My first wootz piece
 

Well, after several disappointing endeavors with rust tracks, I finally own something that is clearly made of wootz, a Qajar khanjar. I don't have any questions about this piece in particular, but of course I would appreciate any comments you have to give!

--Radleigh

I have only positive comments:-) In fact, too positive... what an outstanding dagger! Do you mean the hilt and scabbard are of wootz as well?
Simply incredible! Many congrats!!!!

that is a very nice well executed piece. You definatly got a nice one

Looks like a recently made piece to me ;) I think you should pack it up and ship it right to me this way you can get the over grief this bad purchased has caused you :D ;). Only fooling dude :cool:. That is a stunning piece congrats!


Lew

Your wootz is very nice. :p Just stunning :p

And the koftgari is also perfect. :p

WOW! Stunning piece indeed. Top class qajar piece.

The khanjar is lovely and the wootz panels are quite nice. The edges seem blunt and with the high mid-rib the panels almost look like seperate pieces that have been welded into place. Can almost make out seam lines between the wootz and the edges. Certainly one way to achieve the deeply hollowed "panels" without having to forge a blade into those contours. Am I seeing things here?

Thanks to eveyone for all your kind responses. To answer the questions:

Alex -- I do not believe the fittings are wootz. It is difficult to tell with all the engraving but I tried a polish and etch on one of the more flat portions and it didn't reveal much. A trip to Oriental Arms would seem to confirm that most of the wootz-bladed Qajar pieces still had normal steel mounts:

http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/searc...22+%22wootz%22

So mine would seem to be in line with the norm.

Rsword -- I could see how from the pictures you would think that. I've looked at it closely, and I can say for sure that: (1) The outer ribs are wootz as well, (2) The inner rib is definately the same piece of steel as the "panels", and (3) The inner rib joins to the outer ribs at the tip seemlessly, so it is most likely all one piece. The black lines you see in the photo are actually closer to the chiseled lines around the floral work on the blade, so I'm guessing after forging the outer ribs were accentuated by putting a deeper groove along the inside of them. As to why it is not sharp, well, I'm not really sure to what extent pieces like this were made for local consumption, and to what extent locally used ones would have actually needed an edge.

Thanks a lot again everyone,

--Radleigh