An Overview on The Modern Arabian Saif

[Iain]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

Hey Iain,

The blades come from many sources but a good number of swords coming out of Bahrain (mainly) are locally made with professional skill. Other blades like pattern welded ones are imported from India, mainly to Qatar as Bahrainis make their own pattern welded blades. A swordmaker in Qatar works with Syrian bladesmiths who moved to Lebanon due to the war. Also heard of blades coming from Brazil but often seen as very poor quality.

I'm mainly interested in the techniques used, stock removal or actual forging?

The swordmakers also do restorations and often they perserve the old parts depending on the order of the customer. Although I find some of their restorations to be way too invading as some simply do not have a concept or understanding on perserving old items.

There are some occasion where wootz quillons and scabbard mounts are perserved but generally they would be cleaned, etched and put on scabbards that are made to look like the old ones.

Good to hear some parts are preserved, I have to admit I find the tendency to put entirely new fittings on old blades a bit off putting. I would have imagined (perhaps in ignorance) that it would be possible to simply replace the perishable organic elements such as leather and wood, while preserving all the original steel or precious metal elements.