.......yes but the purpose of this thread being reopened was to try and establish what the covering might have been on the long hilt. Subsequently this has been expanded to try and establish a time line and origin of this particular type. I have my doubts that the fitted blades would establish that, as you well know tha the range of blades (and ages of them) fitted to Middle Eastern swords varies considerably in origin and age.
Lets try not to drown the original subject with likely non related side journeys. :)

Blinkers off !!
 

Salaams. This thread will go in the direction of research and knowledge discussion and debate and thus occasionally something surprising may unfold...

We are not tied to one simple view but are open minded and able to consider freely the oblique angles... thats what the forum is about no? There is more than one approach here so why dont you broaden yours (or not) and look at the far bigger picture... and the solution to your basic question of whether of not the hilt was wrapped in leather, cloth or something else will inevitably evolve... but more importantly the relative place that this weapon has in the family of Red Sea weapons .. will out.

I just wrote to Swedegreen the thread originator and said "As you can see the your thread is current again. What I believe is key to the discussion is your excellent picture of swords and scabbards at # 1 in particular the lower sword with what I would call a simple securing mechanism between the scabbard and the hilt which as part of the scabbard slides inside the long cuff. I think this is indicative of the whole lot being made at once as a deliberate all in one sword".

The original post is key... That's where we need to look...and to research.

You never know it could be important !

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Thanks Stu! Would be cool if anybody ever visiting the museum could have a look at their info on the piece. Maybe the data will have a riveting tale to tell, along the lines that Gavin suggests! I guess I shouldn't hold my breath for the museum to go online with their collection.. :D

Then maybe you guys could also get a useful pointer as to time-span for this new sword type of yours. :)


All the best, - Thor

IRON; Evil Spirits. Why the hilt would be covered.
 

Salaams ~ Note to Forum. The technique of covering the hilt in leather is multi faceted ..
1. It provides a much sturdier hilt.
2. The anti slip, good grip qualities of leather make it an excellent material.
3. Leather was in plentiful supply from goat, cow, camel and occasionally other tallismanic materials like wolf, hyena and fox.
4. Lastly the habit of covering iron with leather was used to negate the devil/evil link of Iron coming into direct contact with the skin. Iron was seen as attracting evil.

#1 shows how the scabbard was completed in worked leather and it would be easy to imagine that a hilt would be more susceptible to destructive wear thus all that's left is the metalic hilt... in most cases Iron though some with partial other metals in places perhaps the result of a running repair.

The museum plaque probably holds little factual evidence (as usual) Pro active information and detail on Museum exhibits is laughable at best and I would imagine it says something like "Arabian Red Sea swords," however, that is not to write off an aproach on potential information...Anything goes on that quest !

More to the point is the construction of the hilt showing that the style is in line with the technique of the Omani Battle Sword Hilt with Pommel not attached to tang though the two parts of the hilt appear welded unlike the Omani Hilt which is riveted over a wooden insert core. The pommel unlike the Omani Hilt is very crude as are the what look like remnants of quillons which are in fact incorporated into the cuff. Occasionally the cuff has the weird long window like addition which could be to enable a stuck sword to be freed or used in the role of quillons to twist an opponents blade out of his grip. The whole hilt appears as a monumental religious based iconic shape..with a number of potential provenances including African. It could even be a mass produced militia sword.

The full implications need to be examined as it may be a separate as yet unidentified type. Its provenance needs a full airing and any links to other regional variants should be carefully considered.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Salaams All, Note to Forum; I discovered this interesting shot by Michael Blalock in another lead at http://www.swordforum.com/forums/sho...ons-and-armour at post #3 bringing the question to that of the Wallace collection again. See #14 on http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=wallace These swords appear to be of Yemeni pedegree though there appear to be two qualities...viz;

1.The quite basic variety that we have been dealing with which could perhaps be Yemeni Askri(Palace Guard/Militia) weapons and
2.The very highly ornate Wallace collection/ ornate version seen in para 1 above quality.

:shrug:

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Salaams Note ...To complete my overall view on this style and in reviewing similar blades to the basic project blades at #1 and similar are there relationships also connected to the blade style seen at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...arabian+swords in the souk.

Naturally there are various solutions, though, it may be some time before a complete analysis presents itself. Until then I would advise the usual open mind and thorough research with the hope that conclusive evidence is presented. :shrug:

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

So we don't have to continually link to other threads, here are the pics of the Wallace Collection sword, with descriptive text.

Salaams All.

Comparing the project sword style at #1 what we appear to be looking at is the same design as shown on

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=314 See # 11 picture number 12..Scroll down 12 pictures(final picture) and see 3rd from right sword.

This Museum exhibit is in Istanbul so is likely to be "Mamluke" linked which places rather a more important hand on this style. Definitely more research needed on this !! :shrug:

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

........this one.....and rotated to show the right way up........the subject sword is now third from left.

The point being that this sword now unfolds as present in at least two museums Istanbul Military and a Yemeni Military exhibit though the more basic forms at Project #1 etc appear as later forms of the same/ similar design. Late 18th -Mid 19th C ? The clear links however with a much earlier style indicate Ottoman, Mamluke and Abassiid roots, potential links to Omani forms both battle and dancing swords and a rethink on the Old Omani Battle Sword in the light of the weapon at Istanbul Military Museum ..and the Forum discussion so far... It is certainly a twisting and turning development. :D

If you look at the form of the sword style of the previous photo number 10 of #11 at the Istanbul Museum http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=314 you will see how close the blade is to the Mamluke style and where the sword begins to shape up in the relationship to what we are now looking at ... and with an eye on the Wallace type assessed as appearing in the late 1700s as a highly ornate badge of office for an important Persian dignatory and said to be of Cairo manufacture utilizing an Arabized German blade. In unearthing the truth behind the project sword we may also be poised to take on the Wallace supposition of provenance on their exhibit which is very interesting indeed.

In the thread "Kattara for comments" you will also discover that I made a comparison with the Mamluke and the old Omani Battle Sword, however, it may be that the sword I should have also compared was the project sword... as well... In this case a redraw may be required in which an even bigger and more obvious comparison is required between the two clearly similar hilt formations... The Long Metalic Red Sea Sword and The Omani Battle Sword. Both originating in pre Mamluke (Abassiid) and permeating the Ottoman Style and cunningly until now flying under the radar but now on the workbench as a very interesting discussion ... as a Yemeni Variant possibly from the Habaabi region that before about 1920 was Yemen and is now in Saudi Arabia.

As a sideline but equally related is the obvious similarity in long broadsword type between the Omani dancing sword and this Project weapon (weapon as opposed to dancing sword since its a stiff blade) Could it be that the Omani dancing sword evolved from this ... It has a long hilt that could concievably have morphed into what we recognise as the Long Omani Hilt... on both the straight Omani Sayf and curved Kattara.

It poses these broader questions which will now unravel. Bring it on !! :shrug:

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Salaams Note to Library; see post 27, http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=314 for developments in Red Sea swords and the design flow between Abbasiid, Mamluke, Ottoman, Yemeni and Omani variants. :shrug:
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Wrapped Hilt Covering
 

Just came across this pic in my archives while looking for something else. It shows an Omani Battle Sword with what definitely appears to be a wrapped hilt covering rather than a "fitted" one. Unfortunately I can not remember the source of this pic, which was archived in April 2010, but it clearly puts a different (or at least alternative) light on how things were finished in terms of metal hilts.

Salaams kahnjar1 ~There are several ways to wrap a hilt. It can be simply wrapped round and round like the one in your photo or as one piece or woven rather in a zig zag better described as platted wrap. I note that the haphazzard way in which the sword wrapping is presented could mean that this is a random repair thus not an original form of wrap..

Interestingly on the Omani Battle Sword there are 3 holes (2 for rivvets) the top hole near the pommel is for a wrist strap. The strap anchor hole on this sword seems to be covered.

What is also important in your picture is the silver inlay script on the pommel... not on all swords... but it is thought on some perhaps to glorify a particular event/battle, a religious incantation, or to add/display the power and rank of the owner.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Wrist Strap Hole ???????????
 

You say that the "wrist strap hole" of this particular hilt is covered. I note that all three of the refinished hilts you show in your pics, and no doubt done in your workshop, also have the wrist strap hole covered, if indeed there was one there in the first place. The bare hilts you show in various pics you have posted, do not indicate holes either..........
Clarification please.

Clarification ~ No not quite.
If you can see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16482 all of the pictures of my Omani Battle Swords have wrist strap holes. The covered hilts that are fully covered havent had a hole bored in the leather as yet...except the centre one which in fact has a cotter pin in the top hole...which was in the original but may have been added by the previous owner. Invariably this top hole is about quarter of an inch from the pommel. Interestingly there is also a cotter pin in http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16482 at #9 which is a Mamluke variant similar to the style that I compared the Omani Battle Sword to in http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10455

The hilts are not done in my workshops but are in pretty well natural as found condition with the rust removed...and with the core of wood replaced since the existing ones were rotted out. We used the original rivvets where possible.

The only additions are the leather work. Of course, we take pride in getting the detail right which is why we observe the museum items carefully first, thus, we would never recommend this to amateurs.

We also have a number of swords actually in museums. :shrug:

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Stupid question time.

There is far too much repitition within this thread and those referred to for me to stay focused.

The long hilted Omani sword, of the type pictured is only a dance sword?

Regards

Gavin

Salaams good point I have just tried to right that but as you can see these paths cross and are at times entwined nevertheless Ive tried to clarify the issue on the other thread...The Omani Battle Sword deals with that sword and Kattara for comment with Omani Sayf and Kattara... Im sure it will all balance out... just keep an eye on everything !! :) ha!

On your question yes its only a dancing sword. An Omani Sayf. Now that one is dealt with in much detail on Kattara for comments.

You will note that this thread is neither but deals partly with the long hilt and the possible influence of what looks like at #1 a Yemeni / Ottoman / Mamluke / Abassiid variant on your Omani swords long hilt. Yours being the Straight Omani Sayf; The Dancing Sword. (See what I mean? slightly confusing) :shrug:

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Thank you Ibrahiim, this is as I thought you indicated. However, I do not agree that these are only dance swords. Yes, they were used in dance and in today’s circles are known as dance swords but this is not as a be all and end all to the sword.

This original untouched example I have presented has a very fine stout and non flexible fighting blade in it, certainly not a dance sword.

I would suggest your post in original TVV Kattara thread in post #6 is a correct way of viewing this sword, fighting, with a shield. I think the W. H. INGRAMS notation in post #18 of the same thread is not it's sole purpose but just a cultural observation of the time, one that has continued today as a matter of ceremony.

I know the chicken and the egg theory was discussed in the same thread about its presence in Africa where I suspect it too was used only for fighting as a trade legacy from the east.

The wonderful photos of Tipu with the same sword type, in my opinion supports these swords where a cultural fighting sword and proudly displayed as such.

The gaps in time from the period of early types with quillons you present through to the early 20th century is too great not to consider these as fighting swords even the flexible ones of old.


Regards

Gavin

Salaams Gavin Last point first ~ The old ones werent flexible... what is notable about the massive gap in time is how a simple technology like a battle Sword stood the vast time test. I suggest that the flexible sword only arrived in about 1744 (the beginning of the al busaiid dynasty) and as a pageantry sword only. I don't altogether disagree with your assessment with some of the dodgey 19th century reports dotted about from authors like Burton etc but Ingrams was firmly planted... He spent years in Zanzibar and new his turf like the back of his hand and later went on to the Hadramaut and did sterling work. Of all the scholarly observers I believe he is one of the finest. He spent decades studying the situation not as a visitor but as a fixture and fitting..
I hope the new layout of each sword having its own thread works better..

Please look again at the Tipu Tip sword... Its a massive curved Kattara.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Hi Ibrahiim,

Not holding any author current or past at fault as they often have more time and want than most but Ingrams make one small single passge in passing with no other great attention to any detail about the swords he saw or any other reference to the swords from the regions applications in fighting. Because he did not write of fighting which he may not have ben exposed to or didn't want to write about should not be grounds for absolute reasoning that these swords were in the day just dance swords.

By his own admission it reached chaotic frantic levels and it is distinctly possible there were also curved swords being used in the dance fray, possiblely just most mentioned because the straight sword was so common and worn by many that a curved one were and there was overlooked.

Please see my views in your new threads on curved vs straight.

Regards

Gavin

Salaams Gavin... Cant add much to that... I have disagreed with most reports by most Europeans but Ingram to me was solid and as Secretary to the Zanzibar Ruler I found his reports accurate and interesting especially on his note about the difference between Omani and Zanzibaris dancing with weapons etc... I have no doubt that curved weapons were used for absolute sure they were..as they are also used today... Its just that the straight Omani Sayf has never been in a fight because it is the traditional dancing sword.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Dear Ibrahiim,

I must continue to probe, it is the essence of learning and seeking truth. I ask, but why is the modern straight sword as it is seen today the traditional dancing sword, how did it become so.

Is it because the modern traditional dancing sword today is a tribute to the straight sword of forefathers who used it for not only fighting but in dance in which skills were honed, skills honoured and a ritual bonding with brothers was made... :shrug: This is where time has passed with nothing yet found recorded about why the straight sword was chosen for using in dance in the modern age we live in.
I suggest because the straight sword in the dress discussed was the common but important fighting sword of the day being flexible or not, used in dance and combat but not isolated to either. This I feel is why it become the ritual dance item today....But still lots more work is required and you are progressing the study along with avenues open for others to present known research on the subject.

Regards

Gavin

Salaams Gavin. I believe it developed as a style from the Old Battle Sword which I have compared its general design with. In both cases, essentially, a two edged, straight, sharp, spatulate tipped blade and with a hilt in the Islamic arch shape. To assign the Terrs Buckler Shield was simply an extension of the honorary nature of the pageantry sword... relating it further to the tradition in the sword dance; The Razha within the Funoon Genre of sword dance, mimic contest, music and poetry and handed down from day 1. (751 ad)
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

This sword has now arrived, and I can make further comment to what I had suggested above.
1.The skin used for the drag is not goat in my opinion, and could very well be lion as was suggested by the seller, as the remaining hair is quite thick. ....not like goat hair at all, which is much finer.
2.The fitting of scabbard to hilt is the same method as in Swedegreen's swords.....wooden tongue sliding inside the silver dressing of the hilt.
3. The hilt itself is impossible to grip securely so I would have thought that there was originally some sort of covering. Unless the users hands were VERY small the sword would slip easily in use.

Other than the above observations, the whole shows good age, and IMHO has not been artificially aged in any way... Why would one cover the scabbard with skin and then rub most of the hair off??

Regards Stu

Salaams. The Yemeni Sword. (Long Hilt.)

This sword has nothing to do with the Yemeni items tuned up with backyard hilts to sell to tourists. That is not to say that it isn't a sword that tourists buy since many are sitting in Muscats Muttrah souk and being bought by tourists... The two, however, belong to different kettles of fish.

This sword which is related to the Ottoman type in the Istanbul Military Museum (thus Mamluke and Abbassiid) is attributed to Yemeni style of metalic longhilt in the general family of Red Sea Variants I have mentioned many times previously. It appears as a leftover copied design from Ottoman garrisons into the Yemeni armouries (probably "Askeri" equivalent palace guard or militia swords) I would suggest that these belong in the southern part of what is now Saudi Arabia but was Yemen pre about 1920. They ''seem'' to be late copies perhaps mid 18th to mid 19th C going by the blades and hilt finish. Being likely contenders of Yemeni manufacture I would suspect Hadramaut as the blade construction point... or even the other side of the water in Sudan or Ethiopia even? The blade style could conceivably have been supplied completely from late Ottoman sources. There is one picture of a man holding one such blade below... and that is on an Ottoman ~ Mamluke Hilt. Does your blade also compare with that?

They may be distantly related to the Wallace style but that is a huge step and further they may have some bearing upon the Omani longhilts both in the curved ( The Omani Kattara) and straight (The Omani Sayf) variety of blades now correctly discussed under their own separate banners.

I have seen several rehilted Ethiopian (German) blades on these hilts and have to report that most blades arrive into Muscat Souk without scabbards from Sanaa. The opener pictures at #1 puts that right immediately and the weapons can be seen as made deliberately as one unit along with the scabbard style. The blades in the Yemeni versions are not flexible other than a few inches either way.

The skin may be goat. It may also be wolf... which is far more likely as there was little credibility in decorating a scabbard with a goat piece. Wolf is the more likely from the talismanic viewpoint.

The hilt as you point out is far too thin to have no cover on it and the metal, being iron, would need to be covered since it attracts evil.

If my theory is correct these are indeed a separate breed of Sword and since they were probably militia weapons they are thus likely to be swords in the proper sense and this fact is firmly supported by the Istanbul and Yemeni museum pictures.

More interestingly they may be the trigger that influenced the design style in what I have earmarked as 18/19th C Omani Kattara and Sayf variants on long hilts since that region (specifically) was closely linked to sea trade with Muscat-Zanzibar and it was from Oman that they took their design for one of their Jambias (from either the Muscat and / or The Royal Khanjar style) in what I believe was the same period about 1744 to 1850.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Salaams Ibrahiim,
The blade does NOT resemble that shown above. The single SHALLOW fuller more resembles that in Swedegreen's pic at #1 (top sword). The one in the above pic appears deep and narrow rather than broad and shallow.
Stu

Salaams, It would be an advantage to show the blade would it not? I mean deep and shallow, broad and narrow are hardly indicative when a picture would be highly beneficial.. Do you think it looks like this one (The long hilted Yemeni Sword ) ? :shrug:
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Here is a pic of the fuller. The blade is 41mm (1 5/8") wide at the hilt and 5mm (3/16") thick. Flexibility is as one would expect for a combat sword.
Regards Stu

Salaams. Well we are nearly there... can you show the entire blade so that normal Forum inspection may be made and so the length of the fuller and blade tip etc. can be viewed ?

I'm not sure what you are implying with your flexibility statement ...For example; Are you saying that because it's flexible it makes it a combat sword? or its lack of flexibility? How much flex does it have about 2inch or a more full 90 degrees? These are normally quite stiff blades with a few inches of flex not more.

Personally I think that this is a separate Yemeni breed and that it was a combat sword, however, I think we first have to decide what level of flexibility these swords have and in denoting what the essential blade parameters are before embarking on that equation. What you may have is a Red Sea blade stuck on a Yemeni Hilt. :shrug:

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

The blade is, as I said, what one would expect from a "combat" blade---about 2"....certainly not something that would wave around in combat. Your comment about 90 degrees suggests to me something so flimsy that it would be next to useless for fighting.
Attached is a full length pic of the blade. The fuller tapers out to almost nothing about 2" back from the tip. As you can see, the tip of the double edged blade has probably been reshaped at some stage in its life, perhaps due to chipping. I am not sure if I should have this reshaped, or leave it as it is.
As an aside to the blade, I attach a further pic of the hilt. On investigation, I found that the silver collar had slipped up and was covering further hilt decoration. The blade now fits the scabbard correctly.

Salaams kahnjar1 Yes you say that and whereas I agree completely that the stiff blade format we see here is a fighting blade in the same way that I agree the Omani Battle Sword is also...and conversely the Omani Sayf Dancing blade is not... I have to say that others will come in and say blade flexibility owes nothing to fighting prowess as a sword necessarily...

My example would be the owner of the Shotley Bridge factory who attended an exhibition with a blade furled up inside his top hat and astonished onlookers when he unleashed it before their very eyes! Having handled a lot of these swords I have to say that they are all in the region of stiff 2 inch or so flexibility and in the fighting sword frame...though I havent seen a shield ? presumably a buckler since these are spatulate tipped chopping action blades. I have to err caution however, since this is well outside my area of operations and nothing would surprise me ... Who knows? they could be another pageantry blade !

That said, the picture is pretty clear; This appears to be linked in style to the original broadswords in Military Museums in both Istanbul and Yemen. It is thus likely to be rooted in history to Ottoman, therefor Mamluke and Abbassiid weaponry. When this was manufactured is still open to conjecture but I suggest an 18/19th C ticket.

There is, I suggest, the likelihood of an indirect link with the style of hilt to the Omani Dancing Sayf and Omani Curved Kattara within the timeframe perhaps related to the advent of the Al Busaiidi Dynasty commencing in 1744. (or thereabouts) and caused by intensive trade between the two regions.

Note on silver collar: Not seen one of these on this style before... Do you think it belongs to the sword or the scabbard? I think the scabbard.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Nice piece Stu! I really like how it looks. Just leave the tip as is - adds character. :) It is a great blade and the scabbard is really nice with the color that it adds to the piece.

Since I've never handled one of these, I'm rather curious how one would actually use it. You described the handle as being very slippery and impossible to grip without some covering. Even if it was covered, I would imagine the balance is pretty awkward due to the lack of a pommel? I don't mean any of this in a negative way I'm genuinely curious!

Salaams Ibrahiim......Re the silver collar. Not likely to have been part of the scabbard as it is far too small to fit. It does however fit snugly onto the hilt.

Iain..... Your comment re the blade is noted and I intend to leave it as is.
The hilt is still an open book, but I believe that there was originally a leather?? covering of some sort. Even then the hilt would be quite thin to grip, BUT....we are perhaps missing something here.
I use as an example, 19th Century British Military Uniforms, which, for the 20th/21st c man are far too small to wear, or even in some cases to put on. Obviously the "modern" man is of bigger stature, so it would be reasonable to assume, also has much larger hands than the 19th c "version". That being the case, maybe the hilt is NOT too small after all. I do not have evidence of Arabian stature in the 19th c, but I do know that modern Asian races are considerably smaller than the average European, and have MUCH smaller hands.
Perhaps this is the answer??
Stu

Hi Stu,

Makes sense. :) I was wondering not just about the size but the balance. Perhaps its just a trick of the photos but the balance looks like it would be very forward of the guard? Of course I always figure that ethnographic weapons that feel awkward usually just means we don't know how to hold them right!
:D No doubt the users of the period had no issues!

Salaams Khanjar 1. I think the Omanis and Yemenis were very small except in the case of the big fishermen and those of African stock. There is even a region in Oman which was famous for giants. (Bahla)

In terms of a leather wrap I suggest that it could be done in such a way that it forms a conical grip..which may indicate the potential link as the origin of both the Omani long hilts.

There is no way that I can see the hilt remaining metal because Iron attracts evil... and the grip would be useless. Wrapped in leather; not a problem as the grip would be solid, firm, strengthen the hilt and cover the iron.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Hello Khanjar 1,

This is all very intriguing, I have been interested in Arabian weapons for many years and can't really remember seeing a "SwedeGreen" type until this post, yet Ibrahim says South Arabia is awash with them!

I offer the following observations or speculations, some of which I realise are contradictory;-

1, The drag on your scabbard could be from a hyena. Bertram Thomas describes shooting them in the Qarra mountains.
2, When I first saw SwedeGreen's swords I wondered how the hits were made; presumably from sheets of steel or iron, rather than drawn out from an ingot, and I imagine the seams where the hilt is attached to the "block" would be difficult to do on an anvil and would require some form of welding. i.e a type of hilt that could only be relatively modern.
3, When I saw your sword I wondered whether or not these iron or steel hilts were originally covered overall in silver, (like the hilt in the Wallace collection and this one. http://www.swordforum.com/forums/sh...pons-and-armour ) which has since been stripped off. If this were so it would answer a lot of questions. This speculation could apply to all these iron hilted swords.
4, Thus the decoration on your sword could have been made after the original silver was removed and the collar on your sword, an old, half-hearted attempt to restore it's former glory.

Regards
Richard

Salaams Richard~ Can you point me to the quote where I said that?... I may have said the Souk in Muttrah is awash with them because it is... but I dont think I said South Arabia.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Sorry Ibrahiim,
I agree you did not say South Arabia was "awash" with them. But you did say there were dozens in the Muscat soukhs and they were common in Sanaa. This was an attempt to paraphase with exaggeration to highlight my surprise at finding these are quite common.
Regards
Richard

Salaams Richard G... Ah that was the souk in Muttrah ... I had about 20 of them lined up there but couldnt decide to take any but they told me they had got them in Sanaa...or through a Sanaa trader. The project weapon indeed looks like its got Hyena wrapped about the base. I dont know enough about these scabbards and to what extent the strange collar is original but it may be... I just cant imagine going in to bat with a soft silver content sleeve as an extension of the iron cuff... I remain puzzled about that .
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Sorry Iain, Missed that bit about balance. Anyway the point of balance is 4" below the silver collar,.....11" from the MIDDLE of the grip. The balance point is close to that of other swords I have....within about 1 1/2".
Stu