Khyber Knife - Real or...?

broadaxe · 13th November 2011, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

Looks pretty good for a repro I must say.

Actually it is decently made with temepred steel blade. Atlanta Cutlery used to sell those also in the past, exclusively made by Windlass Steelcraft.

Stan S. · 13th November 2011, 03:25 PM

Thanks to all who replied. I think you guys are spot on. I guess I was confused by how utilitarian this item is, and I thought it was too plain and well made to be a repro. But I have to agree - it is a functional modern replica. Even though the seller gave me an option to return, I think I will keep it. After all, it only costed me just a bit over $50...

Blacksmith · 13th November 2011, 05:34 PM

Hello,I had a chance to visit the Deepeka Industries factory on Merut ( quite near New Delhi) on 2004 and I saw these (new) khyber knives there on their show room. It is possible that they are not producing these anymore.

broadaxe · 13th November 2011, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan S.

Thanks to all who replied. I think you guys are spot on. I guess I was confused by how utilitarian this item is, and I thought it was too plain and well made to be a repro. But I have to agree - it is a functional modern replica. Even though the seller gave me an option to return, I think I will keep it. After all, it only costed me just a bit over $50...

I keep such items on my educational collection, which I use in lectures & demonstrations. I'm not afraid of people touching with filthy fingers and it can be used for field testing.

Stan S. · 14th November 2011, 12:47 AM

So I was thinking... Unless I am not seeing something very obvious, the only things giving this item away as a repro are its unusually clean condition and a paper covered scabbard. If so, and assuming that there are identical copies of this sword floating out there, a potential exits that in 10-20 years, these reproductions will be sold as genuine antiques. There may be no answer but how can a collector safeguard from getting duped in the future?

VANDOO · 14th November 2011, 06:52 PM

MODERN, REPO, REPLICA

OR POSSIBLY MODERN WEAPON/TOOL MADE FOR USE FOR SALE TO AFGAN OR OTHER LOCAL PEOPLE FOR ACTUAL USE. THE ONLY WAY TO DETERMINE WHICH IT IS WOULD BE TO SEE IF ANY LOCALS ARE CARRING THESE TODAY.
I OFTEN BUY SUCH ITEMS IN THE LOCAL SHOPS WHEN I TRAVEL BUT JUST BECAUSE ONE WHO TRAVELS BRINGS IT BACK DOSEN'T ALWAYS MAKE IT A TOURIST ITEM. ITS OFTEN JUST THE CURRENT INEXPENSIVE MODEL OFFERED FOR SALE LOCALLY. ATLANTA CUTERLY IS MOST LIKELY A REPLICA FOR COLLECTORS BUT IF A AFGAN HAD A CATALOG AND COULD OUTFIT HIS GROUP AT A GOOD PRICE EVEN THEY MIGHT SEE USE.
AT ANY RATE IT LOOKS WELL MADE AND FUNCTIONAL AND IF THE PRICE WAS APPROPRIATE A FAIR BUY.

laEspadaAncha · 14th November 2011, 07:44 PM

Stan:

I picked up one that was similar to your own (aside from from additional chiseling on my own example, the scabbard is leather over wood - other then that, they're dimensionally similar) as part of a "mixed-bag" collection I acquired last year. The collection had knives & swords spanning the spectrum from high to medium to low quality. The one thing they all had in common is they had all been collected between 1977 and 1982.

Among the items from this collection were a couple European swords and dirks made by the Del Tin brothers on order for Museum Replicas, Ltd, which as I understand it has since been absorbed into Atlanta Cutlery.

Was this style Khyber knife listed in the Museum Replicas catalog from the early '80s?

I guess it would take someone with a copy of one such catalog to verify this one way or the other.

Anyway, even if it was made to be sold as a replica/repro (as opposed to having been made for domestic use), IMO it could be 30 years old or older.

Stan S. · 14th November 2011, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laEspadaAncha

Stan:

I picked up one that was similar to your own (aside from from additional chiseling on my own example, the scabbard is leather over wood - other then that, they're dimensionally similar) as part of a "mixed-bag" collection I acquired last year. The collection had knives & swords spanning the spectrum from high to medium to low quality. The one thing they all had in common is they had all been collected between 1977 and 1982.

Among the items from this collection were a couple European swords and dirks made by the Del Tin brothers on order for Museum Replicas, Ltd, which as I understand it has since been absorbed into Atlanta Cutlery.

Was this style Khyber knife listed in the Museum Replicas catalog from the early '80s?

I guess it would take someone with a copy of one such catalog to verify this one way or the other.

Anyway, even if it was made to be sold as a replica/repro (as opposed to having been made for domestic use), IMO it could be 30 years old or older.

You know, its funny you brought this up as the seller claims to have aquired it in the 70s. So the time line definetely adds up.

13th November 2011, 03:25 PM	#2
Stan S. Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Brooklyn, NY USA Posts: 227	Thanks to all who replied. I think you guys are spot on. I guess I was confused by how utilitarian this item is, and I thought it was too plain and well made to be a repro. But I have to agree - it is a functional modern replica. Even though the seller gave me an option to return, I think I will keep it. After all, it only costed me just a bit over $50...

13th November 2011, 05:34 PM	#3
Blacksmith Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Finland Posts: 98	Hello,I had a chance to visit the Deepeka Industries factory on Merut ( quite near New Delhi) on 2004 and I saw these (new) khyber knives there on their show room. It is possible that they are not producing these anymore.

14th November 2011, 12:47 AM	#5
Stan S. Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Brooklyn, NY USA Posts: 227	So I was thinking... Unless I am not seeing something very obvious, the only things giving this item away as a repro are its unusually clean condition and a paper covered scabbard. If so, and assuming that there are identical copies of this sword floating out there, a potential exits that in 10-20 years, these reproductions will be sold as genuine antiques. There may be no answer but how can a collector safeguard from getting duped in the future?

14th November 2011, 06:52 PM	#6
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	MODERN, REPO, REPLICA OR POSSIBLY MODERN WEAPON/TOOL MADE FOR USE FOR SALE TO AFGAN OR OTHER LOCAL PEOPLE FOR ACTUAL USE. THE ONLY WAY TO DETERMINE WHICH IT IS WOULD BE TO SEE IF ANY LOCALS ARE CARRING THESE TODAY. I OFTEN BUY SUCH ITEMS IN THE LOCAL SHOPS WHEN I TRAVEL BUT JUST BECAUSE ONE WHO TRAVELS BRINGS IT BACK DOSEN'T ALWAYS MAKE IT A TOURIST ITEM. ITS OFTEN JUST THE CURRENT INEXPENSIVE MODEL OFFERED FOR SALE LOCALLY. ATLANTA CUTERLY IS MOST LIKELY A REPLICA FOR COLLECTORS BUT IF A AFGAN HAD A CATALOG AND COULD OUTFIT HIS GROUP AT A GOOD PRICE EVEN THEY MIGHT SEE USE. AT ANY RATE IT LOOKS WELL MADE AND FUNCTIONAL AND IF THE PRICE WAS APPROPRIATE A FAIR BUY.

14th November 2011, 07:44 PM	#7
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Stan: I picked up one that was similar to your own (aside from from additional chiseling on my own example, the scabbard is leather over wood - other then that, they're dimensionally similar) as part of a "mixed-bag" collection I acquired last year. The collection had knives & swords spanning the spectrum from high to medium to low quality. The one thing they all had in common is they had all been collected between 1977 and 1982. Among the items from this collection were a couple European swords and dirks made by the Del Tin brothers on order for Museum Replicas, Ltd, which as I understand it has since been absorbed into Atlanta Cutlery. Was this style Khyber knife listed in the Museum Replicas catalog from the early '80s? I guess it would take someone with a copy of one such catalog to verify this one way or the other. Anyway, even if it was made to be sold as a replica/repro (as opposed to having been made for domestic use), IMO it could be 30 years old or older.