Firangi ? recently sold on eBay....with holes drilled into blade!!!

Lee · 29th April 2007, 03:30 AM

I have frequently noticed the feature of holes, usually filled with iron, in the forte of Indian blades and I have several examples with this feature, including an example with an old European blade.

I have assumed these often represent artifacts of previous mountings but I also wonder if sometimes they may have been placed to suggest a blade was an heirloom, even when it was not.

kronckew · 30th April 2007, 10:50 AM

i have little experience with these, but have noted a number of indian weapons with re-enforcements riveted to the blade just about where those holes are, one appearing in a current thread re cleaning

could this be a re-hilted blade that in past lives had re-enforcing plates attached?

galvano · 30th April 2007, 11:15 AM

hi
There are holes also towards the point of the khanda.
It are sealed.

kronckew · 30th April 2007, 11:29 AM

interesting - the refilled hole near the tip could have been for a different purpose, proofing slugs, or forging flaw repairs?, how many are they & are they evenly spaced? how far from the point is that one? (the patterning to the blade in the last pic looks wootzy!)

the blade in the linky i put above has decorative strips riveted on one side fairly near the tip which would leave holes if removed (may look filled if sheared off), and would have left off centre holes at the ricasso.

anyway, nice weapon. holes near the centreline would not seriously weaken the blade anyhow, especially if nice round ones.

galvano · 30th April 2007, 12:36 PM

They are not repairs.
They are perfectly in the center.
With the point, it is silver.
Point, second hole 15,5 cm.
Second hole, third hole 14,5 cm

30th April 2007, 11:15 AM	#3
galvano Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 178	hole hi There are holes also towards the point of the khanda. It are sealed. Attached Images

30th April 2007, 12:36 PM	#5
galvano Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 178	holes They are not repairs. They are perfectly in the center. With the point, it is silver. Point, second hole 15,5 cm. Second hole, third hole 14,5 cm Attached Images

29th April 2007, 03:30 AM	#1
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 950	I have frequently noticed the feature of holes, usually filled with iron, in the forte of Indian blades and I have several examples with this feature, including an example with an old European blade. I have assumed these often represent artifacts of previous mountings but I also wonder if sometimes they may have been placed to suggest a blade was an heirloom, even when it was not.

30th April 2007, 10:50 AM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,250	i have little experience with these, but have noted a number of indian weapons with re-enforcements riveted to the blade just about where those holes are, one appearing in a current thread re cleaning could this be a re-hilted blade that in past lives had re-enforcing plates attached?

30th April 2007, 11:29 AM	#4
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,250	interesting - the refilled hole near the tip could have been for a different purpose, proofing slugs, or forging flaw repairs?, how many are they & are they evenly spaced? how far from the point is that one? (the patterning to the blade in the last pic looks wootzy!) the blade in the linky i put above has decorative strips riveted on one side fairly near the tip which would leave holes if removed (may look filled if sheared off), and would have left off centre holes at the ricasso. anyway, nice weapon. holes near the centreline would not seriously weaken the blade anyhow, especially if nice round ones.