The Older Version...
The older version lacks a scabbard and is somewhat smaller.
A simple blade with a truncated spur. A couple of small forging flaws. Eight nicks to the edge - almost certainly children at play. There are 21 brass inserts, mostly in triplets/triangles - theyre so pale as to almost seem grey. Again, sharp and strong.
The wood of the hilt is evenly patinated a very dark, reddish brown. The three rattan/cord (?) strips of the hilt seem to have been lacquered or tarred - not quite one or the other - not really sure what it is, but it is very workmanlike. A very simple brass loop guard and a red cord loop drilled through the cross-piece - presumably for hanging it up? The cord is cord, not nylon - it may look as though the knots have been melted at the back, but this is not the case - it is simply dirt and wear. Simple brass pins on either roundel. A small repair to the rear of the lower jaw. Interestingly there are no holes for hair plugs - there is simply a small trench. My supposition is that a small wooden tray would have been made with holes - the hair would have been affixed, then the tray inserted into the cavity we see today.
The hilt has an old acquisition/collection number in white - 67
Balance point - 6/152mm from the hilt.
A lighter, better balanced fighting sword.
Dimensions
Length - 39.5/1004mm
Blade length - 29.1/739mm
Depth of blade (narrowest) - 1.25/29mm
Depth of blade (widest) - 2/51mm
Width of spine (hilt) - 0.25/6mm
Width of spine (point) - 0.04/1mm
Length of hilt - 10.4/264mm
Length of cross piece - 5.5/140mm
Width of cross piece - 1.25>0.5/32mm>13mm
Depth of cross piece - 1.5/38mm
Length of metal grip - 3.4/86mm
Depth of metal grip - 1/25mm
Width of metal grip - 0.85/22mm
Width of jaws - 3.25/83mm
Length of guard - 2.5/64mm
Width of guard - 1/25mm
Depth of guard - 0.16/4mm
|