Rukai sword problem, need help please!

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Ian

Ouch ...

Detlef, it looks to me as though you may have a composite of several components, some of which may not be very old. The hilt and all of its stuffing (including the stray piece of iron) looks to me that they did not come with the sword originally. It's hard to tell how well the blade fits the wooden sheath, which might indicate that it too is an unrelated marriage. And the blade itself looks rather thin for these knives.

These have now become very desirable and quite expensive, so much so that I imagine unscrupulous people would be quite happy to through a few unrelated pieces together and try to pass it off as original. I hope that is not the case here, but you should be able to tell when you have it in hand.

Good luck!

Ian.

Hello Ian,

I am and also an other member are very sure that all components are old/antique. The blade fits the scabbard very well, at the one picture where it seems that the blade is to short for the scabbard the blade isn't pulled down until the end of the scabbard. The pictures are from the seller.
But you are correct that the seller through the handle and the rest together, so the only problem is that the handle isn't original to the blade including scabbard. Blade including scabbard are for sure Rukai as the handle also.
And I am very sure that the tang by Paiwan swords is folded in up from the handle but I don't know it exactly from Rukai swords, this is what I want to know.
At end of the restauration you will have an old Rukai sword, nobody would have known without this thread that handle and blade are not an old marriage.

Regards,
Detlef

[Rick]

Looks to me like you want to weld an extension onto the existing tang with mild steel, shape it to length and taper; re-insert and peen the new tang end over .

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Rick

Looks to me like you want to weld an extension onto the existing tang with mild steel, shape it to length and taper; re-insert and peen the new tang end over .

Hello Rick,

this is exactly the plan.

[David R]

Check whether the blade is wrought iron or a homogeneous steel, the fibrous wrought metal tends to break up when attempting a weld.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by David R

Check whether the blade is wrought iron or a homogeneous steel, the fibrous wrought metal tends to break up when attempting a weld.

Thank you for the tip David, when the tang is original bent over it will hold and I am more as sure that the restorer know exactly what he is doing.

Regards,
Detlef

[Tim Simmons]

I would be inclined to cement the blade and top piece back in the handle with shellac or bees wax and resin mix. Then make some brass or copper pins to secure the top piece to the handle. I cannot see that the tang was pined over the handle end so it was probably originally cemented. It look right to me.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

I would be inclined to cement the blade and top piece back in the handle with shellac or bees wax and resin mix. Then make some brass or copper pins to secure the top piece to the handle. I cannot see that the tang was pined over the handle end so it was probably originally cemented. It look right to me.

Hello Tim,

thank you for comment. The butt plate has a hole so it is very nearby that the tang went complete through and was either peened in up or folded like I know it from the Paiwan swords/knives. Of course will the blade extra be cement to the handle. I want to have it restored original as possible.

Regards,
Detlef