Tulwar with wootz blade!!

Flavio · 23rd January 2007, 07:35 PM

Thank you Husar

Flavio · 24th January 2007, 07:42 PM

Any idea about the signs-letters on the blade? and about age? thanks

Rick · 24th January 2007, 08:09 PM

Flavio,
Here are some similar marks on a fine grained wootz tulwar .
As for meaning or language ....

Jens Nordlunde · 25th January 2007, 03:02 PM

Hi Rick,

Nice blade you have. The dot marks are those used by the Bikaner armoury, and the other letter are sometimes also on weapons from this armoury – I recognise at least two of the letters. I don’t know the meaning yet, but that is one of the things I study on and off – so maybe one day! I hope it was not you who sharpened the blade with a file

.

Hi Flavio,

Congratulation with your tulwar

. It is true that photographing a watered blade can be very difficult, either there is too little light to avoid reflections, or it is not sharp. It is however a good thing with the cameras of to day, you can see the picture within seconds, and not like in the old days where you had to wait a week before you got your blurred pictures back from development. You can avoid some of the reflections if you give the blade a thin layer of wax.

Flavio, is it black lacquer one can see on the hilt around the decoration?

Rick,

Here is one of mine, before and after – it took hours, many hours, as I did it by hand.
The first sign could be a letter, I don’t know, but the next three are the numbers ‘122’ and the last ‘S’ is unknown to me.
The numbers on yours seem to be, the first sign unknown, then 5, maybe 7 and 2.
Flavio, is it black lacquer one can see on the hilt around the decoration?
Here is one of mine, before and after – it took hours, many hours, as I did it by hand.
The first sign could be a letter, I don’t know, but the next three are the numbers ‘122’ and the last ‘S’ is unknown to me.
The numbers on yours seem to be, the first sign unknown, then 5, maybe 7 and 2.

Flavio · 25th January 2007, 04:07 PM

Thank you both, Rick and Jens

Jens, yes is black lacquer.

I have found this on the mr. Yarom's site:

"Scarf welding was done by welding two ingots of steel in or around the upper third part of the blade, in order to provide the blade with both strength and flexibility. It was a common technique since many centuries and found on both Indian and European quality swords. Here the welding point is clearly seen in the close ups as a darker semicircle."

I think that this could be the case also on my blade.

Rick · 25th January 2007, 05:20 PM

Hi Jens,
No, I would never ever take a file to an old wootz blade .

I do wonder if this blade was once sharpened on a grindstone in its past .

Rick

Jens Nordlunde · 25th January 2007, 09:51 PM

Hi Flavio,
Show me where on the blade you think there is 'sarf welding'.
I think you have gotten a very nice sword, and you have every reason to be proud of it, but tell me, are there any traces of silver or gold around the floral decorations?

24th January 2007, 08:09 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Flavio, Here are some similar marks on a fine grained wootz tulwar . As for meaning or language .... Attached Images

25th January 2007, 03:02 PM	#4
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Rick, Nice blade you have. The dot marks are those used by the Bikaner armoury, and the other letter are sometimes also on weapons from this armoury – I recognise at least two of the letters. I don’t know the meaning yet, but that is one of the things I study on and off – so maybe one day! I hope it was not you who sharpened the blade with a file. Hi Flavio, Congratulation with your tulwar. It is true that photographing a watered blade can be very difficult, either there is too little light to avoid reflections, or it is not sharp. It is however a good thing with the cameras of to day, you can see the picture within seconds, and not like in the old days where you had to wait a week before you got your blurred pictures back from development. You can avoid some of the reflections if you give the blade a thin layer of wax. Flavio, is it black lacquer one can see on the hilt around the decoration? Rick, Here is one of mine, before and after – it took hours, many hours, as I did it by hand. The first sign could be a letter, I don’t know, but the next three are the numbers ‘122’ and the last ‘S’ is unknown to me. The numbers on yours seem to be, the first sign unknown, then 5, maybe 7 and 2. Flavio, is it black lacquer one can see on the hilt around the decoration? Here is one of mine, before and after – it took hours, many hours, as I did it by hand. The first sign could be a letter, I don’t know, but the next three are the numbers ‘122’ and the last ‘S’ is unknown to me. The numbers on yours seem to be, the first sign unknown, then 5, maybe 7 and 2. Attached Images Last edited by Jens Nordlunde; 25th January 2007 at 03:55 PM.

25th January 2007, 04:07 PM	#5
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Thank you both, Rick and Jens Jens, yes is black lacquer. I have found this on the mr. Yarom's site: "Scarf welding was done by welding two ingots of steel in or around the upper third part of the blade, in order to provide the blade with both strength and flexibility. It was a common technique since many centuries and found on both Indian and European quality swords. Here the welding point is clearly seen in the close ups as a darker semicircle." I think that this could be the case also on my blade. Last edited by Flavio; 25th January 2007 at 05:13 PM.

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23rd January 2007, 07:35 PM	#1
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Thank you Husar

24th January 2007, 07:42 PM	#2
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Any idea about the signs-letters on the blade? and about age? thanks

25th January 2007, 05:20 PM	#6
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Hi Jens, No, I would never ever take a file to an old wootz blade . I do wonder if this blade was once sharpened on a grindstone in its past . Rick

25th January 2007, 09:51 PM	#7
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Flavio, Show me where on the blade you think there is 'sarf welding'. I think you have gotten a very nice sword, and you have every reason to be proud of it, but tell me, are there any traces of silver or gold around the floral decorations?