Jambiya for opinion

ariel · 1st April 2005, 07:57 PM

This one just ended on e-bay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT
The scabbard and the handle look OK to me.
But I am curious about the blade: it has some strange configuration that gives an impression that it was made of two thin metal and perhaps plated sheets joined at the edges. There is no feeling of "sharpness", the midrib and the edges look kind of "rounded". I asked the seller to give a bit more info, but never got a reply.
Am I being paranoid?

Tim Simmons · 1st April 2005, 08:20 PM

No.

fearn · 1st April 2005, 08:31 PM

Hi Ariel,

I don't think you're being paranoid about there being issues with this knife. On the other hand, I think the blade is a single piece of metal, but not sharp.

Fearn

Lew · 1st April 2005, 08:37 PM

Ariel

That jambiya is of more recent manufacture 1950-60 it is a Wahabite style dagger and most of these types of jambiya are strictly for adornment. The blades are usually made of sheet steel. If you are the winning bidder you did well!

Lew

Battara · 1st April 2005, 08:45 PM

To add to this, I think that older Wahabi jambiya had middle ridge down the center. Also, this is way too shiny.

Tim Simmons · 1st April 2005, 09:00 PM

Hello all, do not get me wrong.I would not bid on that one.The scabbard is far too fancy to start with,anything with cut straps is suspect,the leather was not used,the blade was not very nice,and when was anything worth having introduced with a "WOW" .Is that last bit because I live on the other side of the Atlantic?Tim

tom hyle · 1st April 2005, 11:02 PM

The large sword ones like this do not usually have a midrib, if that's what you mean? They are of flattened diamond or lenticular cross-section. This does look like a recent piece. I have repeatedly heard of new jambiyas with hollow blades. I have never seen this. Comment? Report? Ordinary midribbed jambiya blades (the type I'd heard it in reference to before) are so thin to start with as to seem to leave no room for such a thing, except perhaps in the actual rib? Hollow blades are one of the many varieties of old European stage blades, and some old toys have been made this way.

ariel · 2nd April 2005, 01:30 AM

Tom,
I personally saw 2 or 3. Pretty embarrassing things.
You can quote me as an eyewitness.
And, BTW, I am not a "lucky"winner: having spent so much time with you, guys, taught me some important lessons. Many thanks to you all.
Not that I'll never be duped in the future....Won't we all?

zelbone · 2nd April 2005, 02:38 AM

I actually have one of those hollow blade jambiya

!

I paid $5 for it on eBay not knowing a thing about jambiyas and knowing that it would be more of a wall-hanger.

Well...you get what you pay for

! It's too embarassing to even hang on the wall

!

Conogre · 2nd April 2005, 02:45 AM

I suspect that's a very nicely made dagger and probably quite sharp as well.
A couple of years ago I had exactly the same reservations as those presented here, thus finally agreed on a private trade and fully expected the two knives to be tourist pieces.
Upon arrival, they were razor sharp with thin, but exquisite blades and I was ecstatic with them.
I subsequently found out that a similar pair had recently sold at Christies for about 1500 lbs and felt VERY guilty over that trade.
We forget that males in the Middle East would not consider going outside in traditional dress without these any more than a CEO would wear a Brooks Brother's suite with a T-shirt.
Mike

tom hyle · 2nd April 2005, 09:09 PM

And that's where we get into newness, if it's not being passed off as oldness, isn't neccessarily a bad thing. I think this is a newish piece that starts this thread, but it looks traditional, and may not be a bad little sword, for the right price, to the right person, etc. I'm intrigued and blown away by the hollow ones; I guess it's kind of like having a bamboo k(e)ris or daito; it still fulfills the cultural requirements of "proper dress"? I'd love to see some of them, actually; I have no idea about them, or how to spot them. They certainly sound pretty cheesy, but I know that a few of the old hollow pressed tin toy swords I've seen would look real cool in a photo, for instance, but were of that almost foil-like thin-ness in person, and with visible pressed seams, etc.....just weird!

Hollow fake daggers; really truly fake in that they aren't really daggers; I've bought a few jambiyas on the internet, actually; I guess I've lucked out. How long do you think this has gone on? Is it a new thing?

1st April 2005, 07:57 PM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Jambiya for opinion This one just ended on e-bay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT The scabbard and the handle look OK to me. But I am curious about the blade: it has some strange configuration that gives an impression that it was made of two thin metal and perhaps plated sheets joined at the edges. There is no feeling of "sharpness", the midrib and the edges look kind of "rounded". I asked the seller to give a bit more info, but never got a reply. Am I being paranoid?

1st April 2005, 08:37 PM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Ariel That jambiya is of more recent manufacture 1950-60 it is a Wahabite style dagger and most of these types of jambiya are strictly for adornment. The blades are usually made of sheet steel. If you are the winning bidder you did well! Lew Last edited by LOUIEBLADES; 1st April 2005 at 08:49 PM.

2nd April 2005, 02:45 AM	#10
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	I suspect that's a very nicely made dagger and probably quite sharp as well. A couple of years ago I had exactly the same reservations as those presented here, thus finally agreed on a private trade and fully expected the two knives to be tourist pieces. Upon arrival, they were razor sharp with thin, but exquisite blades and I was ecstatic with them. I subsequently found out that a similar pair had recently sold at Christies for about 1500 lbs and felt VERY guilty over that trade. We forget that males in the Middle East would not consider going outside in traditional dress without these any more than a CEO would wear a Brooks Brother's suite with a T-shirt. Mike Attached Images

1st April 2005, 08:20 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,750	No.

1st April 2005, 08:31 PM	#3
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi Ariel, I don't think you're being paranoid about there being issues with this knife. On the other hand, I think the blade is a single piece of metal, but not sharp. Fearn

1st April 2005, 08:45 PM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,161	To add to this, I think that older Wahabi jambiya had middle ridge down the center. Also, this is way too shiny.

1st April 2005, 09:00 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,750	Hello all, do not get me wrong.I would not bid on that one.The scabbard is far too fancy to start with,anything with cut straps is suspect,the leather was not used,the blade was not very nice,and when was anything worth having introduced with a "WOW" .Is that last bit because I live on the other side of the Atlantic?Tim

1st April 2005, 11:02 PM	#7
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	The large sword ones like this do not usually have a midrib, if that's what you mean? They are of flattened diamond or lenticular cross-section. This does look like a recent piece. I have repeatedly heard of new jambiyas with hollow blades. I have never seen this. Comment? Report? Ordinary midribbed jambiya blades (the type I'd heard it in reference to before) are so thin to start with as to seem to leave no room for such a thing, except perhaps in the actual rib? Hollow blades are one of the many varieties of old European stage blades, and some old toys have been made this way.

2nd April 2005, 01:30 AM	#8
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Tom, I personally saw 2 or 3. Pretty embarrassing things. You can quote me as an eyewitness. And, BTW, I am not a "lucky"winner: having spent so much time with you, guys, taught me some important lessons. Many thanks to you all. Not that I'll never be duped in the future....Won't we all?

2nd April 2005, 02:38 AM	#9
zelbone Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: VISAYAS and MINDANAO Posts: 169	I actually have one of those hollow blade jambiya ! I paid $5 for it on eBay not knowing a thing about jambiyas and knowing that it would be more of a wall-hanger. Well...you get what you pay for ! It's too embarassing to even hang on the wall !

2nd April 2005, 09:09 PM	#11
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	And that's where we get into newness, if it's not being passed off as oldness, isn't neccessarily a bad thing. I think this is a newish piece that starts this thread, but it looks traditional, and may not be a bad little sword, for the right price, to the right person, etc. I'm intrigued and blown away by the hollow ones; I guess it's kind of like having a bamboo k(e)ris or daito; it still fulfills the cultural requirements of "proper dress"? I'd love to see some of them, actually; I have no idea about them, or how to spot them. They certainly sound pretty cheesy, but I know that a few of the old hollow pressed tin toy swords I've seen would look real cool in a photo, for instance, but were of that almost foil-like thin-ness in person, and with visible pressed seams, etc.....just weird! Hollow fake daggers; really truly fake in that they aren't really daggers; I've bought a few jambiyas on the internet, actually; I guess I've lucked out. How long do you think this has gone on? Is it a new thing?