Thibetan sword hilt wanted

dennee · 21st June 2007, 10:18 PM

Josh, you're right on with what I was thinking---is the end of the tang essentially flat because that's the way it was made or because the end was cut off, possibly even to remove the pommel without destroying it (although at least some Bhutanese pommels have something of a screw-type arrangement to secure it, but it's not clear to me whether that is attached to the tang)?

dennee · 22nd June 2007, 12:36 AM

It strikes me that a Bhutanese hilt alone is not somethign that someone would keep around---except perhaps for one of the cast pommels. Reduced to their consituents parts, they are a wood core, some kind of wrap (wire or shagreen), and the pommel---nothing very valuable to the Bhutanese for reuse except for the pommel, especially considering that, if it came apart, it was likely broken in some fashion. I corresponded with someone recently who has a Bhutanese sword whose hilt comes off (and goes back on--evidence of a lack of a through tang?), but it's still associated with the rest of the weapon.

If you can't find a pommel in Bhutan (!), it's possible that you could find a cast pommel from a dealer, perhaps someone like Robert Hales in London. The wood core could be fabricated, and the simplest wrap would probably be to glue a piece of rayskin on. Finally, if you don't find one of the finer, cast pommels, you could probably have one fabricated out of thin sheet metal, as some pommels were essentially plain caps.

eftihis · 25th June 2007, 09:11 AM

Hi, thank you for all the info and interesting discussion. I attach photos of the hilt, blade pattern. I am afraid i do not know the provenance.

josh stout · 25th June 2007, 06:11 PM

My guess is the tang was filed flat, a crude handle was made, and then the bit sticking out the end was hammered flat with the new handle. You can see the lip at the end of the tang. I have seen several Chinese blades with a similar look. (http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j6...-1000-full.jpg)

The closest thing I could find to a replacement handle was this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/WW2-CHINESE-MILI...QQcmdZViewItem

It would not really do though.
Josh

25th June 2007, 09:11 AM	#3
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 512	Hi, thank you for all the info and interesting discussion. I attach photos of the hilt, blade pattern. I am afraid i do not know the provenance. Attached Images

21st June 2007, 10:18 PM	#1
dennee Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: College Park, MD Posts: 186	Josh, you're right on with what I was thinking---is the end of the tang essentially flat because that's the way it was made or because the end was cut off, possibly even to remove the pommel without destroying it (although at least some Bhutanese pommels have something of a screw-type arrangement to secure it, but it's not clear to me whether that is attached to the tang)?

22nd June 2007, 12:36 AM	#2
dennee Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: College Park, MD Posts: 186	It strikes me that a Bhutanese hilt alone is not somethign that someone would keep around---except perhaps for one of the cast pommels. Reduced to their consituents parts, they are a wood core, some kind of wrap (wire or shagreen), and the pommel---nothing very valuable to the Bhutanese for reuse except for the pommel, especially considering that, if it came apart, it was likely broken in some fashion. I corresponded with someone recently who has a Bhutanese sword whose hilt comes off (and goes back on--evidence of a lack of a through tang?), but it's still associated with the rest of the weapon. If you can't find a pommel in Bhutan (!), it's possible that you could find a cast pommel from a dealer, perhaps someone like Robert Hales in London. The wood core could be fabricated, and the simplest wrap would probably be to glue a piece of rayskin on. Finally, if you don't find one of the finer, cast pommels, you could probably have one fabricated out of thin sheet metal, as some pommels were essentially plain caps.

25th June 2007, 06:11 PM	#4
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	My guess is the tang was filed flat, a crude handle was made, and then the bit sticking out the end was hammered flat with the new handle. You can see the lip at the end of the tang. I have seen several Chinese blades with a similar look. (http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j6...-1000-full.jpg) The closest thing I could find to a replacement handle was this. http://cgi.ebay.com/WW2-CHINESE-MILI...QQcmdZViewItem It would not really do though. Josh