Show us your khodmi/Bou Saadi knife

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by TVV

This is a nice example which has some age. What I find interesting on yours is that the scales are riveted to the tang like on the longer type, and the wire binding therefore minimal and mostly decorative. I wonder if the wire binding became more extensive over time as a method of securing the grip as opposed to riveting it.

Could also be that some of the wire binding got lost at Yuri's nice example, see the shadow on the goat horn.

Regards,
Detlef

[Pertinax]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Could also be that some of the wire binding got lost at Yuri's nice example, see the shadow on the goat horn.

Regards,
Detlef

Detlef, you're right!

I've had this knife for quite a long time, and I didn't pay attention to these nuances. But now I looked closely, and there really are traces of wire on the handle.

Live and learn, but you will still die a fool (Russian humorous proverb).

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Pertinax

Detlef, you're right!

I've had this knife for quite a long time, and I didn't pay attention to these nuances. But now I looked closely, and there really are traces of wire on the handle.

Live and learn, but you will still die a fool (Russian humorous proverb).

Yuri, we all learn something new every day, would be sad when not! I handled a few where the wire binding got lost over time which looked similar to your example.

Best regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

These both will enter the small collection soon.

[TVV]

Detlef, you have done a much better job collecting these than me. Claude writes that the khodmi hilt is split to allow the tang to be inserted, and therefore the wiring is necessary to hold everything in place. On Yuri's example the hilt construction is in between the two types, with horn scales riveted together instead of a single piece of horn. Thus, less wire was needed at only a couple of spots, as opposed to half the hilt. On mine, the hilt is made of a single piece of horn and the wiring is so extensive that it even covers the hole for the lanyard in the middle of the grip.

[Sajen]

The one from my collection with the bone handle has a very similar construction as the one from Yuri where some of the wire binding got lost like Yuri confirmed. I am nearly sure that my one has two rivets under the wire binding also, I have seen some of these knives where the wire binding was opened or lost, all had the same construction like we see it in Yuri's example.
I hope Khaled (Fennec) sees this thread and will be able to tell us more. In my opinion the wire binding is only a reinforcing.

Regards,
Detlef

[kronckew]

My khodmi, Bou Saadi knives: The short one is most traditional, but with a woman's sewing thimble used as a chape. The long one has an all wood scabbard with carvings that look rather Ifflysan.

[fennec]

Originally Posted by Sajen

I hope Khaled (Fennec) sees this thread and will be able to tell us more. In my opinion the wire binding is only a reinforcing.
Detlef

Dear brother, Are you serious with that tread ??
How do you want me not to participate haha...but, LET ME FINISH MY BOOK (actually, more than 400pages, and still a lot of pictures needed... that project is such a bad idea.. I'll probably have to split it in two volumes, one for swords/weapons, the other one for tools, cause it would be impossible to edit that way... so I'm still struggling.. so for the moment, I'll keep sharing this here, even pictures from it... but if I continue to much, you will have nothing to learn in it..haha).

About the handle.. NO, that wire is clearly, originally, a way to avoid the blade from "rolling", because it has usually only one pin. For the oldest models, even the pin, isnt really one, but more like a metal sheet bend into an "S". You can note by this picture. Probably the second pin was added when the wire was damaged, or initally just by "security".
Why only one pin ? I think its because the lack of mmaterial.. most of those knives where made with ancient files (under colonisation era I mean, before probably local made steel). The thicker part of that piece (see those kind of triangle or round files, that goes thinner and thinner), is used to make the bolster, and the longer one is forged for the blade. It wont let you a lot of steel to make a tang... usually only a small "nail" that was insert in a wood handle for the file. Once flatten, and thicken, it is not very long. I only see that reason, and more generally the "economy" of steel.

I've talked about that in my book, and hopefully have this picture of a very old one (probably late 1, (battle one, not to cut vegies.. note the thickness of the spine). I've made lately another wire, but its very ugly and have to replace it one day...
You can not the black surface where was the initial wire, as for Yuri model.
I have some others in the exact same mount, just no picture here but I'll share soon !

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Sajen

These both will enter the small collection soon.

Have received the one in down, I think it's a fairly old example.

[Sajen]

I also received the other one, it's rather small, not very old but very well made and razor sharp, I've cut my finger by cleaning.

[Sajen]

And new group pictures.