comments on this barung lamenation?

[tom hyle]

Originally Posted by Gt Obach

as for a pinced edge..... if this is the similar technique used to weld the steeled bit into an axehead....I can see lots of problems happening if you were to do this with a thin edge.... hot cutting the slot or groove for the steel bit/edge to fit in would be hard to do... (theres not enough metal)

but if you were to add the steel after the billet is squared and then pointed at one end..... you'd end up with a thick edge look .....its very similar to viking twist core swords........ cept this has no twists..... and the core laminates are sideways to show long lines....


Greg

This all may seem sensible, but what I'm speaking from about oceanic SE Asian swords is not sense and reason; it is experience; in my experience the pinched edge is common; the butt welded edge is uncommon, and in older European blacksmithing books (I can't read the Asian ones) is spoken of as being weak. One does see it on many swords, however, including Moro ones, and it is possible here (though likely made in layers and upended the bodies of these swords could be spoken of as composed of narrow buttwelded panels). These just do not look like buttwelds I have seen of this type, which tend to be fairly straight; they look like pinched in edges I've seen, but that is indeed an awful fine distinction to make from photos. I've little doubt that in person either of us could fairly easily see which it is, but seeing this stuff does not come easy to everyone; minds are different from each other. I by no means think it's impossible the edges are butt welded; I just doubt it.