Double katars
 

Those of you interested in Indian weapons, have most likely been looking at Stone, page 345, figure 432 #3, seeing a double katar and that was that. I did too, but only recently I realised that the outer katar does not have a cross guard – how many of you noticed?

I have a few double katars, but on all of them there is a cross guard on both the outer and the inner katar. My double katars are no doubt newer than the one shown in Stone. The fact that both katars had cross guards may not mean anything when it comes to age, but it could. Do you have any double katars to show, or do you have any suggestions?

Yes, the blade of the inner katar is quite a bit older then the one of the outer katar.

Notice also, that the side guards are broader at the top than at the bottom. This maybe suggests that some of the newer katars were made like this – maybe due the way their sleeves were at the time, or maybe due to a new fashion - but this is only speculation.

Fabulous!!

yes, fabulous indeed, as always!
i believe pant illustrated a double katar in one of his volumes of indian arms. it was a line drawing, taken from a piece in the ulwar sollection. hendley catalogued the collection in 1888, but this double katar wasnt illustrated. i havent gone through the text, to see whether it was mentioned, nor looked to see if it was the whle collection, or just part that he wrote about.
i also was offered a double tulwar some years back. i suppose i should have bought it, but it wasnt to my taste at the time. it had a normal scabbard, with a large, thick wootz blade. inside this thickened blade was a slimmer wootz blade. the hilt was relatively plain, hence me turning it down. was very interesting though, and not something i've seen mentioned before. it was a useale weapon, and not just a showy piece.