Bhutan sword with chromed blade: advice needed

dennee · 4th May 2011, 03:32 AM

The Bhutanese are again making swords, including with traditional blades, and I have seen some up close (when I get a chance, I can get some photos off my other computer). The most difficult thing to produce and get right is the pierced work of the pommel. The modern ones I have seen seem to have sharper edges than the old ones. The reverse side, with the hexagons, is actually more regular than most old ones I have seen.

In all, this is likely all new work, but quite good and interesting and worth having.

dennee · 4th May 2011, 03:54 AM

I should say that the most difficult thing to reproduce is a traditional blade. But a few years back, Bhutanese smiths worked with some German ones and produced some convincing reproductions, and the Bhutanese continue to do so. But it's not necessarily common, easy or cheap. The custom of wearing a sword is still common enough that its conceivable that reproductions with unconvincing blades have been produced in recent years, just as some were produced in India presumably using "monosteel" in the 1970s, after the indigenous sowrdsmithing art had largely died out (but Bhutanese smiths continue to turn out large numbers of utility blades, largely of billets of imported steel).

Tatyana Dianova · 4th May 2011, 08:38 AM

Thanks everybody for the replies and opinions!
Tim: I have no clue what the yellow colour is and how was it made, sorry...
Detlef: I know it is quite a pain to remove the chrome, and in case of this sword it seems to be unnecessary.
Dennee: thank you for the expert opinion; I came to the same conclusion logically. It means that I can leave the blade as it is, and save me some heavy work

It would be interesting to to see other modern swords examples. I am glad to hear that the traditional skills are still alive in Bhutan!

Atlantia · 4th May 2011, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tatyana Dianova

Thanks everybody for the replies and opinions!
Tim: I have no clue what the yellow colour is and how was it made, sorry...
Detlef: I know it is quite a pain to remove the chrome, and in case of this sword it seems to be unnecessary.
Dennee: thank you for the expert opinion; I came to the same conclusion logically. It means that I can leave the blade as it is, and save me some heavy work

It would be interesting to to see other modern swords examples. I am glad to hear that the traditional skills are still alive in Bhutan!

Hi Tatyana,

I believe I had a quick look at this sword a while ago here in England.
I was and am of the opinion that it is recently made (entirely).
Even so, it seems to be rather well made and is certainly unusual.
I wouldn't change it at all, I wouldn't remove the plating or anything. I think it's worthy of a place in any collection as a finely made modern continuation of a traditional form.

Despite the plating, the other elements are very traditional and well executed.

Were it mine, I would concentrate on trying to identify (if possible) where these are being made and by whom.

Best
G

Tatyana Dianova · 4th May 2011, 01:24 PM

Gene: you are right, it is the same sword and it was sold by one of the forumites on eBay. The end price was very reasonable, so I am satisfied with the purchase, although it turned out to be recently made (I was bidding keeping in mind this possibility :-) And I am glad that I shouldn't remove the plating

ALEX · 4th May 2011, 02:42 PM

I do not know anything about Bhutan arms, but the fittings look very fine. With total lack of knowledge in the area I admit I was fooled into thinking they're old.
As for chrome-plated blade... I found chrome-plated shamshir blade once. Why was it chromed, no idea. It was looking totally shiny brand new, what gave is the cartouche:-) otherwise it'd be lost forever:-) see before and after pics.

A. G. Maisey · 4th May 2011, 03:14 PM

Over the years I have had a number of different blades with plating, usually chrome plating, but on a couple of occasions I seem to recall it was nickel.

In all cases I dismounted the blade and gave it to a plater to reverse the process and remove the plating.

In all cases the removal was totally satisfactory.

After the plating had been removed I did a light polish with wet and dry paper and etched.

The results of the etching were not always all that pleasing. On a couple of occasions I finished up with truly excellent blades of mechanical damascus and another of wootz; some khukris had blades that were composed of haphazardly welded bits and pieces; a couple of blades were mild steel or iron with no pattern at all. One jambiya was revealed as total junk--- the rib down the middle of the blade was a line of electric welding.

If the plating on this Bhutan blade were to be removed it could be a win, or it could be a loss.

4th May 2011, 02:42 PM	#6
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	I do not know anything about Bhutan arms, but the fittings look very fine. With total lack of knowledge in the area I admit I was fooled into thinking they're old. As for chrome-plated blade... I found chrome-plated shamshir blade once. Why was it chromed, no idea. It was looking totally shiny brand new, what gave is the cartouche:-) otherwise it'd be lost forever:-) see before and after pics. Attached Images

4th May 2011, 03:32 AM	#1
dennee Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: College Park, MD Posts: 186	The Bhutanese are again making swords, including with traditional blades, and I have seen some up close (when I get a chance, I can get some photos off my other computer). The most difficult thing to produce and get right is the pierced work of the pommel. The modern ones I have seen seem to have sharper edges than the old ones. The reverse side, with the hexagons, is actually more regular than most old ones I have seen. In all, this is likely all new work, but quite good and interesting and worth having.

4th May 2011, 03:54 AM	#2
dennee Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: College Park, MD Posts: 186	I should say that the most difficult thing to reproduce is a traditional blade. But a few years back, Bhutanese smiths worked with some German ones and produced some convincing reproductions, and the Bhutanese continue to do so. But it's not necessarily common, easy or cheap. The custom of wearing a sword is still common enough that its conceivable that reproductions with unconvincing blades have been produced in recent years, just as some were produced in India presumably using "monosteel" in the 1970s, after the indigenous sowrdsmithing art had largely died out (but Bhutanese smiths continue to turn out large numbers of utility blades, largely of billets of imported steel).

4th May 2011, 08:38 AM	#3
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 743	Thanks everybody for the replies and opinions! Tim: I have no clue what the yellow colour is and how was it made, sorry... Detlef: I know it is quite a pain to remove the chrome, and in case of this sword it seems to be unnecessary. Dennee: thank you for the expert opinion; I came to the same conclusion logically. It means that I can leave the blade as it is, and save me some heavy work It would be interesting to to see other modern swords examples. I am glad to hear that the traditional skills are still alive in Bhutan!

4th May 2011, 01:24 PM	#5
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 743	Gene: you are right, it is the same sword and it was sold by one of the forumites on eBay. The end price was very reasonable, so I am satisfied with the purchase, although it turned out to be recently made (I was bidding keeping in mind this possibility :-) And I am glad that I shouldn't remove the plating

4th May 2011, 03:14 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	Over the years I have had a number of different blades with plating, usually chrome plating, but on a couple of occasions I seem to recall it was nickel. In all cases I dismounted the blade and gave it to a plater to reverse the process and remove the plating. In all cases the removal was totally satisfactory. After the plating had been removed I did a light polish with wet and dry paper and etched. The results of the etching were not always all that pleasing. On a couple of occasions I finished up with truly excellent blades of mechanical damascus and another of wootz; some khukris had blades that were composed of haphazardly welded bits and pieces; a couple of blades were mild steel or iron with no pattern at all. One jambiya was revealed as total junk--- the rib down the middle of the blade was a line of electric welding. If the plating on this Bhutan blade were to be removed it could be a win, or it could be a loss.