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Originally Posted by Sakalord364
I might also add that the design of these sword blades is unique, and so are the hilts, being a combination of some generic British handle with an Indian style finger guard. Then again the Afghan shashka is also unique to Afghanistan- the late 19th century was a very interesting time in the world of Afghan edged weapons- it would have been exceedingly simple for the Afghan ruler to draw up a contract with Wilkinson or whatever manufacturing house to provide him with all the swords and bayonets he needed but he seems to have made an effort to make it all domestically.
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This is all exceptional information, and much appreciated, you are clearly very well informed. Honestly I am delighted to find that these edged weapons (and thank you for the itemized list) were indeed made at the Machin Khana. I had never been able to find proof that was the case.
As ALWAYS, the emphasis is on guns with edged weapons seldom meriting mention as with most military oriented literature.
I am thrilled to hear of this upcoming book, and hope you will keep us informed on how to obtain when released. I presume though the focus is on firearms, the details on swords regardless how minimal are mentioned as suggested.
Good to know these blades on the Afghan military swords are unique as I had suspected, so your confirmation is appreciated. Also that the hilts were based on some British design (I had mentioned similarity to a sword bayonet hilt). I once tried to reach Wilkinson to discover if they in fact had any part in these hilts being so close to bayonet style, but no useful response was forthcoming.
In these times Wilkinson had plenty of contracts supplying India as well as Abyssinia, so it does not seem it would have been a problem, but if the Khan chose otherwise.
The Afghan shashka would of course have been unique to Afghanistan, however these have often been deemed Uzbek, which is rather a vague differentiation which I have yet to follow the particulars. Note fluted scabbard component similar to those on paluoars.
If the British pattern bayonets were being produced there, wonder if the components were interchangeable for the grip, pommel, and ferrule?
Some of these military hilts have had different guards, and on occasion it seems similar to paluoar types.