My First Kuba Sword......comments please

[Congoblades]

Originally Posted by Mapico1

Hi,
I don't want to be the one with the bad news all the time but I feel I have to react here.....
The "ikula"knives don't have a scabbard!!
This scabbard is from a tourist Lega knife!!
I saw this one on ebay to but it's not so good quality for a ikula.
There're thousands of those knives,they're the most common Kuba knives.
Sorry but very often I read here on the forum:great,super,congratz,etc.....for things of very low quality or even fake!! Most of the time I don't react to keep the dream alive but I'm not sure if this is the right thing to do on the long run....

Hi Danny, It's a dirty job but somebody has to do it

I appreciate these comment highly, it is not pleasant for the owner but usefull for the others, personal I prefer to know if I have a bad, cheap or touristic example of some item rather than to dream of things I don't have but don't know YET!!
Guy

[Mapico1]

Hi,
almost all the Kuba knives are to show the rank of the owner.
There're about 20 different shapes,starting with the one you bought,then the same in red copper,then one with a 1,5 cm flat tip,then ikula with pewter and brass inlay in the handle,etc...........the long sword "ilondo"is used for fighting and has a raffia scabbard with belt to wear.
The knives,when not in use are kept in the wall of their homes,which are made of raffia strips......
The old knives are mostly sharp,the later ones not.
Also the later ones are sometimes cut out of a plate and not forged.
Yours is forged!!no worries.