kind of glue holding some of it in place, almost like thin wood glue or waxy substance.
3) The pommel was I think covered in thin goat skin leather. I can find big pieces of thick leather, but this very fine leather is eluding me, again any suggestions?

Failing the above I will have to go for the easier option of brass or silver wire, or leather for the windings - but much less authentic, at least for this old warrior.

Chris

Edster · 12th May 2012, 02:30 AM

Chris,

Might the grip winding be leather? I have a couple of kaskaras with narrow leather strip as winding. Goat leather is most often used. If you live in the US you might check the Tandy Leather web site. They have material that might work. Otherwise, you might get some thin leather and slit it with a razor blade stuck in a piece of wood and draw it through.

Good luck,
Ed

Mefidk · 12th May 2012, 10:02 PM

Thanks for the input Ed. I think you may be right. What I took for fibre could be leather that is old and dried and treated on the outside with something like varnish. Now it is very brittle, but that is probably because of age.

I'll try to get a sample to a microscope next week and see if I can't see more clearly what its made of. But looking at the edges I could imagine this might be a thin strip of something cut in the manner you describe. This would make the winding of thicker leather than the pommel covering, and I guess easier to source

Mefidk · 15th May 2012, 05:11 PM

It is indeed leather

1.3mm wide and 0.6mm thick! I even managed to find a source of goatskin in the UK (nearer to me than the US). Time to find an old fashioned razor blade I think.

11th May 2012, 05:47 PM	#1
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Materials for restoring a kaskara hilt Hi folks Ive posted this elsewhere but with no luck, so I'm hoping someone here might be able to point me in the right direction. I'm in process of restoring a kaskara that came as a rather sad and rusty piece (old thread here), and I was hoping the practical folks here might be able to help me with some questions. I've done the blade work and cleaned as far as I want to using very gentle methods (primarily pineapple juice and lots of time, but the occaisional use of scotch-brite for heavy deposits, and even a scalpel for really nasty lumps). Same treatment for the guard, and now I'm happy with the metal work. The next step is the grip and pommel. The pommel I can make from a piece of wood using other kaskara I own as a pattern, and the existing wood grip is fine and can be re-used. The problem I have is how to recreate the windings used to cover the grip and leather for the pommel. I don't have enough of the original of either and so I'd like to replace with new. So here are my questions: 1) Is it possible to get something like this winding - as far as I can see it is a very thin kind of rattan or similar vegetation-based material? 2) How might this have been applied? - e.g. would it be soaked and applied. It also looks as though there is a kind of glue holding some of it in place, almost like thin wood glue or waxy substance. 3) The pommel was I think covered in thin goat skin leather. I can find big pieces of thick leather, but this very fine leather is eluding me, again any suggestions? Failing the above I will have to go for the easier option of brass or silver wire, or leather for the windings - but much less authentic, at least for this old warrior. Chris

12th May 2012, 02:30 AM	#2
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 408	Chris, Might the grip winding be leather? I have a couple of kaskaras with narrow leather strip as winding. Goat leather is most often used. If you live in the US you might check the Tandy Leather web site. They have material that might work. Otherwise, you might get some thin leather and slit it with a razor blade stuck in a piece of wood and draw it through. Good luck, Ed

12th May 2012, 10:02 PM	#3
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Thanks for the input Ed. I think you may be right. What I took for fibre could be leather that is old and dried and treated on the outside with something like varnish. Now it is very brittle, but that is probably because of age. I'll try to get a sample to a microscope next week and see if I can't see more clearly what its made of. But looking at the edges I could imagine this might be a thin strip of something cut in the manner you describe. This would make the winding of thicker leather than the pommel covering, and I guess easier to source

15th May 2012, 05:11 PM	#4
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	It is indeed leather 1.3mm wide and 0.6mm thick! I even managed to find a source of goatskin in the UK (nearer to me than the US). Time to find an old fashioned razor blade I think.