In very rusty condition ...but is this a Khanda??

katana · 27th February 2007, 12:27 PM

Thankyou both (Spiral & Richard) for your replies

Oh, Richard thanks for your kind offer...but no thanks

It arrived today and some minor cleaning of the hilt has revealed some gold Koftgari

but very patchy and not alot left

. Seems at the time of manufacture most of the hilt had it. Very....very small areas on all parts of the hilt. The blade after a quick clean seems to be well forged, the blade is single edged with a 12" false edge on the opposite side. The blade widens at the 'spatula' tip. There could be a pattern (wootz

) showing behind the partially 'cleaned' areas of the blade ....but, I am in no way certain.
There is some movement in the pommel....but only a small amount....not to sure how to solve this problem. As yet I cannot find any markings on the blade but I am assuming that this sword was of some quality (in its time) because of the gold Koftgari ?

Pukka Bundook · 27th February 2007, 01:29 PM

Naa,.........It's probably gold spray paint, just send it to me to get rid of!

I can't wait for Jens or Jim or Brian to comment on this one, as they are in a Much better position to say something constructive!

All I can say, is don't go too rash with cleaning, that rust took a long time to get there, and should take a long time to remove!
You could try oiling with Olive oil, as this seems to have a peculiar ability to soften and lift rust in a most gentle manner.
Please document all progress David.

Best wishes,

PB.

Jens Nordlunde · 27th February 2007, 02:48 PM

Hi Katana,

What you have, is a nice old classic khanda, which I would place in Rajasthan – congratulations

. The hilt is nice, and as Spiral writes a bit unusual, the change of the spike to a flower but can be seen now and again, but please tell us about the blade, is it flexible? I think it would be, but I am not sure. How much you will clean it depends on your temperament, some remove the worse rust and make sure it wont rust any further, while others, like me, go a bit further, to make it show more of the original weapon, although I would never remove all the rust to get a shiny khanda. Let us know how the work proceeds.

katana · 27th February 2007, 04:07 PM

Thanks again Spiral, Richard and Jens,

I will certainly take my time, I have got most of the 'dry, loose' rust off and gently used fine 'wet and dry' (with oil) on the blade. I have rubbed olive oil (no baby oil at present, good suggestion Spiral, being paraffin (kerosene?) based....never thought of it before) and then wrapped the sword in 'cling-film...to soak for a while.

Jens the blade is flexible and the blade's edge is in remarkably good condition and still quite sharp....although a little 'rough'....when felt with the finger-tips.

Has anyone any idea of a date for this Khanda.....would the blade costruction help to ID the 'time period'?

Will try and post close-ups, light permitting , soon

katana · 27th February 2007, 04:46 PM

Not very good pics, but at least it shows the blade condition and some of the remaining Koftgari....it has mainly survived on the rectangular detail on the 'shoulder' of the guard (both sides of the detail and on both sides of hilt).
Does the diagonal pattern have any significance?

Flavio · 27th February 2007, 04:53 PM

Hello David, I'm sure that after a lot of work you will be very happy of this piece!! Good job!!!

katana · 2nd March 2007, 03:37 PM

First of all... thankyou for your words of encouragement

Here are some more pics of the blade after hours of more cleaning.....Now I have a problem ....it certainly looks as if it is wootz

Now the headache is.... do I clean further (and if so to what degree) and etch

I believe this sword to have some considerable age....under the active rust is a hard, very dark layer of ...what I think is...stabilized rust which is/was relatively thick. The other nice thing ..is the feeling that the sword actually 'appreciates' the amount of cleaning attention it is getting and to a degree the whole process has been slighty 'spiritual'.....I really get a sense that this Khanda has many stories to tell. ( I know a few of you are probably thinking 'this guy needs a straight jacket and medication') ...but this sword has 'something'

There also seems to be more Koftgari than I first thought...but is still patchy, mainly the remains of an edging border around the contours of the hilt. Soaking with oil has helped to loosen some of the rust...but the layer of the harder, stabilized rust is not ...and this is what is covering the remains of some of the Koftgari.
Any suggestions, comments etc gratefully received, thankyou

27th February 2007, 02:48 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Katana, What you have, is a nice old classic khanda, which I would place in Rajasthan – congratulations. The hilt is nice, and as Spiral writes a bit unusual, the change of the spike to a flower but can be seen now and again, but please tell us about the blade, is it flexible? I think it would be, but I am not sure. How much you will clean it depends on your temperament, some remove the worse rust and make sure it wont rust any further, while others, like me, go a bit further, to make it show more of the original weapon, although I would never remove all the rust to get a shiny khanda. Let us know how the work proceeds.

27th February 2007, 04:46 PM	#5
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Not very good pics, but at least it shows the blade condition and some of the remaining Koftgari....it has mainly survived on the rectangular detail on the 'shoulder' of the guard (both sides of the detail and on both sides of hilt). Does the diagonal pattern have any significance? Attached Images

2nd March 2007, 03:37 PM	#7
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	First of all... thankyou for your words of encouragement Here are some more pics of the blade after hours of more cleaning.....Now I have a problem ....it certainly looks as if it is wootz Now the headache is.... do I clean further (and if so to what degree) and etch I believe this sword to have some considerable age....under the active rust is a hard, very dark layer of ...what I think is...stabilized rust which is/was relatively thick. The other nice thing ..is the feeling that the sword actually 'appreciates' the amount of cleaning attention it is getting and to a degree the whole process has been slighty 'spiritual'.....I really get a sense that this Khanda has many stories to tell. ( I know a few of you are probably thinking 'this guy needs a straight jacket and medication') ...but this sword has 'something' There also seems to be more Koftgari than I first thought...but is still patchy, mainly the remains of an edging border around the contours of the hilt. Soaking with oil has helped to loosen some of the rust...but the layer of the harder, stabilized rust is not ...and this is what is covering the remains of some of the Koftgari. Any suggestions, comments etc gratefully received, thankyou Attached Images

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27th February 2007, 12:27 PM	#1
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Thankyou both (Spiral & Richard) for your replies Oh, Richard thanks for your kind offer...but no thanks It arrived today and some minor cleaning of the hilt has revealed some gold Koftgari but very patchy and not alot left . Seems at the time of manufacture most of the hilt had it. Very....very small areas on all parts of the hilt. The blade after a quick clean seems to be well forged, the blade is single edged with a 12" false edge on the opposite side. The blade widens at the 'spatula' tip. There could be a pattern (wootz ) showing behind the partially 'cleaned' areas of the blade ....but, I am in no way certain. There is some movement in the pommel....but only a small amount....not to sure how to solve this problem. As yet I cannot find any markings on the blade but I am assuming that this sword was of some quality (in its time) because of the gold Koftgari ?

27th February 2007, 01:29 PM	#2
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Naa,.........It's probably gold spray paint, just send it to me to get rid of! I can't wait for Jens or Jim or Brian to comment on this one, as they are in a Much better position to say something constructive! All I can say, is don't go too rash with cleaning, that rust took a long time to get there, and should take a long time to remove! You could try oiling with Olive oil, as this seems to have a peculiar ability to soften and lift rust in a most gentle manner. Please document all progress David. Best wishes, PB.

27th February 2007, 04:07 PM	#4
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Thanks again Spiral, Richard and Jens, I will certainly take my time, I have got most of the 'dry, loose' rust off and gently used fine 'wet and dry' (with oil) on the blade. I have rubbed olive oil (no baby oil at present, good suggestion Spiral, being paraffin (kerosene?) based....never thought of it before) and then wrapped the sword in 'cling-film...to soak for a while. Jens the blade is flexible and the blade's edge is in remarkably good condition and still quite sharp....although a little 'rough'....when felt with the finger-tips. Has anyone any idea of a date for this Khanda.....would the blade costruction help to ID the 'time period'? Will try and post close-ups, light permitting , soon

27th February 2007, 04:53 PM	#6
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello David, I'm sure that after a lot of work you will be very happy of this piece!! Good job!!!