Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons
FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 20th June 2007, 11:06 AM   #1
ALEX
Member
 
ALEX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 936
Default WOOTZ'nROZES

Recently I had an argument about the Rose pattern with one of my friends, who claimed that what you see on the pictures below is not a rose pattern per se, but just random circular distortions; rose pattern is a deliberate/manual process of making a circle, not self-occurring. But it looks pretty Ros'ish to me. Any comments?
Attached Images
  
ALEX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th June 2007, 12:31 PM   #2
ariel
Member
 
ariel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
Default

Beautiful blade!
But... I am with your friend: I can't see any artificially-applied pattern, ladder or roses.
ariel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th June 2007, 12:49 PM   #3
CharlesS
Member
 
CharlesS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Greenville, NC
Posts: 1,857
Default

I'm with Ariel....Forget the flowers, just revel in the beauty of that blade!
CharlesS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th June 2007, 12:56 PM   #4
ALEX
Member
 
ALEX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 936
Default

Thanks Ariel.
Somehow I thought the concept of "rudimentary"/(not deliberately made) ladder formations would apply to rose formations as well. I know it is just a concept, but wanted to hear what others think.
Also, below is another very fine wootz blade, recently restored. It is much wider and heavier one, with amazing wootz clarity and contrast. Hope I am not offending anyone by posting too many wootz pictures:-)
Attached Images
 
ALEX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th June 2007, 01:22 PM   #5
RSWORD
Member
 
RSWORD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 1,083
Default

One can never post too many wootz pictures and shame on anyone who thinks such a thing!

Circular distortions, such as you picture, are not an uncommon feature in wootz blades but seem to show up in better quality examples. I define better quality as higher levels of activity(circular distortions, meandering lines, etc.), higher contrast and generally tend to be of a more sophisticated level of grind and polish. As you state, the ladder and rose pattern is created through a manual manipulation of the wootz bar and therefore tends to have regularity to its spacing, position between ladder rungs, etc.

Beautiful example. Thanks for sharing!
RSWORD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th June 2007, 09:13 PM   #6
Tatyana Dianova
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 695
Default

Alex, what a beautiful blades Can you please post also the whole blades and swords?
Tatyana Dianova is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st June 2007, 08:34 AM   #7
ALEX
Member
 
ALEX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 936
Default

Tatyana,
I am restoring the first sword now, and will post pictures when it is ready.
Here is the picture of the second one:
Attached Images
 
ALEX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st June 2007, 08:49 AM   #8
Tatyana Dianova
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 695
Default

Absolutely beautiful!!! Have you restored it also yourself? Have you used the special dust?
Tatyana Dianova is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21st June 2007, 10:21 AM   #9
ALEX
Member
 
ALEX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 936
Default

I "directed" the restoration:-) and used the "dust". I still don't know what it consists of, but it works. The only minus is that it leaves some white random blury spots on the blade in places where wootz is not 100% perfectly developed, whereas other etchants would maintain darker coloration, thus making the "blanks" less evident. I'll post some closeups when time permits.
ALEX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd June 2007, 12:26 AM   #10
Jim McDougall
Arms Historian
 
Jim McDougall's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,940
Default

Alex,
Just wanted to say I love the thread title.."wootz n' roses"....now thats heavy metal!!!!!

All the best,
Jim
Jim McDougall is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd June 2007, 06:53 PM   #11
Battara
EAAF Staff
 
Battara's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,217
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ALEX
I "directed" the restoration:-) and used the "dust"
Dust? What, where, how can I get this "dust"?
Battara is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd June 2007, 03:38 PM   #12
ariel
Member
 
ariel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Battara
Dust? What, where, how can I get this "dust"?
Indeed!
Alex, can you inquire what the heck is this magic substance? Where did you get it? Can you get more? I am sure many of us and many more around the world would love to get it for their collections. If no info is available, can you take it to some chemistry lab and determine the composition? Old son, this is a beginning of a beautiful business!
ariel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28th June 2007, 06:47 AM   #13
ALEX
Member
 
ALEX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 936
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
Alex,
Just wanted to say I love the thread title.."wootz n' roses"....now thats heavy metal!!!!!

All the best,
Jim
Thanks Jim:-)
Here is the complete song :-)
Attached Images
 
ALEX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28th June 2007, 07:11 AM   #14
ALEX
Member
 
ALEX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 936
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RSWORD
One can never post too many wootz pictures...
Got it Rick:-) Here is another one of a freshly polished/etched blade which looks like wootz:-)

Ariel,
I have only so little of this "dust" and am trying to get more. Actually it is more like a mud. It does not dull the polished surface like an acid would, and this is it's main advantage. But it will not enhance or better develop low quality wootz. If/when I get more of it, I'll let you know, and I'll also try to get it to the lab to find out what it is.
Attached Images
  
ALEX is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:29 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.