Khyber Knife Variant
 

Hi All,
A recent and relatively interesting addition, I hope, to the collection. A military style variant of the standard type Khyber knife/sword. These variants appear to come about when native weapons were altered to give a somewhat European, i.e.British, feel and appearance to these already not insubstantial sidearms. See www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=301 for a similar item. Oa length 25 inches, blade 20 inches, max width just short of 2 inches. As you can see the conversion is not particularly well done. The scales have been on and off several times and the guard 'shoehorned' over the blade and tagged on the pommel with the chape rammed onto the scabbard and wrinkling the original leather covering. One further 'variant' is that sword is mounted for a left-hander. Regardless of the conversion it is still a menacing and meaty blade. As usual all comments and opinions welcomed.
Regards,
Norman.

Lovely example! Very impressive! I find the bottom fitting on the scabbard to be very peculiar. Could it be a reworked fitting from a European sword scabbard?

Hi Stan,
Thanks for your interest. The drag on the bottom of the scabbard would have been locally made, as was all the fittings, and then brazed onto the chape.
The drag is of course totally useless on a scabbard of this size and is only there because it was copied directly from the British military scabbards which they were emulating.
My Regards,
Norman.

It is a faithful copy of the short sword made for the Afghani military at the end of 19th-beginning of 20th century. Only this one is not a mass-produced, but rather hand-made.
Very interesting!!!

Hi Ariel,
I don't think it is a copy as such more an older, not much maybe, knife and scabbard that has been altered to conform to European taste. The Oriental Arms link has a good description of the process involved with these variants. Many thanks for your interest.
My Regards,
Norman.

Its not a copy. Just styled after an afghan military short sword that was popular from the 19th and into the mid 20th century.I think that's what Ariel meant. Of course this styling is in the hilt and the scabbard hardware. The blade us distinctly Khyber.

Hi Stan,
Re Ariel's post, my wrong interpretation of the word 'copy'.
My Regards,
Norman.

P.S. Here is another of a similar type www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=1649

Not a varient but a hybrid of two different items. I believe the maker had parts of a maybe broken military saber and decided to use them on this peice. The gaurd on the handle and the bottom piece of the scabbard are from a miltary saber, that many on this forum have. An intereting item non the less, definately unique.