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tom hyle · 4th June 2005, 02:16 PM

Rick, curiuoser and curiouser; three layers to the spine you say? And from the flat it appears to be an applied spine...........?..........
I'll give another crack to what I was trying to ask though, as I've recieved no input. On shandigan barongs is the edge bevel also hollow ground, flat, or humped? If it is hollow ground, this puts them in a category with other E Asian hollow ground swords I've seen, where it seems to be more a matter of utilizing/showing off a particular technology for surface finishing than to be of always practical concern. For instance, the hollowed back on Japanese knives is often cited as to ease sharpening (less surface to grind away each time), but quite often every surface of these knives have the same hollow grind; it is simply the tool/method used to finish surfaces. In such instance, in fact, the hollow grind somewhat counteracts any sturdiness from obtuseness in the edge angle. So having explained (?) all that, what I wonder is, is the shandigan feature more a grooving of wedge section blade, or is it more like a reinforced edge on a wedge section blade, or is it consistant? You don't need an angle guage; much can be determined with a straight edge. Lay the straight edge across the edge bevel: Whether it is hollowed, flat, or humped will be instantly obvious if it was obscure before. Now, with the straight edge "indexed" to (ie laid flat on) the edge bevel, extend it out to the spine of the blade. Does it cross and touch the spine, indicating the same edge angle as a wedge section blade? Or is it considerably off the spine, indicating an angle that is more obtuse than a full width wedge? Or does it hit the spine where the spine rises, indicating a finer edge than a wedge section blade? This is a simple and useful technique. Rick could've used it (with two straight edges; I often use pencils; it ain't rocket science), BTW, to tell if the cutting area on his kirach is truly flat or slightly wedged; no caliper neccessary (forgive me for not explaining it at the time.....). Try it with sabres; it's fun and interesting. So, what I wonder, and I imagine others might find it interesting, is: Is the shandigan property essentially a reinforced edge, a hollowed flat, a simple expression/result of cross-blade grinding, is it even consistant, or what?..............if we laid cross sections of shandigan and nonshandigan barongs over each other, what would be the comparison?......

4th June 2005, 02:16 PM	#33
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Rick, curiuoser and curiouser; three layers to the spine you say? And from the flat it appears to be an applied spine...........?.......... I'll give another crack to what I was trying to ask though, as I've recieved no input. On shandigan barongs is the edge bevel also hollow ground, flat, or humped? If it is hollow ground, this puts them in a category with other E Asian hollow ground swords I've seen, where it seems to be more a matter of utilizing/showing off a particular technology for surface finishing than to be of always practical concern. For instance, the hollowed back on Japanese knives is often cited as to ease sharpening (less surface to grind away each time), but quite often every surface of these knives have the same hollow grind; it is simply the tool/method used to finish surfaces. In such instance, in fact, the hollow grind somewhat counteracts any sturdiness from obtuseness in the edge angle. So having explained (?) all that, what I wonder is, is the shandigan feature more a grooving of wedge section blade, or is it more like a reinforced edge on a wedge section blade, or is it consistant? You don't need an angle guage; much can be determined with a straight edge. Lay the straight edge across the edge bevel: Whether it is hollowed, flat, or humped will be instantly obvious if it was obscure before. Now, with the straight edge "indexed" to (ie laid flat on) the edge bevel, extend it out to the spine of the blade. Does it cross and touch the spine, indicating the same edge angle as a wedge section blade? Or is it considerably off the spine, indicating an angle that is more obtuse than a full width wedge? Or does it hit the spine where the spine rises, indicating a finer edge than a wedge section blade? This is a simple and useful technique. Rick could've used it (with two straight edges; I often use pencils; it ain't rocket science), BTW, to tell if the cutting area on his kirach is truly flat or slightly wedged; no caliper neccessary (forgive me for not explaining it at the time.....). Try it with sabres; it's fun and interesting. So, what I wonder, and I imagine others might find it interesting, is: Is the shandigan property essentially a reinforced edge, a hollowed flat, a simple expression/result of cross-blade grinding, is it even consistant, or what?..............if we laid cross sections of shandigan and nonshandigan barongs over each other, what would be the comparison?......