Khanda,what is it?

ariel · 21st May 2006, 01:56 AM

Oops, I missed the hole!
What it means, beyond doubt, is that the blade/handle marriage is not their first one.
This blade was formerly used for a sword with a real baskethill
handle and was riveted.
This is a replacement; either old (Indians saved handles and used replacement blades) or new.
If the former, it is OK, if the latter...
I have seen several Indian swords, usually with desirable Khanda, Sossun Pata or Tegha blades (all recently made) inserted into old "Khanda" handles and sold for a fortune.
This one does not look new, but just in case, look carefully if there are signs of any new sharpening, whether the steel is soft etc.
Sorry for sounding paranoid, but I gor burned myself...

RSWORD · 21st May 2006, 01:52 PM

To determine if the blade is a new one mounted with an older hilt, or, an old blade that has been buffed up bright, I would view the blade closely as you can beneath the langets. If someone did indeed buff up an older blade, there should be patina or corrosion beneath the langet that you simply cannot reach when buffing. If this area is consistent with the balance of the blade then the buffing was done uniformly before mounting to the hilt. If it has corrosion or dark patina, then the buffing was performed while blade is attached to hilt and may be suggestive the two have been together for awhile. If the blade turns out to be wootz, that is another good sign that the blade is older.

Jens Nordlunde · 21st May 2006, 04:18 PM

Nice pattisa you got – congratulations.
Hilts were reused as well as blades, and when the blades were worn out, they were used to make new blades out of. Some of the pattisa/khanda blades were very flexible, and as they wanted to have a flexible, but not too heavy, but still a stiff blade, they reinforced them. It is however not all the blades which were reinforced. I think reinforcement would need to be fastened at least in two places, so if there is only one hole, close to the hilt, on your sword, I doubt that it was for reinforcement.
Is the mark close to the tip the only on the blade?

Like Rick says, be careful when etching, especially if you have not tried it before, then a search on the forum for etching might be a good idea.

ariel · 21st May 2006, 07:40 PM

I have an old Tulwar with the European blade and it has a hole in the middle of the blade (just like this one) and it is surrounded by a very faint imprint of an old reinforcing part. Obviously, it used to be riveted to another handle (Basket hilt-type). The cementing is very old, and the patination is uniform along the entire blade. No doubt the two parts lived together in harmony for a very, very long time.
The practice of remounting blades was indeed very widespread and the "hole" should in no way serve as the final evidence of forgery.
However, in this day and age one cannot be too paranoid....

21st May 2006, 01:56 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Oops, I missed the hole! What it means, beyond doubt, is that the blade/handle marriage is not their first one. This blade was formerly used for a sword with a real baskethill handle and was riveted. This is a replacement; either old (Indians saved handles and used replacement blades) or new. If the former, it is OK, if the latter... I have seen several Indian swords, usually with desirable Khanda, Sossun Pata or Tegha blades (all recently made) inserted into old "Khanda" handles and sold for a fortune. This one does not look new, but just in case, look carefully if there are signs of any new sharpening, whether the steel is soft etc. Sorry for sounding paranoid, but I gor burned myself...

21st May 2006, 01:52 PM	#2
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,086	To determine if the blade is a new one mounted with an older hilt, or, an old blade that has been buffed up bright, I would view the blade closely as you can beneath the langets. If someone did indeed buff up an older blade, there should be patina or corrosion beneath the langet that you simply cannot reach when buffing. If this area is consistent with the balance of the blade then the buffing was done uniformly before mounting to the hilt. If it has corrosion or dark patina, then the buffing was performed while blade is attached to hilt and may be suggestive the two have been together for awhile. If the blade turns out to be wootz, that is another good sign that the blade is older.

21st May 2006, 04:18 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Nice pattisa you got – congratulations. Hilts were reused as well as blades, and when the blades were worn out, they were used to make new blades out of. Some of the pattisa/khanda blades were very flexible, and as they wanted to have a flexible, but not too heavy, but still a stiff blade, they reinforced them. It is however not all the blades which were reinforced. I think reinforcement would need to be fastened at least in two places, so if there is only one hole, close to the hilt, on your sword, I doubt that it was for reinforcement. Is the mark close to the tip the only on the blade? Like Rick says, be careful when etching, especially if you have not tried it before, then a search on the forum for etching might be a good idea.

21st May 2006, 07:40 PM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I have an old Tulwar with the European blade and it has a hole in the middle of the blade (just like this one) and it is surrounded by a very faint imprint of an old reinforcing part. Obviously, it used to be riveted to another handle (Basket hilt-type). The cementing is very old, and the patination is uniform along the entire blade. No doubt the two parts lived together in harmony for a very, very long time. The practice of remounting blades was indeed very widespread and the "hole" should in no way serve as the final evidence of forgery. However, in this day and age one cannot be too paranoid....