Sabre, my axe! :)

[Berkley]

The sabre fit for a king arrived today, proof once again that HI has the fastest shipping in the internet business world. And guess what - it ain't no sabre!
As the pic suggested, (and as I had hoped), it was the inner curve that was sharpened!! It's a

ram dao!

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">It is not a fighting weapon; swords of this class are used to decapitate the animals offered in sacrifice to the Bhatravi (terrible) forms of the Goddess at Her temples....The distribution of the type seems to lie on the northern side of the Ganges basin, extending from Bengal, to Assam, Nepal and Mirat</font>

Rawson, The Indian Sword
It is a beautiful, if terrible, sword. There is a deep fuller, about 1/4" wide, along the length of the spine. The point curves down sharply, and in fact has much in common with a kora in the way it curves sharply at the inner curve.
Bura is right - it is a beautiful presentation piece for a "big shot" - or a lucky HI forumite. It is gorgeous when simply displayed in the open case, with red velvet background and black leather trim. As for sharpness, think Marble's, Cold Steel, or Spyderco. This ain't no typical "Heck, I'm only going to use it as an axe" HI edge - it is literally shaving sharp along the entire length!
Bura has often shown that, as the royal kami, he has a deep knowledge of the historic blade forms of the entire Indian subcontinent, and an uncanny ability to faithfully reproduce them. This is a real keeper.


[This message has been edited by Berkley (edited 06-28-2001).]

 

[Matt B]

Interesting

However, I really think that Bura patterned this after a Tulwar rather than a Dao. Many Tulwar are sharpened along the outer edge for the last 1/4 or so of the blade.

In any case, a beautiful piece.

BTW Berk-How does this piece handle?

regards
Matt

 

[Berkley]

The sword has a definite Indo-Muslim hilt of Punjabi-Rajput type (without langets), typical of a talwar, but the downward curve of the tip

is completely inconsistent with any talwar blade

that I have seen.
It handles like an executioner's sword - lots of momentum, but don't try any of your fancy katas unless you have exceptionally strong wrists.

[This message has been edited by Berkley (edited 06-28-2001).]

 

[Yvsa]

:
Very interesting and you picked up on it Berk!!!!
I wouldn't have though it in a million years, but the shape of the blade should have been a clue since it doesn't look like a sabre.

But as a khukuri isn't a khukuri without the cho the ram dao cannot be a ram dao without the eye.;
That is IIRC.

It seems as if I have read that on prior posts about the ram dao.

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Yvsa.

"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.

 

[Bill Martino]

Many thanks for usual great report, Berk. And, the kamis tell me if no eye no ram dao so I guess it is the HI RD sabre according to Bura. What do I know anyway.

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Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
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