Another Afar gile

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Pertinax

And this Afar gile has been in my collection for two years now.

Hello Juri,

Could it be that you bought it from me?

Regards,
Detlef

[Martin Lubojacky]

Hello, your new gile is nice, some might say juice of Afarland... Isnt the handle made of wood ?

[TVV]

I really like your new gile Yuri. The blade may have been ground aggressively, but the fittings are very nice. Are you sure the hilt is bone? Is it possible that it may be some kind of horn?

[Pertinax]

Originally Posted by TVV

I really like your new gile Yuri. The blade may have been ground aggressively, but the fittings are very nice. Are you sure the hilt is bone? Is it possible that it may be some kind of horn?

Thanks TVV

I began to carefully study the handle and now I’m not sure that it is bone. But I'm confused by the cracks on the back of the handle. Could such cracks appear on the horn handle? My knowledge is not enough.

Regards, Yuri

[Ian]

Pertinax, I can say with some confidence that the hilt in your first post is not bone. My guess is wood (or perhaps horn)--the grain/fibrous nature is quite pronounced. Perhaps others more familiar with horn in that area can give you a more specific answer.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Ian

Pertinax, I can say with some confidence that the hilt in your first post is not bone. My guess is wood (or perhaps horn)--the grain/fibrous nature is quite pronounced. Perhaps others more familiar with horn in that area can give you a more specific answer.

Hello Ian,

Looks like some sort of blonde horn to my eyes!

Regards,
Detlef

[Ian]

Hi Detlef,

I'm inclined to agree, although rhino or giraffe horn would be exceedingly uncommon on a gile. If it is either of those horns, the value of the knife increases considerably. The cracks seen at the butt end can be found on horn that has dried out, and then cleaved along longitudinal lines in its structure. The same is true for wood of course. I suspect the material needs some TLC with application of a light oil to improve its state of hydration, and perhaps close those cracks a bit.

Pertinax, if this is horn you have a valuable piece.

[Pertinax]

Originally Posted by Martin Lubojacky

Hello, your new gile is nice, some might say juice of Afarland... Isnt the handle made of wood ?

Hello Маrtin

No, it's definitely not a tree. Is this juice of Afarland?

Regards, Yuri

[Pertinax]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello Juri,

Could it be that you bought it from me?

Regards,
Detlef

No Detlef, I first bought the Gile without the sheath, it was in very bad condition. Spent a lot of time and got it in order. About a year later I managed to find a scabbard for it. This is the result of all my work.:п
Regards, Yuri

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Pertinax

No Detlef, I first bought the Gile without the sheath, it was in very bad condition. Spent a lot of time and got it in order. About a year later I managed to find a scabbard for it. This is the result of all my work.:п
Regards, Yuri

Hi Yuri,

It looks very similar to one I sold via ebay some time ago.

Regards,
Detlef

[Changdao]

Very nice Gile! It has some rustic charm, and the leatherworking near the mouth of the scabbard and the wire in the handle give it a lot of character