Kattara restoration

[Kubur]

Hello

I need some help to restore a kattara.
I looked on the forum and unfortunatly I didn't find any thread to help me.
The hilt is plain wood without leather.

I have two options,

I can cover it with plain leather black or brown.
May be with printed motives (with hot iron).

My second option is more ambitious, to cover the hilt with
a geometric design of metal wire.
I have seen on many kattara.
But I don't know which kind of wire to use
and how to proceed...

Many thanks in advance
K.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Hello

I need some help to restore a kattara.
I looked on the forum and unfortunatly I didn't find any thread to help me.
The hilt is plain wood without leather.

I have two options,

I can cover it with plain leather black or brown.
May be with printed motives (with hot iron).

My second option is more ambitious, to cover the hilt with
a geometric design of metal wire.
I have seen on many kattara.
But I don't know which kind of wire to use
and how to proceed...

Many thanks in advance
K.

Hi can we see a photo of the item... it will inspire ideas... basically it sounds like you are going back to the sword at stage 3 of a 5 stage process... Im guessing... OK lets see a picture and we can take it on from there...
Any ethnographic history attached to this item ??

Ibrahiim al Balooshi

[Kubur]

Dear Ibrahim,

It's simple you have already some photos on the site:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=kattara

I don't know anything about the guy who put these photos.
What I know is the sword was in the collection of Eric Laudes who sold it to a guy who sold it to a guy who sold it me...
It's a nice sword but needs a little bit of improvement for the handle/grip.
What do you think?

Choukran
Kubur

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Dear Ibrahim,

It's simple you have already some photos on the site:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=kattara

I don't know anything about the guy who put these photos.
What I know is the sword was in the collection of Eric Laudes who sold it to a guy who sold it to a guy who sold it me...
It's a nice sword but needs a little bit of improvement for the handle/grip.
What do you think?

Choukran
Kubur

Salaams Kubur, I see that site was blocked but since the weapon now belongs to you we assume(I hope) that the details may now be accepted and since this is quite possibly an interesting variant of straight Omani Dancer...My post continues below....

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Kubur, I see that site was blocked but since the weapon now belongs to you we assume(I hope) that the details may now be accepted and since this is quite possibly an interesting variant of straight Omani Dancer...My post continues below....

Salaams Kubur, A similar hilt appears on http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ttara+comments at #325 on a curved kattara. You can see how the silver sits inserted into the cut away hilt and I assume this would be the same on your sword.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Dear Ibrahim,

It's simple you have already some photos on the site:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=kattara

I don't know anything about the guy who put these photos.
What I know is the sword was in the collection of Eric Laudes who sold it to a guy who sold it to a guy who sold it me...
It's a nice sword but needs a little bit of improvement for the handle/grip.
What do you think?

Choukran
Kubur

Salaams Kubur, This looks like an Abu Falaj...the one with the falaj...A dancing sword with one fuller ~ or channel ~ along its whole length. Before I go any further I also assume that you have seen the hilts etc. on Omani Saif...and Omani Kattara...below;

1.see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=omani+sayf

2. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=Omani+Kattara


Usually (but not always ) these weapons get the name tag of straight = Omani Sayf or Saif ... but when the blade is curved they are called Omani Kattara. The styling is often the same on both weapons regarding decoration to the hilt and scabbard. References above refer...and there is an especially beautiful hilt at #2 of reference 2.

I have, however, one burning question... Does the blade bend quite easily and return immediately to straight from the tip ... bending through about 90 degrees ... Is the blade in other words ...quite flexible?

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Kubur]

Sabah al-khair Ibrahiim,

Thank you very much.
i have seen these threats.
The object is stored elsewhere, I will check your request next week.
My questions are : is it an imported blade?
And should I use leather or metal wire to cover the hilt?

Best wishes,
Kubur

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Sabah al-khair Ibrahiim,

Thank you very much.
i have seen these threats.
The object is stored elsewhere, I will check your request next week.
My questions are : is it an imported blade?
And should I use leather or metal wire to cover the hilt?

Best wishes,
Kubur

Salaams Kubur... I cannot say because I need to know the answer on flexibility first since a stiff blade will give a totally different answer. Omani flexible dancing blades, on the other hand, were made in Oman. I have seen cross hilted straight blades which are stiff and inflexible masquerading as dancing blades but which were imported via Yemen from Ethiopia, originally imported from Germany...and given the cross hilt treatment in Muscat for the tourist market...proliffic since 1970.

Thus the importance of the flexibility indicator question.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Sabah al-khair Ibrahiim,

Thank you very much.
i have seen these threats.
The object is stored elsewhere, I will check your request next week.
My qu
And sestions are : is it an imported blade?hould I use leather or metal wire to cover the hilt?

Best wishes,
Kubur

Salaams Kubur You may see that quite a storm errupts arround the controvertial Omani Dancing Sword. Although you may not be aware of it these swords change hands for reasonably large fees since many (if they are genuine) are held in families as heir looms...and the important ones seldom come up for sale. Library resource contains The Omani Kattara , The Omani Saif(or the Omani Dancing Sword) and Kattara for Comments. All of these have samples of decorative style.

Your Questions ....
1. Is it an imported blade? To help you decide if this is an imported blade I request the blade bend test to measure flexibility.

2. To use wire or leather to cover the hilt. The designs at library references are clear and offer a variety of approaches. I would consider replacing the silver thumb and forefinger position silver ring or cuff...at the forefront of the hilt. This will enhance the look of the sword and return it to a hilt original look...and it will correctly lenghten the hilt by about 2 inches. You have the possibility of using leather as well...and or silver wire. You didn't mention a scabbard? The typical pattern to scabbard and often to hilt are the Omani Swirl patterns ... Quite a lot to consider...

For me the important question revolves around the flexibility test...It looks like an old blade therefor please take the usual precautions for bending such a blade ...which I suggest should be done carefully and about 2 to 5 degrees at a time

If the blade refuses to bend or does not return to straight immediately... stop! Otherwise it may snap...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Hello

I need some help to restore a kattara.
I looked on the forum and unfortunatly I didn't find any thread to help me.
The hilt is plain wood without leather.

I have two options,

I can cover it with plain leather black or brown.
May be with printed motives (with hot iron).

My second option is more ambitious, to cover the hilt with
a geometric design of metal wire.
I have seen on many kattara.
But I don't know which kind of wire to use
and how to proceed...

Many thanks in advance
K.

Salaams Kubur,
Hilt and Scabbard Design
Looking around I remembered a post on a thread which has been moved to the non weapon forum see #17 at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15083

I note from the same thread that you may in fact be visiting Oman ... It may be advisable to wait until that time to collect up the spare parts you need or to sort out a renovation whilst you are here...

Ibrahiim al Balooshi.