3 Pulwars

Battara · 7th October 2019, 03:49 AM

Although not my area of expertise, I do want to point out the possibility of the 3rd pulwar blade (bottom of picture) having a scarf weld. The geometry of the curve is "broken" in the middle and a polish and etch might show this.

mariusgmioc · 7th October 2019, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Although not my area of expertise, I do want to point out the possibility of the 3rd pulwar blade (bottom of picture) having a scarf weld. The geometry of the curve is "broken" in the middle and a polish and etch might show this.

Hello Battara,

That is a sign the blade was badly bent there, then straightened up.

AHorsa · 9th October 2019, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Although not my area of expertise, I do want to point out the possibility of the 3rd pulwar blade (bottom of picture) having a scarf weld. The geometry of the curve is "broken" in the middle and a polish and etch might show this.

It is definitely no welding. The direction of that "curve" is also quite strange for beeing bent, but indeed in this area there is a bend in horizontal direction....

Jim McDougall · 9th October 2019, 02:49 PM

What Jose has astutely noted, the anomaly in the curvature of the blade on the example #3 is most interesting, and I had not noticed it. It does seem to have the appearance of a scarf weld. I have seen this on blades and honestly could not understand the viability of such repair, would the blade still have its effective integrity?

I have also heard of straight blades being worked into curved, but this seems a lot of work.

The blade on this paluaor seems to have the typical radius of a shamshir blade and overall character. Could it have been bent and straightened? Not sure whether scarf weld or straightened, but some repair at center of blade seems evident.

ariel · 9th October 2019, 03:06 PM

A bit of polishing and etching is likely to give an answer.
Without it the cows will never come home:-)

mariusgmioc · 9th October 2019, 11:53 PM

It is as I said, bent laterally (say "z" axis, where longitudinal ,direction is "x" axis, and the direction of the curvature of the blade is the "y" axis) then straightened up!

The blade has a triangular cross-section, with more material at the spine and when the blade is bent laterally (along z axis) there is more material that extends near the spine than near the edge. Then, when the blade is straightened up, the extended material near the spine compresses less than the material near the edge, thus resulting the "counter-curvature" along the y axis that is in the opposite direction of the curvature of the blade.

Norman McCormick · 10th October 2019, 01:28 PM

Hi,
Here are a couple of images of a scarf weld on one of my Tulwars. There is no interruption to the geometry of the blade in any direction.
Regards,
Norman.

ariel · 10th October 2019, 06:28 PM

Question to the professional blade smiths:

Scarf welding of wootz must have involved forging at low temperatures and involve only limited volumes of steel. Correct?
If so, how strong was the weld?

7th October 2019, 03:49 AM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	Although not my area of expertise, I do want to point out the possibility of the 3rd pulwar blade (bottom of picture) having a scarf weld. The geometry of the curve is "broken" in the middle and a polish and etch might show this. Attached Images

9th October 2019, 11:53 PM	#6
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,911	It is as I said, bent laterally (say "z" axis, where longitudinal ,direction is "x" axis, and the direction of the curvature of the blade is the "y" axis) then straightened up! The blade has a triangular cross-section, with more material at the spine and when the blade is bent laterally (along z axis) there is more material that extends near the spine than near the edge. Then, when the blade is straightened up, the extended material near the spine compresses less than the material near the edge, thus resulting the "counter-curvature" along the y axis that is in the opposite direction of the curvature of the blade. Last edited by mariusgmioc; 10th October 2019 at 10:05 AM.

10th October 2019, 01:28 PM	#7
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,618	Hi, Here are a couple of images of a scarf weld on one of my Tulwars. There is no interruption to the geometry of the blade in any direction. Regards, Norman. Attached Images

9th October 2019, 02:49 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,278	What Jose has astutely noted, the anomaly in the curvature of the blade on the example #3 is most interesting, and I had not noticed it. It does seem to have the appearance of a scarf weld. I have seen this on blades and honestly could not understand the viability of such repair, would the blade still have its effective integrity? I have also heard of straight blades being worked into curved, but this seems a lot of work. The blade on this paluaor seems to have the typical radius of a shamshir blade and overall character. Could it have been bent and straightened? Not sure whether scarf weld or straightened, but some repair at center of blade seems evident.

9th October 2019, 03:06 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	A bit of polishing and etching is likely to give an answer. Without it the cows will never come home:-)

10th October 2019, 06:28 PM	#8
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Question to the professional blade smiths: Scarf welding of wootz must have involved forging at low temperatures and involve only limited volumes of steel. Correct? If so, how strong was the weld?