Silver Pinned Khanjar

archer · 25th February 2014, 02:41 PM

Spot on Lotfy, it has the appearance of horn especially with all the close pinning, but it just doesn't allow any light thru. What kind of wood is this?
It has a couple of contrasts in texture and color I see from time to time at the pommel and near the blade. I was hoping it would be horn,but that's life.
Steve

A.alnakkas · 25th February 2014, 02:50 PM

its a lovely piece regardless whether it is wood or horn. The wood appears of excellent quality and I remember an Omani friend mentioned a type of local wood that had excellent endurance... I dont remember its name but will ask him and perhaps even show him these pictures.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 25th February 2014, 05:27 PM

Salaams all... This hilt does not absorb light but is quite close pinned..There are no splits...I think it is a horn derivative ... usually bovine...With little else to go by I see this as an Omani 4 ringer probably Baatinah. Tee shaped hilt with pins echoing a silver plate shape... The crown at the toe still in place. In Oman wooden hilts are used and the better wood is hard... and smells scented ...and is called Sandalwood. See http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...8&page=4&pp=30 #106

The other possibility is from something Oceanic...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

spiral · 25th February 2014, 08:30 PM

After further perusal I have to agree with A.alnakkas.

It is timber, the fibres that are shown on the end grain are open grained on the side... that is timber structure, Not horn of any kind & not anything Oceanic either.

Spiral

archer · 25th February 2014, 08:31 PM

I was Looking at Michael Blalok's Saidi sheath and seeing a lot of thread work.
Mine doesn't have the holes for the center rings could extra rings be held by just wire? Could it have been made without the center rings? It seems, it is missing the metal decoration at the throat of the sheath and the bottom of the hilt. One shot shows, blade fully seated in the sheath. The hilt material may well be wood of some kind. I guess the hot pin method will tell. About, how old is this dagger? Thanks, Steve

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 26th February 2014, 05:37 AM

Salaams All, Khanjar Scabbard core construction is wood. It is perhaps not a Royal Khanjar because it carries the wrong sort of dagger(assuming it is original)... however, It could be a seven ringer Muscat Khanjar... It may be remembered that they also have 7 rings like the Royal Khanjar and it was technically only the hilt that Sheherezad designed after an Indian style of decoration to please her husband, the Sultan..The Muscat Khanjar has a formal tee shaped dagger. I appear to be seeing some sort of horn but if its wood then... its wood.

See http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14878 #143 for the Muscat style and the wood core at #5 of the same thread...

The other dagger with a lot of leather below the belt is of the Interior of Oman and is also the UAE style, though, also seen with chevron rings.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 26th February 2014, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archer

I was Looking at Michael Blalok's Saidi sheath and seeing a lot of thread work.
Mine doesn't have the holes for the center rings could extra rings be held by just wire? Could it have been made without the center rings? It seems, it is missing the metal decoration at the throat of the sheath and the bottom of the hilt. One shot shows, blade fully seated in the sheath. The hilt material may well be wood of some kind. I guess the hot pin method will tell. About, how old is this dagger? Thanks, Steve

Salaams archer~ Well this one is causing a stir ... I'm going out on a limb here and suggesting a couple of things in addition to what has gone before... This is a "zerri" applied scabbard.. corded ... strung if you like... not silvered. I puzzle over the hilt material and still consider horn of some kind. It could be bovine. Does it have some sort of laquer covering which is masking the light test?
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

archer · 26th February 2014, 05:26 PM

Salaams Ibrahiim, I feel confounded too. Why would an upgraded, I assume, pinned hilt appear with a rather drab plain threaded sheath? I did the pin test( burning wood odor) and subsequent cleaning came about as I started to clean the silver. So is this Sandalwood? Right now the smell test is out (minty odor). I used your toothpaste method to clean the uneven pin surfaces, even that is slow going removing the silver tarnish. Thank you all for your interest and help. Steve

A.alnakkas · 26th February 2014, 05:39 PM

Why is there an assumption that tight placed pins are only found on horn items? there are different examples with wood hilts.

the technique is old and done on various types, the recent pins are further apart but it seems that the older generation had a way of pinning things without cracking them too much :-)

25th February 2014, 05:27 PM	#3
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Salaams all... This hilt does not absorb light but is quite close pinned..There are no splits...I think it is a horn derivative ... usually bovine...With little else to go by I see this as an Omani 4 ringer probably Baatinah. Tee shaped hilt with pins echoing a silver plate shape... The crown at the toe still in place. In Oman wooden hilts are used and the better wood is hard... and smells scented ...and is called Sandalwood. See http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...8&page=4&pp=30 #106 The other possibility is from something Oceanic... Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi. Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 26th February 2014 at 08:11 AM.

26th February 2014, 05:37 AM	#6
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Salaams All, Khanjar Scabbard core construction is wood. It is perhaps not a Royal Khanjar because it carries the wrong sort of dagger(assuming it is original)... however, It could be a seven ringer Muscat Khanjar... It may be remembered that they also have 7 rings like the Royal Khanjar and it was technically only the hilt that Sheherezad designed after an Indian style of decoration to please her husband, the Sultan..The Muscat Khanjar has a formal tee shaped dagger. I appear to be seeing some sort of horn but if its wood then... its wood. See http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14878 #143 for the Muscat style and the wood core at #5 of the same thread... The other dagger with a lot of leather below the belt is of the Interior of Oman and is also the UAE style, though, also seen with chevron rings. Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi. Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 26th February 2014 at 06:05 AM.

26th February 2014, 05:26 PM	#8
archer Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 373	More info Salaams Ibrahiim, I feel confounded too. Why would an upgraded, I assume, pinned hilt appear with a rather drab plain threaded sheath? I did the pin test( burning wood odor) and subsequent cleaning came about as I started to clean the silver. So is this Sandalwood? Right now the smell test is out (minty odor). I used your toothpaste method to clean the uneven pin surfaces, even that is slow going removing the silver tarnish. Thank you all for your interest and help. Steve Attached Images

25th February 2014, 02:41 PM	#1
archer Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 373	Hilt Spot on Lotfy, it has the appearance of horn especially with all the close pinning, but it just doesn't allow any light thru. What kind of wood is this? It has a couple of contrasts in texture and color I see from time to time at the pommel and near the blade. I was hoping it would be horn,but that's life. Steve Attached Images

25th February 2014, 02:50 PM	#2
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,340	its a lovely piece regardless whether it is wood or horn. The wood appears of excellent quality and I remember an Omani friend mentioned a type of local wood that had excellent endurance... I dont remember its name but will ask him and perhaps even show him these pictures.

25th February 2014, 08:30 PM	#4
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	After further perusal I have to agree with A.alnakkas. It is timber, the fibres that are shown on the end grain are open grained on the side... that is timber structure, Not horn of any kind & not anything Oceanic either. Spiral

25th February 2014, 08:31 PM	#5
archer Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 373	More info I was Looking at Michael Blalok's Saidi sheath and seeing a lot of thread work. Mine doesn't have the holes for the center rings could extra rings be held by just wire? Could it have been made without the center rings? It seems, it is missing the metal decoration at the throat of the sheath and the bottom of the hilt. One shot shows, blade fully seated in the sheath. The hilt material may well be wood of some kind. I guess the hot pin method will tell. About, how old is this dagger? Thanks, Steve Attached Images

26th February 2014, 05:39 PM	#9
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,340	Why is there an assumption that tight placed pins are only found on horn items? there are different examples with wood hilts. the technique is old and done on various types, the recent pins are further apart but it seems that the older generation had a way of pinning things without cracking them too much :-)