18th Century Katar?

RSWORD · 11th April 2012, 06:05 PM

Nice looking katar and the wootz pattern on the blade is bold and I think should clean up nicely. There is something about the color of the steel between the koftgari decorations that makes me wonder if the handle is also wootz. You may want to do a light etch in those areas to see.

Jens Nordlunde · 11th April 2012, 06:30 PM

Funny you should mention the possibility of the side guards being of wootz, as I had the same feeling, but did not mention it as I have not etched the side guards on my katar. The first question would be, 'have you etched your side guards? Why not?'

Lew · 11th April 2012, 08:09 PM

I thought about etching them but I don't really want to mess with it since I don't know what effect it will have on the gold koftgari? I do have other katar where the side bars are wootz. There is a weld from the half way point down where they finished off with some other type of steel.

11th April 2012, 06:05 PM	#1
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,086	Nice looking katar and the wootz pattern on the blade is bold and I think should clean up nicely. There is something about the color of the steel between the koftgari decorations that makes me wonder if the handle is also wootz. You may want to do a light etch in those areas to see.

11th April 2012, 06:30 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Funny you should mention the possibility of the side guards being of wootz, as I had the same feeling, but did not mention it as I have not etched the side guards on my katar. The first question would be, 'have you etched your side guards? Why not?'

11th April 2012, 08:09 PM	#3
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	I thought about etching them but I don't really want to mess with it since I don't know what effect it will have on the gold koftgari? I do have other katar where the side bars are wootz. There is a weld from the half way point down where they finished off with some other type of steel.