I had thought that the Indian slot was in sections of short lengths (each section isolated)..like Jens said, but when I was in India last year I saw Gopilal Banwharlal..a smith in Udaipur...start to drill a hole from the tang toward the tip...in essence the balls could move from tang to tip unobstructed. I asked him why they do the balls and he said that it was tradition and that they can get more money for it....sounded like a good answer to me.
I have yet to do this technique, but it is on the list.
Ric
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