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Old 19th July 2016, 06:00 PM   #5
GePi
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Germany
Posts: 93
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shakethetrees
This project looks like a real basket case to me!
I agree, and I don't really plan to do any work on this myself, both because I lack the skills but also because I think there is some potential in this piece.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mariusgmioc
Hello,

The blade might be wootz but the delamination and the pattern in your photo seems to indicate more towards pattern welded.

I think the original scales were walrus ivory, but then when the tang broke, the scales broke off as well and only some parts were recovered, while the lost parts were crudely replaced with horn or whatever it is. But this is only my opinion.

Now if I were you, I would try to have it restored and have some new bone scales installed. But should check the material of the blade first, to make sure it is worth it.

You should be able to tell whether the blade is of wootz or it is pattern welded by examinng it with a magnifying glass or trying some local polishing and etching.
The pattern is actually quite tricky to photograph, I tried to take better pictures. I think it rather looks like a wootz pattern, but I am not 100% sure. The blade is actually etched, it is just a rather low contrast pattern that is wiped off in most areas.

Quote:
Originally Posted by David R
Riveting a stub tang to a flat plate with the profile of the hilt is the normal construction for these.
That's really interesting. I have only seen one dehilted shamshir blade in M. Khorasani's book and I was sure the tang was a solid piece, but I looked it up just now and you cannot really tell, because there is no close up.
Also browsing through the catalogue there were many shamshir handles on which the pommel caps didn't cover the handle scales, but there is a noticeable gap filled up with adhesive. So this could be the original hilt assembly after all.
This begs the question of why is there no trace of adhesive above the guard?
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