Yemenite jambiya khanjar

francantolin · 18th November 2016, 01:50 PM

I tested my hilt with the hot burning needle: no particular smell, the needle can't penetrate deep inside.
No plastic but not sure it's horn too !!

Roland_M · 18th November 2016, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by francantolin

I tested my hilt with the hot burning needle: no particular smell, the needle can't penetrate deep inside.
No plastic but not sure it's horn too !!

One possibility could be Giraffe hoof.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10109

Roland

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 30th November 2016, 12:13 PM

This is a cow horn hilt. The scabbard is new (nothing wrong with that as they fell apart usually scabbard first)..It is said that blades were imported from Germany and elsewhere although stories circulate that meteorite ore was used in locally made finer blades. Better quality blades are not joined like this, however, it is difficult to prove ..I have a dozen blades at any one time at the workshop but they are neither stamped nor are two the same. I think some came from Baluchistan and others from Persia as well as imports through trade from German sources and locally made items from wandering craftsmen such as the Zutoot in Oman before 1970.

Since this is a cow horn hilt it almost inevitably downgrades the dagger to tourist status...confirmed in the low grade blade and new scabbard of standard type and quality. Most Yemeni daggers were mounted on Rhino hilts...except cheaper items for the tourist market. The furniture on this weapon is low grade silver with a high other metals content typical after 1948 when the expert Jewish craftsmen left.

ariel · 30th November 2016, 05:41 PM

My guess is that Yemeni jambiyas ceased to be a weapon long ago and became just a customary part of male costume.

Thus, blade quality is no longer a necessary attribute. In any case, nobody pulls it out from the scabbard anyway.

francantolin · 30th November 2016, 05:54 PM

Thank's everybody for all precious comments !!

Aïee !! I thought the scabbard was made of with ''old'' silver mounts !

It was not too expensive so it's hopefully not too serious !!
That's life !

Kubur · 30th November 2016, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by francantolin

Thank's everybody for all precious comments !!

Aïee !! I thought the scabbard was made of with ''old'' silver mounts !

It was not too expensive so it's hopefully not too serious !!
That's life !

The Silver tarnishes quickly.
One good trick is to look at the leather on the scabbard.
This one is very recent.

Jim McDougall · 30th November 2016, 10:26 PM

Hi Kubur,
Can you elaborate on the horn or materials used on Yemeni hilts on janbiyya? I am way foreign to study on these daggers, but it seems that in many cases of swords of various types mounted in Yemen with Ethiopian blades.....the idea was to bring in shotels from Ethiopia in order to dismantle them for the rhino from the hilts.
These swords were typically mounted in San'aa and the horn used to fashion janbiyya hilts.
As I recall from discussions quite some time ago, there was a great deal of attention to the quality and character of the horn in grips, which was key to status of the wearer.

I am also unclear on the same distribution of rhino horn into Omani areas and character of those...similar guidelines ?

Naturally I am concerned with genuine traditionally worn examples and not the 'souvenier' types.

Kubur · 30th November 2016, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

This is a cow horn hilt.

No it's wood.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Most Yemeni daggers were mounted on Rhino hilts...except cheaper items for the tourist market.

Not true at all, for past and present.

18th November 2016, 01:50 PM	#1
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 905	I tested my hilt with the hot burning needle: no particular smell, the needle can't penetrate deep inside. No plastic but not sure it's horn too !!

30th November 2016, 12:13 PM	#3
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	This is a cow horn hilt. The scabbard is new (nothing wrong with that as they fell apart usually scabbard first)..It is said that blades were imported from Germany and elsewhere although stories circulate that meteorite ore was used in locally made finer blades. Better quality blades are not joined like this, however, it is difficult to prove ..I have a dozen blades at any one time at the workshop but they are neither stamped nor are two the same. I think some came from Baluchistan and others from Persia as well as imports through trade from German sources and locally made items from wandering craftsmen such as the Zutoot in Oman before 1970. Since this is a cow horn hilt it almost inevitably downgrades the dagger to tourist status...confirmed in the low grade blade and new scabbard of standard type and quality. Most Yemeni daggers were mounted on Rhino hilts...except cheaper items for the tourist market. The furniture on this weapon is low grade silver with a high other metals content typical after 1948 when the expert Jewish craftsmen left.

30th November 2016, 05:41 PM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	My guess is that Yemeni jambiyas ceased to be a weapon long ago and became just a customary part of male costume. Thus, blade quality is no longer a necessary attribute. In any case, nobody pulls it out from the scabbard anyway.

30th November 2016, 05:54 PM	#5
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 905	Thank's everybody for all precious comments !! Aïee !! I thought the scabbard was made of with ''old'' silver mounts ! It was not too expensive so it's hopefully not too serious !! That's life !

30th November 2016, 10:26 PM	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,189	Hi Kubur, Can you elaborate on the horn or materials used on Yemeni hilts on janbiyya? I am way foreign to study on these daggers, but it seems that in many cases of swords of various types mounted in Yemen with Ethiopian blades.....the idea was to bring in shotels from Ethiopia in order to dismantle them for the rhino from the hilts. These swords were typically mounted in San'aa and the horn used to fashion janbiyya hilts. As I recall from discussions quite some time ago, there was a great deal of attention to the quality and character of the horn in grips, which was key to status of the wearer. I am also unclear on the same distribution of rhino horn into Omani areas and character of those...similar guidelines ? Naturally I am concerned with genuine traditionally worn examples and not the 'souvenier' types.