Why do some pulwars and Tulwars have sloppily and roughy cut fullers?

Nihl · 12th June 2024, 06:56 PM

So, I'm guessing that the swords you're referring to are mostly 19th century products, as that's when most of the examples I've seen have been made (specifically in the second half of the 19th century). If that is the case then there is indeed a fairly simple reason why quality suffered during this time period: colonization.

Colonial restrictions effectively prohibited the production of quality mid-level swords, such that only low-level village smiths could get away with weapon production, while conversely high quality products were reserved exclusively for elites and/or wealthy western tourists. Subsequently, the skills required for competent sword making were slowly but surely strangled out of most of the population, as only a select few would ever make it to high enough levels to be permitted to learn the trade, while rural production was slowly stomped out with increasing regulations and modernization. The combination of all of this is what results in weapons of poorer and poorer quality being made.

In the case of Afghan pulwars, afghanistan was actively resisting colonization for pretty much the entirety of the 19th century, so it would make sense that weapon quality might not be too high of a priority other than, again, in specific elite workshops.

Edit: this is to say that, basically, you are correct, but there is an underlying reason why these lesser quality items were produced in the first place.

12th June 2024, 06:56 PM	#2
Nihl Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 90	So, I'm guessing that the swords you're referring to are mostly 19th century products, as that's when most of the examples I've seen have been made (specifically in the second half of the 19th century). If that is the case then there is indeed a fairly simple reason why quality suffered during this time period: colonization. Colonial restrictions effectively prohibited the production of quality mid-level swords, such that only low-level village smiths could get away with weapon production, while conversely high quality products were reserved exclusively for elites and/or wealthy western tourists. Subsequently, the skills required for competent sword making were slowly but surely strangled out of most of the population, as only a select few would ever make it to high enough levels to be permitted to learn the trade, while rural production was slowly stomped out with increasing regulations and modernization. The combination of all of this is what results in weapons of poorer and poorer quality being made. In the case of Afghan pulwars, afghanistan was actively resisting colonization for pretty much the entirety of the 19th century, so it would make sense that weapon quality might not be too high of a priority other than, again, in specific elite workshops. Edit: this is to say that, basically, you are correct, but there is an underlying reason why these lesser quality items were produced in the first place.