Show us your khodmi/Bou Saadi knife

[DaveF]

Here's some photos of mine:

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by DaveF

Here's some photos of mine:

Also a very nice one!

[gp]

the only one I have, just a simple one with a small decoration close to the grip

[Pitt1999]

I have a few of my own…

[fennec]

Originally Posted by TVV

fennec, we were all hoping you would comment to provide the kind of local perspective only you can. Thank you for your posts, I have learned a lot from this thread.

All the pleasure is for me (well, Idk if its an english expression, so better that way "tout le plaisir est pour moi " ).
Really. Sharing my few knowledge, and, some personnal views about those objects is a real honor for me, especially with so serious collectors I've met here.

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hi Mate! I came across the khodmi with the bone handle by the German ebay and after I received it and was very pleased with it after a little bit care and I thought that it's a good idea to start this thread and hoped you would join in!
Detlef

haha do I mention that I've also buy some those last days (just to add some more pictures to that book haha).. so that tread is only beginning !! Very good idea btw, may be have to start one about flissas one !!

Oh yeah I havent understand that you was talking only about those one handles. This is absolutely possible, as, you can probably (actually, for sure, but I dont know if its the case for those ones) find some variations in the styles, depending on the area of craft. As Ive said before, the "bousaadi knife" is actually just a name, for a kind of knives (that are probably originated from bousaada..), that are made in a very big area, not to say, all algeria (actually, a blacksmith from the west or the east, could have learn the craft in bousaada, then modify it). So those bones ones, could be from another place.
Another theory I have, is the willing of making another object itself. As for many algerian work, you can find variations, depending on the "model" of sword made, even by the same blacksmith family. The better exemples are flissa, you will never (never say never in weaponery..haha) find a curved flissa, with the decorative scheme of a straight one. Same for the handles, that are usually shaped differently, for a curved one (bird like head is the more common), even when the work is the same as for a straight one (brass covered handles.. not talking about tourists/wedding wooden ones).
Same case for the boussada work. Note the knife I've shown, that look or is a rasor, the one with a horn handle, covered with a metal sheet. Those ones, because ive seen some, are always made that way (without the metal sheet), with the exact same deco.. like if its another kind of tool/object.
So may be its another way to understand why some have one, or two pins.
Or.. may be is only late models (I dont think so.. the squares on those ones are herited, if its not from the ottoman, it is from this era. Also very used on tunisian/berbern weaponery), that changed the main default of those knives, the possibe "rolling" of the blade... Who knows.

[fennec]

Originally Posted by Sajen

It would be a great honor for me if my pieces were featured in your book!

All the honor is for me my dear friend, really ! I mean, changing what was a personnal quest, into a common work, with other passionate ones, is really motivating !
For many reasons, some personnal, some in direct relation with the book, that project was a bit crazy, and probably, not made for me (am I the most qualified ? am I legitimate ? am I... etc... and what was supposed to be a "simple" listing of algerian weapons, close to E.Claude work, with some add, is now a half historical, half blacksmith view, half collectors book, some like a monster of 400pages for the moment, and still have to add many pictures... so probably unsellable but however not making it for money ).

Many times I was about to stop it, then I have a discussion with a person like you, and I say to myself "naaaah, I have to finish"
I have so many "secrets" to share with you my friends, and every line I wrote, I think about the people of this forum, the reaction and critics they would have, and this is also very motivating, so again, I really want to thank everyone here who helped in that way.