Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

tom hyle · 19th March 2005, 12:45 PM

I've encountered both nails and wooden wedges driven into tang holes to re-tighten hilts many times from many cultures on everthing from everyday tools to fancy weapons; I wouldn't read much of anything into it.
The thickness of the the blade is interesting in comination with its native look (mark, long ricassoe, narrow though wider than usual fuller that runs right up into the handle); I've owned two of these, and both had what I'm pretty sure are native blades, one showing considerable age and I wouldn't be surprised if it's c.18, and both were nicely sping tempered. I don't typically go around flexing other peoples' swords, so that's really the extent of my input on that issue.

19th March 2005, 12:45 PM	#10
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	I've encountered both nails and wooden wedges driven into tang holes to re-tighten hilts many times from many cultures on everthing from everyday tools to fancy weapons; I wouldn't read much of anything into it. The thickness of the the blade is interesting in comination with its native look (mark, long ricassoe, narrow though wider than usual fuller that runs right up into the handle); I've owned two of these, and both had what I'm pretty sure are native blades, one showing considerable age and I wouldn't be surprised if it's c.18, and both were nicely sping tempered. I don't typically go around flexing other peoples' swords, so that's really the extent of my input on that issue.