Indian SLOs - Right?
 

There is no reason for me to preserve these are there?
Otherwise, I plan to de-rust and replace the handles.
Oh, yeah and bend the tips back - they're both bent over in a U. :(

What is an SLO?

Sword Like Object also known as wallhanger i.e. something that looks like a sword but is non-functional to the point of being dangerous, in some cases, to the user and nearby people and housepets.

The second one, yes. The first one, it depends, if its threaded, then it probably is an SLO, if the blade stuck to the hilt (which is historically accurate), then it probably deserves to be called a 'sword'.

Anyway, I find Indian SLO's of this kind to be quite good. The blade is good, as a beater anyway. The problem is with the tangs. You can regrind the tangs, starting from the forte so that you would have a better tang, then refix it onto the hilt. There you go, you have a good, shortened beater.

BUT WHY BOTHER ?

You're right ariel.

I'm not real big on the term sword like object, especially for blades made of forged or rolled steel or iron. These are certainly swords, although they aren't very good ones. Both hilts are traditional; the basket is derived of Brittish military hilts and is similar to some military regulation hilts, though it is a flimsy imitation. These blades come in two types; old and new. The older ones, up to about 1980 I think, are fairly thick with a groove, flat cross-section with a wide sabre bevel to a heavy clanking edge, and often chrome plated (this is the only kind I personally have seen in the stacked plastic handles). They newer ones are thinny-thin with flat blades with no bevel or the very slightest nod toward one. Neither type is tapered in thickness, and both are often covered with etched foliate decoration. Neither is hardened steel, or AFAIK forged (they seem to be rolled steel).
Indeed, as on many modern swords the tang is the weak part, and it doesn't help this that it is the same thickness as the tip.
Why bother? A clanking sword is a fun thing :D

I have just learned what SLO means, what does AFAIK mean?

Thanks.
Jeff

As Far As I Know
more:

In My (Honest, is the H I think, not Humble?) Opinion (IMHO/IMO)
Laughing Out Loud (LOL)
By The Way (BTW)

I think that's all the ones I know so far; these mysterious acronyms that make typing faster and easier.

Thanks Tom :) AFAIK I LOL, BTW I feel so hip now! IMO.

Jeff

ROTFL!

(roll on the floor laughing, Jeff. ;) )

ROTFLMAO
You figure it out . :D
http://www.geocities.com/eedd88/abbr...ns.html?200512

WTF, LOL :D

Right thats it, this site is the DB's Ask Lew.

All good fun, guys. But let's not be spelling this one out on the public forums.

Thanks. ;)

Oh no, here is a can of worms I didn't mean to open!!! :)

Jeff

You are saying that the second sword with the green trifoil on the handle is worth preserving? What should I do to preserve it? Thank you.

I was pretty sure that the one with the red scabbard and easter-egg plastic ball for a handle would be OK to modify.

I do not know what you mean by preserving, anyway they are probably both SLO's, if not for their hilts, then for the blades (rolled, unhardened steel).

Considering they are both new, how would you preserve them anyway?

OK, then. That's what I thought.

That was
my question :)

Well, if one wanted to preserve a new sword, he would do it in exactly the same way as with an old sword; the nature of the question slightly confuses me; what do you intend to do with them if you don't preserve them? Is active destruction/discarding implied? Give 'em to some kids. Tell 'em not to poke their eyes out.

If a sword is worth preserving as an historical object, I would be much less aggressive in cleaning off the rust and would not consider replacing the hilt and/or reshaping the tang.

Right on. They're not old, and they're not traditional enough to really be reproductions, so unless you want to preserve an archaeological record of mid to late 20th century decorator swords, I say go for it. If nothing else, experience gained working on "junk" swords can be viewed as training for either making swords or repairing antiques. Also, of course, you end up with a toy/training tool, and in the case of the thicker ones, you can even sharpen it into a half decent weapon with a lot of work. They may still be junk swords when you're done, but you can probably make them into much better junk swords than they are now.

Thanks
 

Thank you, Tom. That's just what I needed to know.