Good news /bad news Tulwar.

Gt Obach · 28th February 2007, 01:46 AM

very good
i'd leave it the way it is... in terms of shape...
- but.. i'd clean the fullers up..... get a wooden dowel.... shape it to fit the fuller.... ( sort of a push stick) then wrap some abrasive cloth around the tip and push it .... ... push it real good..

--
-like the chiseling on it

remember towards the end of the job to work on the edge... get it nice n sharp ... thats the tricky part when they like to bite

Greg

Rick · 28th February 2007, 02:10 AM

Unless this blade is wootz IMO don't etch it; the patterns of tulwars are seldom particularly impressive when etched and I don't believe that your average pattern welded tulwar within the culture was originally etched for aesthetics.

Just an opinion; YMMV*.

*(your mileage may vary)

Andrew · 28th February 2007, 04:11 AM

Well done! I wish I had the skill and patience to do the job.

Pukka Bundook · 28th February 2007, 02:11 PM

Well, I thank you all for your feedback! I greatly appreciate it.

By general consensus, it would appear I should leave blade shape as is.

Maybe try an etch, but if nothing startling shows up, leave it bright.

Gt Obach,
You mention cleaning up fullers.
I had left them at the moment, as i was unsure wether to do them or not, as they do show some age, and this is a sort of 'evidence' that the blade isn't a new one.
Thank you for the advice.
Re. sharpening, if so, Should I sharpen the damaged area, or leave the chips showing?
(I'd think leave the chips in the blade, but seek wiser feed-back!)

Thank you all again for your contributions!

All the best,
Richard.

PS, Can anyone tell me what the little circle of dots on the yelman mean??
Thanks!

Gt Obach · 28th February 2007, 03:32 PM

Hi Richard
Its up to you if you want to leave the fullers

if you bring it up to 600 grit... with fresh papers.. have a strong light shine down on the flat of the blade..... get your eyes close the the blade and you should be able to see if its patternweld or wootz blade... its very subtle but there.... unless you burnish the blade by overloading your sand paper with grindings..

for me.... i'd polish out the chips... as they could be starting points for cracks in the blade if you use it for cutting... but if you don't use it for cutting... then leave them

a truly sharp sword has a certain magic...

Greg

Jens Nordlunde · 28th February 2007, 04:35 PM

Hi Richard,

When I write that I am studying the decorations, then I mean, that I do 'scratch the stone' on and off, when nothing else distracts me. One of the problems, and that is a big one, is to make sure which flower shown on the hilts represents which flower – as the artistic touch can be rather big. With some of the flowers I only have a hunch, with others I know what they are, but I would like to know more about it.

Years ago I did not bother much with the bibliography in a book, but it is different now as I read the forward, the bibliography, skim the book – and decide if it is a book I would like to have. If you don't do it already, try it, and you will learn much about the book by reading the bibliography and skimming the book. I would really be surprised if you don't like Robert's book, and few books are written about south Indian weapons – so if you collect Indian arms, it is a must, and if you buy the book, don't skip the notes they are very valuable.

I find the decoration close to the hilt strange, but I find the decoration at the yelman even stranger, is it on both sides? Is it possible for you to take close ups of both decorations?

Battara · 28th February 2007, 09:35 PM

With all due respect I may add a different perspective to the etching question. I would look very closely at the blade to see if any pattern is there. Perhaps you could etch a small section, a "window" as they say in the Nihonto collecting terms. If there is a pattern, I would etch it. If not, don't bother with the rest of it.

28th February 2007, 01:46 AM	#1
Gt Obach Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 116	very good i'd leave it the way it is... in terms of shape... - but.. i'd clean the fullers up..... get a wooden dowel.... shape it to fit the fuller.... ( sort of a push stick) then wrap some abrasive cloth around the tip and push it .... ... push it real good.. -- -like the chiseling on it remember towards the end of the job to work on the edge... get it nice n sharp ... thats the tricky part when they like to bite Greg

28th February 2007, 02:10 AM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Unless this blade is wootz IMO don't etch it; the patterns of tulwars are seldom particularly impressive when etched and I don't believe that your average pattern welded tulwar within the culture was originally etched for aesthetics. Just an opinion; YMMV. (your mileage may vary)

28th February 2007, 04:11 AM	#3
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Well done! I wish I had the skill and patience to do the job.

28th February 2007, 02:11 PM	#4
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Well, I thank you all for your feedback! I greatly appreciate it. By general consensus, it would appear I should leave blade shape as is. Maybe try an etch, but if nothing startling shows up, leave it bright. Gt Obach, You mention cleaning up fullers. I had left them at the moment, as i was unsure wether to do them or not, as they do show some age, and this is a sort of 'evidence' that the blade isn't a new one. Thank you for the advice. Re. sharpening, if so, Should I sharpen the damaged area, or leave the chips showing? (I'd think leave the chips in the blade, but seek wiser feed-back!) Thank you all again for your contributions! All the best, Richard. PS, Can anyone tell me what the little circle of dots on the yelman mean?? Thanks!

28th February 2007, 03:32 PM	#5
Gt Obach Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 116	Hi Richard Its up to you if you want to leave the fullers if you bring it up to 600 grit... with fresh papers.. have a strong light shine down on the flat of the blade..... get your eyes close the the blade and you should be able to see if its patternweld or wootz blade... its very subtle but there.... unless you burnish the blade by overloading your sand paper with grindings.. for me.... i'd polish out the chips... as they could be starting points for cracks in the blade if you use it for cutting... but if you don't use it for cutting... then leave them a truly sharp sword has a certain magic... Greg

28th February 2007, 04:35 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Richard, When I write that I am studying the decorations, then I mean, that I do 'scratch the stone' on and off, when nothing else distracts me. One of the problems, and that is a big one, is to make sure which flower shown on the hilts represents which flower – as the artistic touch can be rather big. With some of the flowers I only have a hunch, with others I know what they are, but I would like to know more about it. Years ago I did not bother much with the bibliography in a book, but it is different now as I read the forward, the bibliography, skim the book – and decide if it is a book I would like to have. If you don't do it already, try it, and you will learn much about the book by reading the bibliography and skimming the book. I would really be surprised if you don't like Robert's book, and few books are written about south Indian weapons – so if you collect Indian arms, it is a must, and if you buy the book, don't skip the notes they are very valuable. I find the decoration close to the hilt strange, but I find the decoration at the yelman even stranger, is it on both sides? Is it possible for you to take close ups of both decorations?

28th February 2007, 09:35 PM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	With all due respect I may add a different perspective to the etching question. I would look very closely at the blade to see if any pattern is there. Perhaps you could etch a small section, a "window" as they say in the Nihonto collecting terms. If there is a pattern, I would etch it. If not, don't bother with the rest of it.