VERY Unusual Marks on a Kaskara

stephen wood · 28th November 2010, 08:10 PM

...is that from Nigerian Panoply? Very interesting - always thought that Gajere was Ottoman (although European originally).

I am certain that the blade I posted is not only European but older than we are accustomed to see mounted as a Kaskara. My criteria for judging imported/native blade often shift: Ignaz Pallme (1837) remarks that European blades imported are "badly rounded off". While the quality of the steel may be better, I am by now quite used to seeing wonky fullers on imported blades (and vice-versa). I expect to find more rust on a native blades - especially when kept in their scabbards. This, I should add, is down to observation.

In the case of Takouba many blades are very clearly native-made - indeed there is, I believe, a scale of quality of Takouba blades, at the bottom of which are found local ones. Such a particular scale was also found among the Tigre.

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28th November 2010, 08:10 PM	#12
stephen wood Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 227	...is that from Nigerian Panoply? Very interesting - always thought that Gajere was Ottoman (although European originally). I am certain that the blade I posted is not only European but older than we are accustomed to see mounted as a Kaskara. My criteria for judging imported/native blade often shift: Ignaz Pallme (1837) remarks that European blades imported are "badly rounded off". While the quality of the steel may be better, I am by now quite used to seeing wonky fullers on imported blades (and vice-versa). I expect to find more rust on a native blades - especially when kept in their scabbards. This, I should add, is down to observation. In the case of Takouba many blades are very clearly native-made - indeed there is, I believe, a scale of quality of Takouba blades, at the bottom of which are found local ones. Such a particular scale was also found among the Tigre.