Chinese/Tibetan(?) Trousse

FenrisWolf · 16th March 2007, 11:24 PM

Pretty sure the shagren is the real deal; it has the depth and faint transluscence that it's supposed to:

As for the blade, again not the best pics, but you can see some of the pattern:

Andrew · 17th March 2007, 03:57 AM

I agree: looks like the real stuff to me.

FenrisWolf · 21st March 2007, 06:26 PM

Still no comments/explanations/suggestions as to the composition of the blade. Any information or even wild speculation would be apppreciated.

Nick Wardigo · 22nd March 2007, 12:02 AM

Looks to me like the "speckled pattern" might just be surface marring. Here and there, I can see some vaguely parallel lines that might be a layered pattern weld (look at the uppermost photo). In fact, also in this photo, it looks like it may have a hardened edge. My advice is to polish and etch a window in this thing and see what turns up. Some of the nicer trousses do have layered blades with inserted or hardened (or both) edges.

To answer your question regarding wootz...there is no history of wootz in China. Phil and I have occassionally speculated that cakes of wootz could have feasibly been obtained through trade with India and the Muslim world, but no Chinese swords have ever turned up with wootz blades. There are certainly no examples in the Forbidden City, and if any did exist, I would expect at least one to turn up in the possession of the Emperor.

The rayskin on the scabbard looks 100% right as rain.

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16th March 2007, 11:24 PM	#1
FenrisWolf Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 181	Pretty sure the shagren is the real deal; it has the depth and faint transluscence that it's supposed to: As for the blade, again not the best pics, but you can see some of the pattern:

17th March 2007, 03:57 AM	#2
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	I agree: looks like the real stuff to me.

21st March 2007, 06:26 PM	#3
FenrisWolf Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 181	Still no comments/explanations/suggestions as to the composition of the blade. Any information or even wild speculation would be apppreciated.

22nd March 2007, 12:02 AM	#4
Nick Wardigo Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 54	Looks to me like the "speckled pattern" might just be surface marring. Here and there, I can see some vaguely parallel lines that might be a layered pattern weld (look at the uppermost photo). In fact, also in this photo, it looks like it may have a hardened edge. My advice is to polish and etch a window in this thing and see what turns up. Some of the nicer trousses do have layered blades with inserted or hardened (or both) edges. To answer your question regarding wootz...there is no history of wootz in China. Phil and I have occassionally speculated that cakes of wootz could have feasibly been obtained through trade with India and the Muslim world, but no Chinese swords have ever turned up with wootz blades. There are certainly no examples in the Forbidden City, and if any did exist, I would expect at least one to turn up in the possession of the Emperor. The rayskin on the scabbard looks 100% right as rain.