Identification of a dagger

Pitt1999 · 1st January 2023, 09:08 PM

So I received the dagger in the mail a couple of days ago. There was nothing else of note with the blade and scabbard other than one of the edges shows light wear from use/sharpening and the wooden core of the scabbard is broken. What was two pieces of wood is now four. The interesting part is the hilt, the 6 pin construction was pointed out before along with the presence of a guard but what couldn't be seen are the sides of the hilt where normally the tang would be visible. I say normally because there is a strip of some type of metal, maybe lead, zinc or pewter wrapped along the edges of the tang. Stranger still the metal strip and the guard appear to be one continuous piece, or they were two pieces joined by soldering, brazing or some similar process. To me at least these elements seem to be very unusual for a kindjal.

Tim Simmons · 2nd January 2023, 12:44 PM

The six pin and a sort of filler strip of metal around the tang and tucked into the guard is found on modern knives from a Pakistan company. I would assume it would be a traditional form? I have two examples.

kronckew · 2nd January 2023, 01:23 PM

The tang covering metal strip is common for Ottoman/Turkish knives/swords/yataghans with pinned scales...

1st January 2023, 09:08 PM	#1
Pitt1999 Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Posts: 113	So I received the dagger in the mail a couple of days ago. There was nothing else of note with the blade and scabbard other than one of the edges shows light wear from use/sharpening and the wooden core of the scabbard is broken. What was two pieces of wood is now four. The interesting part is the hilt, the 6 pin construction was pointed out before along with the presence of a guard but what couldn't be seen are the sides of the hilt where normally the tang would be visible. I say normally because there is a strip of some type of metal, maybe lead, zinc or pewter wrapped along the edges of the tang. Stranger still the metal strip and the guard appear to be one continuous piece, or they were two pieces joined by soldering, brazing or some similar process. To me at least these elements seem to be very unusual for a kindjal. Attached Images

2nd January 2023, 12:44 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,890	The six pin and a sort of filler strip of metal around the tang and tucked into the guard is found on modern knives from a Pakistan company. I would assume it would be a traditional form? I have two examples.

2nd January 2023, 01:23 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,249	The tang covering metal strip is common for Ottoman/Turkish knives/swords/yataghans with pinned scales...