A Definitive Answer - The Best Affordable And Quality Kirpans In Punjab?

[Sat Nam Singh]

I am currently in Chandigarh and will be traveling throughout Punjab over the next 4 months. My as of yet fruitless search for a Kirpan that is not a dull piece of crap has led me to these forums.

I have read something about a factory in Patiala as well as having been directed to Nihangsingh.com which is apparently based out of Amritsar. I am interested in the quality of the iron as well as that I not be overcharged. I am told that at the Patiala factory your appearance and language competency will determine the cost of your Kirpans. As a Sikh and member of the Khalsa this is rather disappointing to me but all of my experiences in Punjab so far have led me to believe it is probably true. Thoughts?

I will be in Anandpur and at the Buddha Dal during Holla Mohalla. Maybe this would be a good place to search?

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh

-Satnam Singh

[Gurbar Akaal]

From my experience the manufacturer of shastars from nihangsingh.com (Nihang Baldev Singh) are not very good. Although he copies traditional designs and uses pretty decent steel in terms of it being able to keep an edge, the balancing of the weight is absolutely wrong. If your looking for a tulwar for a showpeice, then get one from him, else I would encourage you to look for a antique tulwar. Old swordsmiths understood the way weapons were used and how strikes are delivered. Each swordsman would have their tulwar custom made depending on their fighting style, that is why you find such a wide variety of Indo Perisian weapons, all differing slightly in how they are, size of handles, different types of sools, different guards, curvature of the blade etc.

The Patiala factory of Budha Dal have okish shastar too, although again I would rather put my hard earned cash towards a very good antique peice.

You can find antiques in India, but Rajastan and Hazoor Sahib are probably the best places, you will be hard pushed to find really good peices in Punjab. Watch out for people who make new shastar and try to sell em off as antiques, this is more tricky as you need to have a good understanding of what to look out for.

Many times you will find a blade put onto a different handle, ruining its weight balance, always check the laak (black resign inside the handle which holds the blade in), if it looks dirty and brown in colour, then it is most likely original to the handle, however if the laak is redish then its more likely to be a replacement or a re-fix of the blade due to wobbling.

My personal view is, id rather have a small amount of really nice shastar, then a room full of tat, save your cash up and just wait till some nice peices come available. There are some good antique sword websites around and they normally do good deals if you enquire about them.

If you do intend to buy a new peice from nihangsingh.com or patiala, always haggle it, if in the end you feel you are payin too much, then just walk away.

[Sat Nam Singh]

From my experience the manufacturer of shastars from nihangsingh.com (Nihang Baldev Singh) are not very good. Although he copies traditional designs and uses pretty decent steel in terms of it being able to keep an edge, the balancing of the weight is absolutely wrong. If your looking for a tulwar for a showpeice, then get one from him, else I would encourage you to look for a antique tulwar. Old swordsmiths understood the way weapons were used and how strikes are delivered. Each swordsman would have their tulwar custom made depending on their fighting style, that is why you find such a wide variety of Indo Perisian weapons, all differing slightly in how they are, size of handles, different types of sools, different guards, curvature of the blade etc.

The Patiala factory of Budha Dal have okish shastar too, although again I would rather put my hard earned cash towards a very good antique peice.

You can find antiques in India, but Rajastan and Hazoor Sahib are probably the best places, you will be hard pushed to find really good peices in Punjab. Watch out for people who make new shastar and try to sell em off as antiques, this is more tricky as you need to have a good understanding of what to look out for.

Many times you will find a blade put onto a different handle, ruining its weight balance, always check the laak (black resign inside the handle which holds the blade in), if it looks dirty and brown in colour, then it is most likely original to the handle, however if the laak is redish then its more likely to be a replacement or a re-fix of the blade due to wobbling.

My personal view is, id rather have a small amount of really nice shastar, then a room full of tat, save your cash up and just wait till some nice peices come available. There are some good antique sword websites around and they normally do good deals if you enquire about them.

If you do intend to buy a new peice from nihangsingh.com or patiala, always haggle it, if in the end you feel you are payin too much, then just walk away.

Many thanks for your prompt reply,

I was not particularly enthused by either source(Patiala or Nihangsingh.com) They are merely the only ones I have been able to find already discussed in other threads on this forum.

I certainly am not opposed to going to Hazoor Sahib, or anywhere else for that matter, in search of a quality piece. Is it still an option to have custom items done either via a production business or local smith in a pind somewhere? I am only interested in purchasing one or maybe two items but however small the order I would still prefer to contribute to a local economy than the pockets of someone who is exploiting the Panth as a means of business. What are some drive by quotes on this kind of thing? Are antiques going to be more or less available/expensive than custom items? I am interested in getting both a short side piece as well as a longer full shastar.

-Satnam Singh

[Gurbar Akaal]

I believe allot of the skills to swordsmithing has been lost, you get allot of duplicates but nothing comes close to the antiques in terms of usability.

I am going to India next month and I will attempt to get a certain number of things made, but due to them being small in size they wont be affected too much by weight imbalances. Even so, I will sit along side the person making it and ensure that he knows exactly what I want, even if it takes all day!

[ghatak]

whatever kirpan u get, just get the taksali one (the one with sarbloh)

coz guru gobind singh ji asked us to wear sarb loh karha and kirpan

[Khaalis]

Arms fair which will be selling antique shastar at many stalls - this weekend:

15 Birmingham Arms Fair Royal Motorcycle Museum, Solihull, Warks 01926 497340

10am to 3.30pm

[sunny_love_kirtan]

http://www.singhstation.com/Special.html

go threw the whole website

[sahib singh1981]

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[Traveller]

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[sahib singh1981]

wjkk wjkf http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaster/3276161207/

this album is amazing! is it yours?

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