First Choora

[Jim McDougall]

While looking further into these interesting and unique daggers we now term 'choora',as explained in earlier posts, I would like to express some thoughts on the possible origins of this apparent variant form of 'karud'.
It seems it has been suggested that in many cases karud blades have been remounted in these uniquely charactered hilts.

In looking at the map earlier posted, the Mahsud territories are directly adjacent to Bannu, and Egerton I believe did note Bannu provenance to one of these.

Some will recall discussions we have had regarding the small 'crow beak' type pickaxes which have been termed (in these collectors parlances), the 'lohar'. Stone claims they are attributed to the 'Banochie' (Bannuchi) tribes of Khyber regions (pp. 418-19). While this attribution may have some merit, the term for these, 'lohar' is believed to derive from itinerant blacksmiths of Rajasthani ancestry known as the Gadia Lohars (the term lohar may be Hindi for iron).

In some of the later (1920s+) versions of these they are folding (as attached) and the general themes of motif seem to correspond to these 'choora' in cases.

The pickaxe lohars are actually quite small, and suggest being covert weapons during British occupations in these areas where obviously arms were prohibited so easily concealed. Possibly these small daggers (often seeming to be small cousins of the larger Khyber knives) might have been produced by these 'Lohars' also, and became a locally favored form.

As seen by Egerton, his sketch seems to approximate the hooked style of the pommel of these (see also the lohar of 20th c. carrying similar style) but he termed it simply pesh kabz as the collective term for some of these forms .

It seems I was once told these 'choora' are typically without wootz blades. Possibly those which are actually have remounted karud blades which of course have the same basic profile?

Gav, thank you for the kind words on my earlier post.

Mahratt, I hope you might consider my suggestions here as you I know have done quite a bit of research on these daggers, and I wonder if you think this perspective might be viable.

Harry, as Ariel has noted, though it is very difficult to date these, it must be remembered that these weapons from those regions in the early 20t into the 1930s were in every bit as much drama, combat and intrigue as through the previous century. These are the regions of the "Great Game" and I would recommend getting that book by Peter Hopkirk which would add tremendous dimension to this wonderful dagger.