18th Century Katar For Comment

[Rick]

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

Hi Lew,

It is an interesting question you ask, and I am not sure how to answer it, but let me try.

I very, very seldom use a machine like a Dremel when I have to clean weapons, as it either suddenly slips, and you are polishing a place which should not be polished, or you have suddenly been polishing too much on one spot, so I do it all by hand. Endless hours of work, but I know where I am, and how far I still have to go. If you have a look at the attached ‘Before and after’ picture, you can try to imagine how many hours I used – but it paid off.

Is the blade burnished, like many of these blades are? If it is, and even if it is not, I hope someone like Jeff, Greg or someone ease will answer the question, as they are far better judges when it comes to answer this than I am. If I had it and I had it in my hand, I would judge for myself what to do, but advising someone else when you are not a weapon smith, is quite another matter.

Jens, it looks like someone took a grinding wheel to your sword also; good job removing the scratches !

I wonder now after seeing two Bikaner marked swords with grind marks if they might possibly have used a wheel to put an edge on munitions grade swords before they were issued for battle; it certainly would have provided a rough but effective cutting edge .

[Jens Nordlunde]

Hi Rick,

No I don’t think they used this method, I am afraid the grind marks were applied later – I am sorry to say. I will however not tell you what I think should happen to who’s who did it, or Andrew will send me into outer space.

I have a beautiful Tanjore katar, where the blade has been treated with acid, and it has taken me many, many hours to make it look all right. Someone who could do a thing like that should he hanged, shot, quartered, skinned or something else – sorry Andrew.

Yes Rick, it is unfortunately true, that many weapons are badly mistreated before they are sold – alas.

Jens

[Lew]

Hi All

Cleaned the katar a bit but left it with some patina.

Lew

[Bill M]

Lew, that is one really pretty piece of steel!

Nice job of keeping the patina and still cleaning it up a bit.