Question on tulwar blade construction

[Pukka Bundook]

Now Eric,

In the cases you just quote above, Do you think these were repairs, rather than a technique used in manufacture?

To me it Sounds like a repair.

I do have one broad-bladed tulwar that was repaired at some time in its working life. Very well done as well. The break is just forward of the centre of the blade.
I will see if I can find a picture.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

Now Eric,

In the cases you just quote above, Do you think these were repairs, rather than a technique used in manufacture?

To me it Sounds like a repair.

This is a known technique, and not only for swords.

The prehistory of metallurgy in the British Isles by R. F. Tylecote, 1986.

It would seem that scramasaxes were made by scarf welding-on a steel edge, as shown in the French example.

How about this Indian axe, a hard steel edge with the rest a softer metal.

[estcrh]

Indian horse head tulwar with wootz blade

The blade is a typical Indian scarf welded blade, but in this case, both irons used are the best quality. The hard crystalline Wootz blade has been fused to a softer, more flexible heel of Pattern Welded Damascus, with a high contrast pattern. The weld is complex, and a feat of difficult engineering according to metallurgists, but it has been beautifully achieved, with only a small lamination flaw.

[ariel]

The tabar : is it what is called inserted edge? How would it differ from scarf welding?

[estcrh]

Mughal Indian horse head sword with wootz blade.

The long slender blade is forged from Wootz Damascus, and has been scarf welded where the hard steel blade is welded to a softer more flexible heel.

[estcrh]

Afghan pulwar sword with pattern welded blade.

The blade is forged from very high quality pattern welded Damascus steel, with a high contrast pattern. The process used in the construction of this sword is very unusual and acts to provide a stiff but flexible cutting blade. It is known as Scarf Welding. The hard pattern welded steel blade is welded to a softer more flexible heel part of the blade. The weld can be seen at the ricasso, or just under the langet.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by ariel

The tabar : is it what is called inserted edge? How would it differ from scarf welding?

Ariel, I am not sure if the edge of the tabar is inserted or welded etc. It used to belong to Runjeet I believe, along with the swords I posted as examples, maybe he knows something more about both methods. Inserting a harder cutting edge into a axe head is another old (viking?) technique.

Runjeets swords do show a pattern were the weld is close to the hilt, with a softer steel being attached to the hilt. The sword originally being discussed is the opposite situation, with the damascus steel attached to the hilt being much longer than the piece welded to the tip of the blade.