My first wootz piece

CourseEight · 28th May 2008, 05:14 PM

Thanks to eveyone for all your kind responses. To answer the questions:

Alex -- I do not believe the fittings are wootz. It is difficult to tell with all the engraving but I tried a polish and etch on one of the more flat portions and it didn't reveal much. A trip to Oriental Arms would seem to confirm that most of the wootz-bladed Qajar pieces still had normal steel mounts:

http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/searc...22+%22wootz%22

So mine would seem to be in line with the norm.

Rsword -- I could see how from the pictures you would think that. I've looked at it closely, and I can say for sure that: (1) The outer ribs are wootz as well, (2) The inner rib is definately the same piece of steel as the "panels", and (3) The inner rib joins to the outer ribs at the tip seemlessly, so it is most likely all one piece. The black lines you see in the photo are actually closer to the chiseled lines around the floral work on the blade, so I'm guessing after forging the outer ribs were accentuated by putting a deeper groove along the inside of them. As to why it is not sharp, well, I'm not really sure to what extent pieces like this were made for local consumption, and to what extent locally used ones would have actually needed an edge.

Thanks a lot again everyone,

--Radleigh

28th May 2008, 05:14 PM	#9
CourseEight Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Coral Springs, FL Posts: 222	Thanks to eveyone for all your kind responses. To answer the questions: Alex -- I do not believe the fittings are wootz. It is difficult to tell with all the engraving but I tried a polish and etch on one of the more flat portions and it didn't reveal much. A trip to Oriental Arms would seem to confirm that most of the wootz-bladed Qajar pieces still had normal steel mounts: http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/searc...22+%22wootz%22 So mine would seem to be in line with the norm. Rsword -- I could see how from the pictures you would think that. I've looked at it closely, and I can say for sure that: (1) The outer ribs are wootz as well, (2) The inner rib is definately the same piece of steel as the "panels", and (3) The inner rib joins to the outer ribs at the tip seemlessly, so it is most likely all one piece. The black lines you see in the photo are actually closer to the chiseled lines around the floral work on the blade, so I'm guessing after forging the outer ribs were accentuated by putting a deeper groove along the inside of them. As to why it is not sharp, well, I'm not really sure to what extent pieces like this were made for local consumption, and to what extent locally used ones would have actually needed an edge. Thanks a lot again everyone, --Radleigh