Two new talibons?

[Rafngard]

Originally Posted by kai

From the pics, I might even argue that the lower blade is of better quality. I'd recommend to etch all these blades: While some might be indeed from monosteel, some will probably be laminated and allow a glimpse on the blacksmith's work.

You may be right about the lower blade. That one in particular seems well balanced and just wants to move when in the hand. The bigger one is remarkably heavy and not quite as well balanced.

I'll have to try etching some of them. I'm not terribly good at it yet, and haven't had great results with the blades I've tried.

Originally Posted by kai

BTW, allowing for plenty of overlap, I'd be tempted to suggest 3 groupings:
...

20th century (pre-WW2):
Mostly usage of quality materials; variable workmanship (quick decline of traditional designs though). These are still undervalued IMHO and with patience & luck you can make good scores, especially in the US. It also stands to reason that some antique "villagers" may hide in this category (i. e. plain user pieces for common folks), some with possibly with replaced fittings...

Would these ones tend to have the traditional shape, but without the thumb rest?

Originally Posted by kai

I know it's tough to let things pass on ePray. However, I'd suggest to build up funds by letting some modern examples pass and try to wait for pieces from the second category. There may be some gems, especially among the damaged/incomplete ones; and it would be good to rescue them from the dumpster and save them for posterity!

I think you probably have the right idea here. I'll try to follow your suggestion. I also think I need to work on developing my restoration skills.

Thanks you very much for your feedback,
Leif