Please help on African piece

Freddy · 3rd November 2007, 04:44 PM

The blades on Yaka-swords can differ. I already saw many blades with similar shapes like the one you have. Mine are just a bit different (that's why I bought them

)

I think I already showed them, but here they are again.

The one on the left is atypical as it has the hilt of a Yaka-sword, but the blade of a Songye-sword. So is it Yaka or Songye, it's up to you. Blades travelled throughout Africa as currency, so anything can happen.

The 'normal' Yaka-sword (on the right) is quite a large piece. It measures about 70 cm ! It's heavy and well forged. Besides the dotted lines, there's also a zigzag design.

Unfortunately, I don't have scabbard for these pieces.

fernando · 3rd November 2007, 08:00 PM

Thank you Freddy, your two blades are indeed cool

.
But precisely as i mentioned, also in your examples the incized lines terminate together before the blade ends.
Thyst's why i thaught my blade was shortened, not because of the blade shape alone.
In the attached picture i try to transmit the idea, both in the incized pattern ending and in the space left in the scabbard, comparing to other example.
However i fully accept your observation that my blade was originaly like it is now.
In the next picture i am showing some pieces that i left behind, when i bought the Yaka sword. The guy would sell them cheap, but i found no interest at the m oment. Due to some browsing i have ben doing, i am now convinced that they are also Yaka. I call your attention for the one with the convex blade and the black shaft. Unlike the other two, this is not an arrow but a Yaka "scraping tool". I found that it is used to scrap some weed, but i don't know what is envolved in such operation.
Have you ever seen one of this, or know its actual scraping intention ?
Obviously you don't have to care about all this story at all

.
All the best
Fernando

3rd November 2007, 08:00 PM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Thank you Freddy, your two blades are indeed cool . But precisely as i mentioned, also in your examples the incized lines terminate together before the blade ends. Thyst's why i thaught my blade was shortened, not because of the blade shape alone. In the attached picture i try to transmit the idea, both in the incized pattern ending and in the space left in the scabbard, comparing to other example. However i fully accept your observation that my blade was originaly like it is now. In the next picture i am showing some pieces that i left behind, when i bought the Yaka sword. The guy would sell them cheap, but i found no interest at the m oment. Due to some browsing i have ben doing, i am now convinced that they are also Yaka. I call your attention for the one with the convex blade and the black shaft. Unlike the other two, this is not an arrow but a Yaka "scraping tool". I found that it is used to scrap some weed, but i don't know what is envolved in such operation. Have you ever seen one of this, or know its actual scraping intention ? Obviously you don't have to care about all this story at all . All the best Fernando Attached Images Last edited by fernando; 3rd November 2007 at 08:17 PM.

3rd November 2007, 04:44 PM	#1
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	The blades on Yaka-swords can differ. I already saw many blades with similar shapes like the one you have. Mine are just a bit different (that's why I bought them ) I think I already showed them, but here they are again. The one on the left is atypical as it has the hilt of a Yaka-sword, but the blade of a Songye-sword. So is it Yaka or Songye, it's up to you. Blades travelled throughout Africa as currency, so anything can happen. The 'normal' Yaka-sword (on the right) is quite a large piece. It measures about 70 cm ! It's heavy and well forged. Besides the dotted lines, there's also a zigzag design. Unfortunately, I don't have scabbard for these pieces.