Every Arabian Penninsula jambiya I have ever seen is oriented this way, hooked or pointing to the right with the handle either vertical or to the left and the jambiy is drawn with the right hand with the thumb at the top of the handle. I would assume that there is enough flexibility in the belt of these long jambiyas that they can be twisted and the blade drawn with an upward motion. It might have to do with the dirty left hand and clean right hand issue. By the way, attached is a close-up of reportely the most valuable jambiya in yemen. I posted a photo of the owner Shiekh Ahmar wearing it in a previous post.
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