[tom hyle]

Originally Posted by Philip

ground down, most likely PRIOR to being mounted in its present hilt.

It is very likely that the narrowing of the blade (skilfully executed, to harmonize with the spine) was done at the same time the calligraphy was etched into the surface.

Possible, but almost certainly that would mean the small groove at the forte was also made at such time. That is possible, but is it likely? and it seems to match the small rear groove well?

Kilij and shamshir blades have relatively diminutive tangs (generally no more than 3 1/2 in. long and about 2/3 the width of the blade) which are rivetted to an iron plate which has the contours of the hilt itself. A peripheral band or strap is brazed or soldered around the plate, and the gripscales rest upon the band, being held in place by rivets running through matching holes in the iron plate. The plate is invariably wider than the blade tang, and thus a tang can be attached a bit "off center", or even filed down on one side, to compensate for the loss of some width at the edge and thus end up being centered on the finished hilt.

Thanks for the description. I don't see inside a lot of these, or even yatagans, but I've seen them have more after the nature of a half length (full width) tang rivetted to an extension (plate) for length.

There are also cases which I have seen in which the tang itself has been replaced; the old one (originally forged as an extension of the blade billet) replaced with a separate unit, whose forward end is cleft to accept the blade and perhaps just a nub of the original tang, to provide enough contact surface for a good forge-weld. In this way, the new tang can be made to be centered on whatever width the altered blade may happen to .....w

I believe you are misinterpretting what you have seen; the pinched and scarfed blade bases are more likely part of the original construction.