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Old 20th December 2020, 01:23 AM   #24
Battara
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
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W W! Thank you folks! And great questions.

Kwiatek: many thanks for the translation.

Ian: Well I have tried this plaiting technique before and to do what they did here is more than plaiting but not weaving either. Also the inside is hollow, so not sure if they cut it in half, or what. Wish I had an answer for you.

Regarding the "nicks" in the inlay - that's original. With my techniques I don't do that. However, I have seen this on different Ottoman and other Middle Eastern inlaid blades before. It is the method of striking hard when engraving, especially when making curves with a big chisel. These are the hammer strikes as the large chisel digs into the blade. Then with the inlaying of softer metal, the softer metal fills into the hammer/chisel marks. I guess this method can have the effect of keeping the inlay more stable by gripping it better. This is my guess anyway, though not my method.

Asomotif: Inlay is not that easy. Looks and sounds simple but it is not. Many times one would only make the grooves and then inlay, but what you talked about will happen or they pop out. There is a whole process and many tricks that would take too long to explain here. I have been doing this for years after lots of research and study. Even some Philippine swords with original inlay had the inlay pop out. I have had to improve and modify techniques to where now I can't even get my own inlay out (accidentally inlaid a blade with some bright brass instead of silver ). So don't be down on yourself - sounds easy but I garantee you it is NOT! BTW - don't use brass if the original is in gold - brass is stiffer and much much harder to work than gold (as well as being harder than sterling). Only thing harder than brass inlay is steel inlay!

NOTE: some little tiny areas of inlay I did not attempt in fear that I would dislodge the rest of the original inlay - something that can happen easily (and does if not careful - I know from experience )

Oh BTW - I was wrong. It took me not 8 months but 5 months to restore it (double checked the auction date).

Last edited by Battara; 20th December 2020 at 07:31 AM.
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