A less common weapon sometimes carried by Sikh warriors was the Tabar battle axe. A small light weapon it was meant for one to two handed swings. The large triangular blade has one broad cutting edge and its crescent shape indicates that it was not designed for armor piercing
The Chakar looks like a wagon wheel with weights at the end of each spoke. The chakar is wielded by grasping the centre and spinning it around, causing damage upon anyone coming too close to the spinning weights
The lathi or quarterstaff is a wooden stick as tall as the warrior and made of oak.
The Marati is a bamboo stick with wooden or cloth balls on its ends. It is mainly used for training purposes but there are variations with blades or burning cloth on its ends, to attack and distract elephants and for psychological warfare
This is a typical Indian sword and has a broad, straight blade, usually widening towards the point, which is blunt. Sometimes it is also double-edged.
It is nearly always round and varies in diameter from about eight inches to about twenty-four. Some are very nearly flat while others are strongly convex. The edges may be flat or rolled back in the reverse curvature of the shield. It is held by two handles fastened to ring bolds that pass through the shield and are riveted to bosses on the outside, sometimes formed to spikes. Between the handles there is a square cushion for the knuckles to rest against. The handles are so placed that, when tightly grasped, they force the backs of the fingers against the cushion giving a very firm and comfortable hold. These shields are nearly always of steel or leather
The Katar is a double-edged and straight bladed dagger used to pierce armour. The handle has two sidebars to provide protection and a better grip
This is made from fire hardened bamboo or ratan, 1m long and usually has a hand guard. It is mainly used for practice and "playing Gatka", the training fight. For combat they were replaced by oak ore ironwood sticks, without hand guards
The Kirpan is a short curved dagger and all Sikhs are required to carry it by tradition.
The sword is usually curved with a thin and sharp blade. The Talwar is greatly respected and treated with care
Chakram, Chacra, Chakar (Pronunciation) . It is a flat steel ring from five to twelve inches in diameter and from half an inch to an inch and a half wide, the outer edge is sharp.
Indian maces have a great variations in their shape. From simply curved steel bars to Persian influenced maces with openings in the head which gave a whistling sound when the blow was struck to plane massive heads.They often have guarded hilts like the Khanda.
The Indian arrows have steel heads of a great variety of shapes, with tangs fitting into the shafts, which are generally of reed. The shafts are often painted and gilded elaborately. These arrows have three feathers and bone, or ivory , noks.Most of the Kaman (bows) are composite. Some are made of steel with block of wood at the handles. They are of the shape of composite bows and reverse when strung. Others are made of up to nine layers of wood or horn
