Multi-blade daggers

[ariel]

I do not have a picture handy, but we all know these katars with "opening" blades or persian khandjars that separate into 3 or more blades at the end.
You know what I mean.
I have a strong suspicion that these implements have nothing to do with real fighting use. Their construction absolutely prevents stabbing and, largely, slashing as well. They are, IMHO, bazaar creations for European tourists.
Am I wrong?

[Rich]

My VERY limited experience with these forms is that they were more parrying (sp?) weapons than anything else. Besides the split blade Katar you mention, several main gauche are likewise constructed. Probably other examples, but those are all that come to mind this early in the morning.

Rich S

[Gavin Nugent]

Interesting post Ariel,

The Khandjars have been spoken of before in these pages and were passed off as "rubbish" but I am sure they have their place but wether bazaar pieces for travellers or not I don't know.
There are two examples of these in the Berman Museum of World History, both with flared piercing tips, perhaps the museum records can date them so a better idea can be gleamed about genuine age and usage.
I know I can not say with any conviction either way but I know there are also providenced swords out there with split double tips, one being in the Met Museums collection.
The Katars I cannot coment on.

Gav

[kisak]

The katars have always struck me as parrying weapons, in much the same vein as European trident main gauches.

Swords with split tips from Islamic regions would seem to be a reference to Zhulfiqar, and my rather uneducated guess is that any such blade would be ceremonial in nature.

I haven't seen any of the khanjars, so no comment there.

[Jim McDougall]

This really is an interesting topic, and brings up not only the subject of the feasability of these daggers in use, but that of the phenomenon that has become almost cliche' in the collection of ethnographic weapons- the 'tourist piece'.

It seems that many weapons of today are understandably thrown into this classification as tourism and gathering souveniers has become an ever growing global pastime. This has created huge markets for such souveniers, which obviously include fabrications of traditional weapons.
However, I am not so sure that the 'tourist' phenomenon was as heralded as presumed prior to the early years of the twentieth century, and most of the 'tourism' of the prior century was associated with the colonialism of the times in 'exotic' places.

While we always presume to consider the novelty and exotica of the natives of these colonized lands, it is interesting to consider that the natives also certainly regarded us as curious, and indeed novelties. Case in point of course with India, and the arrival of Europeans, and we have discussed many times the development of a number of thier weapons from European forms.
We know the so called Hindu basket hilt was an adaption of the more enclosed guard of European swords, placed on the Indian sword known as the khanda, and that the swordsmanship of the Europeans quite likely was impressive to the Indians. There are known to be examples of the khanda bearing European rapier blades, and of course the European trade blades that began to flourish in Indian swords were 'firangi' (loosely = foreign).

In Europe, in fencing the left hand dagger had become popularly used, not only as a secondary defense, but as a parrying weapon. Peterson describes those daggers as including later the 'rare' forms known as 'sword breakers' as well as the type which was divided longitudinally into three parts that looked like a conventional blade, but when a spring released it opened into a trident like weapon ( " Daggers and Fighting Knives of the Western World" , H.L.Peterson, N.Y.1968, p.41-42). He notes further that, "...both of these blade types were late, dating from about 1600, almost at the end of the left hand daggers popularity".

Clearly, these were innovative forms of these daggers which drew a degree of attention to the threatening demeanor of the swordsman, virtually in a manner of psychological effect. It is well established that psychological effect and almost theatrical staging is very much a component of combat.
I would imagine that these daggers, may have been seen by Indian rulers or armourers, who sought to impress by duplicating them, whether actually used or not. Indian armouries are well known for having had all manner of weapons curiosa, and many of them derived from foreign influences.

Returning to the idea that these, or for that matter, a range of weapons were created simply for tourists. In North Africa and Arabia, the souqs were commercial centers where nuetrality was established periodically with tribal conflicts abated temporarily and exchange of goods including surplus took place. This of course included weapons, taken in raids and in various states of quality or servicability. In India and the Middle East the bazaars were also commercial centers with the same type of exchanges essentially.

With the advent of tourism, in degree of course they sought souveniers, but surplus and weapons from all manner of trading and acquisition were always available in volume. In early times, in my opinion there were certainly many weapons around to be sold to tourists or tribesmen desiring weapons as well. The need for a cottage industry to fabricate weapons for the minimal numbers of souvenier seeking tourists had not yet arrived, any more than gas stations were needed on every corner for the number of cars around in the early part of the century.

I believe the triple bladed katars, were much as the European parrying daggers, novelties created by armourers to impress thier patrons, along with other weapons curiosa. Thier ability to be used was probably in degree feasible as long as the blades remained closed, but of no use when opened.
The exuberant thoughts of these blades being opened after penetration is in my opinion nonsense, and more in place with todays 'action' movie syndrome.

Any of these created for tourism would be of modern classification along with the huge industry that exists in our times for reproductions.

All best regards,
Jim

[TVV]

Ariel,
I am with you on the sscissor katars and the multi-bladed Persian khanjars. The reason for this is that all that I have seen seem to be of very low craftsmanship. This is especially true for those Persian three-bladed khanjars - the engraving on them tends to be very crude, and not dissimilar to that found on low quality helmets and shields.
Of course, there might be examples out there that are well made with crisp and detailed engraving, but I am yet to see one.
This only makes me think that these were not intended for use within the original culture, but were rather produced to be sold to outsiders.
Best regards,
Teodor