How to id a European kaskara blade?

Mefidk · 3rd January 2012, 06:30 AM

sorry in all the excitement about the rusty blade I failed to point this out (and I now see the pictures were not clear), but the croc kaskara does indeed have a ricasso - can we therefore assume this one is a trade blade?

Attached a better picture

I'm not sure if it will help this discussion but I could start another thread with images of the other pieces than came with these two and Iains takouba (when I have photos of them all). Unfortunately I know nothing more than they all came up for sale in the same auction lot.

Iain · 3rd January 2012, 02:13 PM

I have to admit I'm struggling to make out the ricasso but that might just be the angle and the overhang of the guard. Right now I just think I'm seeing the end of the fuller? Most likely I'm just blind though.

Just a quick note, that as this is the current kaskara thread going on the forum, might be a good place to put this short article I ran across today. Some interesting terminology at the end.

http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/det...?rsnpid=203766

Mefidk · 3rd January 2012, 03:10 PM

No your not going blind, it is really difficult to see, bad picture.

The fuller also has me confused - it is poorly done, and it actually extends into the ricasso which looks to have been all but ground away leaving only very faint marks on both sides of the blade. Not knowing enough about trade blades I wonder if any came without a fuller and possibly some enterprising bladesmith corrected the 'mistake'? That would explain the incongruity between blade quality and the messy fuller.
I will try to replace the picture with one using incident light to bring it out the ricasso marks - then again I might be wishfully seeing things that turn out to be trickily placed horizontal scratches

Iain · 3rd January 2012, 03:22 PM

Looking forward to the better picture, but I think I see it now, was looking in the wrong area.

Looking again I can clearly see the thick, squared off edge and were it slopes and lookes like it has been ground down. Unless I am going blind

I'm pretty sure I see little squared off corners on the top and bottom surface of the blade there, right on the edge.

Mefidk · 3rd January 2012, 03:47 PM

Managed a better picture - but now looking at it blown up like this I think I'm leading you up the garden path. No idea what this is but it looks like incisions rather than a shoulder

Iain · 3rd January 2012, 03:59 PM

May as well post it for posterity. I am more than ready to admit I am probably seeing things that aren't there.

Mefidk · 4th January 2012, 03:54 PM

Iain - I replaced the picture in the post above.

I guess we can agree that we don't have a ricasso here, but my original question is still valid. If we do find a ricasso on one of these can we conclude it is European?

3rd January 2012, 06:30 AM	#1
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	sorry in all the excitement about the rusty blade I failed to point this out (and I now see the pictures were not clear), but the croc kaskara does indeed have a ricasso - can we therefore assume this one is a trade blade? Attached a better picture I'm not sure if it will help this discussion but I could start another thread with images of the other pieces than came with these two and Iains takouba (when I have photos of them all). Unfortunately I know nothing more than they all came up for sale in the same auction lot. Attached Images Last edited by Mefidk; 3rd January 2012 at 03:46 PM. Reason: improved image

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3rd January 2012, 02:13 PM	#2
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,708	I have to admit I'm struggling to make out the ricasso but that might just be the angle and the overhang of the guard. Right now I just think I'm seeing the end of the fuller? Most likely I'm just blind though. Just a quick note, that as this is the current kaskara thread going on the forum, might be a good place to put this short article I ran across today. Some interesting terminology at the end. http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/det...?rsnpid=203766

3rd January 2012, 03:10 PM	#3
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	No your not going blind, it is really difficult to see, bad picture. The fuller also has me confused - it is poorly done, and it actually extends into the ricasso which looks to have been all but ground away leaving only very faint marks on both sides of the blade. Not knowing enough about trade blades I wonder if any came without a fuller and possibly some enterprising bladesmith corrected the 'mistake'? That would explain the incongruity between blade quality and the messy fuller. I will try to replace the picture with one using incident light to bring it out the ricasso marks - then again I might be wishfully seeing things that turn out to be trickily placed horizontal scratches

3rd January 2012, 03:22 PM	#4
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,708	Looking forward to the better picture, but I think I see it now, was looking in the wrong area. Looking again I can clearly see the thick, squared off edge and were it slopes and lookes like it has been ground down. Unless I am going blind I'm pretty sure I see little squared off corners on the top and bottom surface of the blade there, right on the edge.

3rd January 2012, 03:47 PM	#5
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Managed a better picture - but now looking at it blown up like this I think I'm leading you up the garden path. No idea what this is but it looks like incisions rather than a shoulder

3rd January 2012, 03:59 PM	#6
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,708	May as well post it for posterity. I am more than ready to admit I am probably seeing things that aren't there.

4th January 2012, 03:54 PM	#7
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Iain - I replaced the picture in the post above. I guess we can agree that we don't have a ricasso here, but my original question is still valid. If we do find a ricasso on one of these can we conclude it is European?