Khyber knife

[tom hyle]

Few bayonets start out by curving back, though many start out by curving forward, then curve back. I've been puzzling on the issue of the mark myself; it might help to know what it says, but by my info. it could be a maker's or owner's marks. It appears to have been struck with individual strokes. The long strokes have pointy ends, as if chiselled, but they look of even dpth, as if etched, but this could easily be a limitation of photography; what decides me are the individually struck dots. This work could have occurred at any time in the life of the weapon. The base of a thick sabre blade is not dis-similar in cross-section to a "T-back" blade, the main distinction being a heavier edge (the transition to the thick spine is more gradual and rounded, but similar). Certainly falling into the category of dagger, while many bitzak are clearly more knives.