The kora arrived today and I'm thrilled. The blade is in great shape and sharp. Marvelous to look at. It is a fearsome design, reminiscent of orc blades in the Lord of the Rings movies.
I'm hoping someone can help me with a few questions. How far into the handle do you suppose the tang extends? There is a hole through the handle with a rusty bit that may be from a pin that would presumably help secure the blade. The other side of the hole is larger (can be seen in photo above) and reveals what appears to be wood inside the handle . There is also very dry and almost completely deteriorated wood visible from the top of the handle shaft. The blade itself can rotate slightly within the handle. Do you suppose the wood is from shims or from an interior rod that encased the tang?
Finally, the pommel is bent as you can see from the pictures. Do you suppose it would be a mistake to attempt to straighten it? Recommended procedures for doing that?
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