Tulwar for comment

Helleri · 18th January 2016, 09:49 PM

Bought this off ebay for about $30 a couple years ago. At the time I just wanted a -any- Tulwar. But I have no clue on age, style etc. I can post larger individual images if need be (this just seems convenient for a quick look). It has no markings any where on it. And the disc rattles (the whole of it is tightly fitted, just that disc is a little loose).

Timo Nieminen · 18th January 2016, 10:20 PM

Looks modern, both blade and hilt.

(All the hilts like this - fat top of grip, rounded blobby ends of the guard with a rivet through them - I've looked at closely (all 2 of them) have been modern.)

Helleri · 18th January 2016, 10:29 PM

So then it is likely a modern practice sword (I know that a lot of the Gatka practitioners have a tendency to use sharp blades in form practice)?

Timo Nieminen · 19th January 2016, 01:38 AM

It's possible. Either that, or made for sale to tourists/soldiers as an antique. Looks functional, so much better than the usual tourist wallhanger tulwar.

(Or it could be old.)

Helleri · 19th January 2016, 02:14 AM

Well I can attest to it's functionality to some degree. It is very solid (except for that rattling disc, but that doesn't seem to effect the whole of the fit). The blade has good memory as well. There is a very slight distal taper in addition to the fuller (which I think besides the hardness is contributing a little to that but not very much). It didn't come to me sharp though. It had an edge, but that edge was dull with chips and folds, and it was not easy to bring the grind back to a state of good repair or sharpen it after, as the metal is rather hard. But even sharpened up it doesn't cut very well except right at the tip. It's only ground to cut for the top forth of the blade any way. But the center of percussion and degree of the arch vs. the length isn't quit right for efficient cutting. It thrusts wonderfully though (the depth of penetration is fairly impressive). I really think it was originally profiled more for the thrust primarily and tip cuts secondarily.

ariel · 19th January 2016, 03:06 AM

I do not think it is a souvenir: far too non-artistic.
IMHO, it is a low-grade military tulwar for a 20th century Indian sowar.
Swords were in use in India even after WWII: "Freedom at Midnight" describes refugees of 1947 being hacked to pieces with them.
My only hesitation is what seems to be a rather strange mastique. Could it be epoxy by chance? Then my opinion will have to be modified.

Helleri · 19th January 2016, 05:14 AM

It is pretty hard. At one point I had picked off a few pieces that were on the inside of one of the langets (just leavings from when ever it was stuck down in there). And they had a sort of crackly and crumbly consistency with a little bit of give. Reminds me of baked pine tree sap (I used to use that a lot when I made walking sticks and fly fishing staffs up in siskiyou co. some years back). As for being some sort of epoxy...I wouldn't know. Only two part epoxy I have worked with to any great extent is brand name art resin. So I don't have a wide enough range of experience with it to tell. But yeah nearest thing I could equate it to is pine sap.

iskender · 7th February 2016, 11:31 PM

Sire,i had many plain talwars in my hands in the last years with where for arming footsoldiers , mainly untrained farmers and normal people to send them in to battle in great nummbers. so in india there where arsenals full of low grade wapeons in big heaps . many of these where sold of for no money as wallhanges 100 years ago. if this is such a item, it is still a piece of history even if there is no money value on it! also in india the blades are commonly glued in the handles. (not all) you have a good chance that this is a sword for that purpose!greetings iskender

18th January 2016, 09:49 PM	#1
Helleri Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chino, CA. Posts: 219	Tulwar for comment Bought this off ebay for about $30 a couple years ago. At the time I just wanted a -any- Tulwar. But I have no clue on age, style etc. I can post larger individual images if need be (this just seems convenient for a quick look). It has no markings any where on it. And the disc rattles (the whole of it is tightly fitted, just that disc is a little loose). Attached Images

7th February 2016, 11:31 PM	#8
iskender Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 60	old or not? Sire,i had many plain talwars in my hands in the last years with where for arming footsoldiers , mainly untrained farmers and normal people to send them in to battle in great nummbers. so in india there where arsenals full of low grade wapeons in big heaps . many of these where sold of for no money as wallhanges 100 years ago. if this is such a item, it is still a piece of history even if there is no money value on it! also in india the blades are commonly glued in the handles. (not all) you have a good chance that this is a sword for that purpose!greetings iskender

18th January 2016, 10:20 PM	#2
Timo Nieminen Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 422	Looks modern, both blade and hilt. (All the hilts like this - fat top of grip, rounded blobby ends of the guard with a rivet through them - I've looked at closely (all 2 of them) have been modern.)

18th January 2016, 10:29 PM	#3
Helleri Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chino, CA. Posts: 219	So then it is likely a modern practice sword (I know that a lot of the Gatka practitioners have a tendency to use sharp blades in form practice)?

19th January 2016, 01:38 AM	#4
Timo Nieminen Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 422	It's possible. Either that, or made for sale to tourists/soldiers as an antique. Looks functional, so much better than the usual tourist wallhanger tulwar. (Or it could be old.)

19th January 2016, 02:14 AM	#5
Helleri Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chino, CA. Posts: 219	Well I can attest to it's functionality to some degree. It is very solid (except for that rattling disc, but that doesn't seem to effect the whole of the fit). The blade has good memory as well. There is a very slight distal taper in addition to the fuller (which I think besides the hardness is contributing a little to that but not very much). It didn't come to me sharp though. It had an edge, but that edge was dull with chips and folds, and it was not easy to bring the grind back to a state of good repair or sharpen it after, as the metal is rather hard. But even sharpened up it doesn't cut very well except right at the tip. It's only ground to cut for the top forth of the blade any way. But the center of percussion and degree of the arch vs. the length isn't quit right for efficient cutting. It thrusts wonderfully though (the depth of penetration is fairly impressive). I really think it was originally profiled more for the thrust primarily and tip cuts secondarily.

19th January 2016, 03:06 AM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I do not think it is a souvenir: far too non-artistic. IMHO, it is a low-grade military tulwar for a 20th century Indian sowar. Swords were in use in India even after WWII: "Freedom at Midnight" describes refugees of 1947 being hacked to pieces with them. My only hesitation is what seems to be a rather strange mastique. Could it be epoxy by chance? Then my opinion will have to be modified.

19th January 2016, 05:14 AM	#7
Helleri Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chino, CA. Posts: 219	It is pretty hard. At one point I had picked off a few pieces that were on the inside of one of the langets (just leavings from when ever it was stuck down in there). And they had a sort of crackly and crumbly consistency with a little bit of give. Reminds me of baked pine tree sap (I used to use that a lot when I made walking sticks and fly fishing staffs up in siskiyou co. some years back). As for being some sort of epoxy...I wouldn't know. Only two part epoxy I have worked with to any great extent is brand name art resin. So I don't have a wide enough range of experience with it to tell. But yeah nearest thing I could equate it to is pine sap.