Recently made Omani Kattara / Saif

[katana]

Just recently acquired this recently made Kattara/Saif. Silver alloy fittings, the blade seems to be the typical type fitted to takouba especially with the spatulate tip. Blade edge sharpened but would need honing to improve edge. Blade flexible but not excessively so. Although it has been mentioned that these tend to be 'dancing' swords, I feel that this one was probably more functional, the sword is light and quick and feels good in the hand, definately designed for the slash type cuts (supported by the spatulate tip).

Comments greatly appreciated

Kind Regards
David

[A.alnakkas]

Hey mate,

Congrats, its a nice sword. I see those selling often here usually with terrible flimsy blades but yours seems different.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by katana

Just recently acquired this recently made Kattara/Saif. Silver alloy fittings, the blade seems to be the typical type fitted to takouba especially with the spatulate tip. Blade edge sharpened but would need honing to improve edge. Blade flexible but not excessively so. Although it has been mentioned that these tend to be 'dancing' swords, I feel that this one was probably more functional, the sword is light and quick and feels good in the hand, definately designed for the slash type cuts (supported by the spatulate tip).

Comments greatly appreciated

Kind Regards
David

Salaams katana ~ Nice new Omani flexi bladed 3 fuller ( Abu thalatha musayil) SAYF. Not a fighting weapon but a pageantry sword only used in the Omani Funoon in the Razha or sword genre and mimic fighting posturing (al yalaah!) where the idea is to score the winning point by touching the thumb (the left one holding the ters shield of the opponent with the round tip.) Kindly see the big thread on the discussion at Kattara for comments. We were meeting friends today and around the table was plus of 100 years experience in this sword; we all have stores selling such pieces.. represented were Muscat, Nizwa and Buraimi shop owners and there was a fair amount of mirth about during the discussion of dancing swords as weapons. Naturally these things could cause a load of damage but they simply aren't and never were, battle swords... Same way that a farmhouse table leg isn't a war club... but it would hurt !

Salaams,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[katana]

Hi A.alnakkas,
thanks, I'm quite pleased with it ....much better quality than I thought it would be (only had pictures before)

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams katana ~ Nice new Omani flexi bladed 3 fuller ( Abu thalatha musayil) SAYF. Not a fighting weapon but a pageantry sword only used in the Omani Funoon in the Razha or sword genre and mimic fighting posturing (al yalaah!) where the idea is to score the winning point by touching the thumb (the left one holding the ters shield of the opponent with the round tip.) Kindly see the big thread on the discussion at Kattara for comments. We were meeting friends today and around the table was plus of 100 years experience in this sword; we all have stores selling such pieces.. represented were Muscat, Nizwa and Buraimi shop owners and there was a fair amount of mirth about during the discussion of dancing swords as weapons. Naturally these things could cause a load of damage but they simply aren't and never were, battle swords... Same way that a farmhouse table leg isn't a war club... but it would hurt !

Salaams,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Salaams Ibrahiim,
I can see your point, but the blade does not fit your description of a dancing sword blade.

Blade is not flexible enough to bend 90 degrees ....this one around 45 degrees similar to a lot of British regulation swords I have in my collection. The steel seems of good quality and as mention before the edges are sharp ...a gentle honing would create a very keen edge. "touching the thumb" of a 'dance' partner with this particular blade could leave them 'thumb-less'.
I am not saying that this is a battle sword .....but its not a dance one either. Perhaps this was made to order with a more functional blade

Kind Regards David

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by katana

Hi A.alnakkas,
thanks, I'm quite pleased with it ....much better quality than I thought it would be (only had pictures before)







Salaams Ibrahiim,
I can see your point, but the blade does not fit your description of a dancing sword blade.

Blade is not flexible enough to bend 90 degrees ....this one around 45 degrees similar to a lot of British regulation swords I have in my collection. The steel seems of good quality and as mention before the edges are sharp ...a gentle honing would create a very keen edge. "touching the thumb" of a 'dance' partner with this particular blade could leave them 'thumb-less'.
I am not saying that this is a battle sword .....but its not a dance one either. Perhaps this was made to order with a more functional blade

Kind Regards David

Salaams katana ~ This is a dancing sayf of that we have no doubt. In fact it looks like a Salalah job... made recently in a new factory . Where was it found ... ? Yes touching the opponents thumb( the shield hand thumb) sounds hazzardous I agee and it amazes me how not more thumbless people are about. As for lethality, some are razor sharpand I have seen demos of people chopping all sorts of stuff (melons bottles of water ) in half with these but in the entirity of Omani history it has never been a battle weapon as such. Pageant only.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all~ Please see anecdotal proof at "Kattara for comments." # 299. Regards Ibrahiim al Balooshi

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams katana ~ This is a dancing sayf of that we have no doubt. In fact it looks like a Salalah job... made recently in a new factory . Where was it found ... ? Yes touching the opponents thumb( the shield hand thumb) sounds hazzardous I agee and it amazes me how not more thumbless people are about. As for lethality, some are razor sharpand I have seen demos of people chopping all sorts of stuff (melons bottles of water ) in half with these but in the entirity of Omani history it has never been a battle weapon as such. Pageant only.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

You seem to be contradicting yourself. You have stated that the so called dance sword blades flex thru 90 degrees. It has been stated that this one does not, so how can you now say it is a dance sword?
Am I missing something here?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

You seem to be contradicting yourself. You have stated that the so called dance sword blades flex thru 90 degrees. It has been stated that this one does not, so how can you now say it is a dance sword?
Am I missing something here?

Salaams kahnjar1. Look at the sword. It is a classic design . The fact that the blade may be for some reason not springy enough to fit the criteria of aproximate 90 degree bend is outside my control. Its a brand new item... who knows what specification that factory is using? One thing for sure... If the blade is not flexible enough they will be left with their shelves full of useless dancing swords...but they may well be selling them onto the unsuspecting tourist market...( that I can tell you is what is happening) Correct your terminology since these are not "so called dancing swords"... They are dancing swords for pageant only. Perhaps that is what you are missing?
~ see anecdotal proof at "Kattara for comments." # 299. ~

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.