Historical Khanjar

haagen · 28th October 2018, 09:50 AM

There are the pictures. So any details about the Khanjar would be great. Thx

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 31st October 2018, 10:36 AM

Thank You Haagen for a very interesting and peculiar project Khanjar which was probably made on the Baatinah Coast of Oman as you say in perhaps the 1970s. It is in the Baatinah style See The Omani Khanjar in this Forum. That thread carries more excellent references as well.

What is extraordinary about this weapon is the blade which says in Arabic brka .. Barka is a place on the Baatinah whose fort can be seen at Forts and Cannon of Oman again on Forum Library... In fact in India which was very much in touch as a destination with the Baatinah by sea the name Barka is that of a famous Hindu Princess apparently. While it would be quite romantic to have this related to a Hindu named Princess I would doubt that since Oman is Muslim but I just wanted to show we had looked at the possibility.

What makes the blade interesting is this cartouche with the name in it and the fact that this is not a normal steel Omani blade but is Wootz..(watered steel) not often seen on Omani weapons. It could be Indian. The remainder of the weapon is standard and with what looks like a cow horn hilt. I wonder if you may know where it was obtained? There may be the possibility it was collected as a tourist weapon whilst your people were visiting the region.

Thus so far as I can deduce; An Omani Khanjar in standard profile and silver stitched adornment of the 4 ringer Baatinah (from Barka near Muscat) form on a Cowhorn Hilt with an extraordinary blade in Wootz with an unfamiliar and unusual cartouche which because it says Barka may be a tourist item.

ariel · 31st October 2018, 11:22 AM

Looks pattern welded to me.

Kubur · 31st October 2018, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

Looks pattern welded to me.

Yes classic 70ties Omani khanjar mounted or re-mounted with a fake wootz Indian blade and a fake inscription on it, is it Barka or Baraka?

Battara · 31st October 2018, 07:10 PM

I'm afraid I'm with Ariel on this. It doesn't look like fake etched pattern weld to me nor does the wear and the inscription look fake to me either. The blade and inscription might be later though.

Jim McDougall · 1st November 2018, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kubur

Yes classic 70ties Omani khanjar mounted or re-mounted with a fake wootz Indian blade and a fake inscription on it, is it Barka or Baraka?

I am really unclear on the notion of 'fake' wootz. Could this be a genuinely older blade made in India or by an Indian artisan in Arabia....perhaps remounted as often the case with heirloom weapons?
It seems that it has been stated that Barka is indeed a place in Oman which the apparent contraction brka may refer to. The fact that the style is in accord with that of these regions makes the association compelling.

Good memories on the thread here on the forts and cannon of Oman. ..a fascinating topic with interesting context for this khanjhar.

Battara · 1st November 2018, 11:06 PM

When I hear fake wootz I think of the method of etching the blade with a wax resist so that you get a pattern that is etched into the blade that looks like wootz.

mariusgmioc · 2nd November 2018, 12:03 AM

The blade is almost certainly Indian, and and of fairly recent production (last 50 years).

However, is neither wootz, nor "fake" wootz, but plain pattern welded.

We can talk about "fake wootz" when a pattern resembling wootz is etched or engraved on a plain blade to make it resemble wootz.

.... my two cents...

PS: Many Omani khanjars were fitted with Indian blades, and almost all the khanjars made in the last 20 years have them.

Jim McDougall · 2nd November 2018, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

When I hear fake wootz I think of the method of etching the blade with a wax resist so that you get a pattern that is etched into the blade that looks like wootz.

I am really bad at the metallurgical aspects on blades, and understand the wax resist. Is it the same as 'mechanical' ? a term I have seen used in references describing various types of steel in blades.
Also it seems 'watered steel' is sort of a catch all? and often the term 'Damascus' seems used a lot.

Thanks for the information guys.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 2nd November 2018, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kubur

Yes classic 70ties Omani khanjar mounted or re-mounted with a fake wootz Indian blade and a fake inscription on it, is it Barka or Baraka?

It is BARKA. It isn't a classic Omani Khanjar but is typical form for classic Baatinah style. The pattern looks only effective on the surface and not present on the cartouche . Anyway no one would put a real wootz blade on a cowhorn hilt. These were early days in Tourism in Muscat and the adjoining regions and in my view the shop has long gone. Marking blades with the placename must have stopped as it certainly isn't something I have seen before. There are still blades coming from a number of places including Roosi blades (Russian) and some are wootz or patterned but patterned blades aren't what Omani Khanjars are about although I have seen a few.

Jim McDougall · 2nd November 2018, 06:28 PM

Mahratt and Ariel, thank you both so much for these excellent explanations and descriptions on wootz and mechanical Damascus!

Ibrahiim, thank you as always for the historical and geographical character on this. There is so much dimension to these amazing daggers, which to the untrained eye probably all appear the same or similar.

Much appreciated having these elements well explained.

mahratt · 2nd November 2018, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Mahratt and Ariel, thank you both so much for these excellent explanations and descriptions on wootz and mechanical Damascus!

Ibrahiim, thank you as always for the historical and geographical character on this. There is so much dimension to these amazing daggers, which to the untrained eye probably all appear the same or similar.

Much appreciated having these elements well explained.

Dear Jim

I think that You knew everything perfectly well without our comments

But thank you for the nice words.

28th October 2018, 09:50 AM	#1
haagen Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 2	Pictures Khanjar There are the pictures. So any details about the Khanjar would be great. Thx Attached Images

31st October 2018, 10:36 AM	#2
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Thank You Haagen for a very interesting and peculiar project Khanjar which was probably made on the Baatinah Coast of Oman as you say in perhaps the 1970s. It is in the Baatinah style See The Omani Khanjar in this Forum. That thread carries more excellent references as well. What is extraordinary about this weapon is the blade which says in Arabic brka .. Barka is a place on the Baatinah whose fort can be seen at Forts and Cannon of Oman again on Forum Library... In fact in India which was very much in touch as a destination with the Baatinah by sea the name Barka is that of a famous Hindu Princess apparently. While it would be quite romantic to have this related to a Hindu named Princess I would doubt that since Oman is Muslim but I just wanted to show we had looked at the possibility. What makes the blade interesting is this cartouche with the name in it and the fact that this is not a normal steel Omani blade but is Wootz..(watered steel) not often seen on Omani weapons. It could be Indian. The remainder of the weapon is standard and with what looks like a cow horn hilt. I wonder if you may know where it was obtained? There may be the possibility it was collected as a tourist weapon whilst your people were visiting the region. Thus so far as I can deduce; An Omani Khanjar in standard profile and silver stitched adornment of the 4 ringer Baatinah (from Barka near Muscat) form on a Cowhorn Hilt with an extraordinary blade in Wootz with an unfamiliar and unusual cartouche which because it says Barka may be a tourist item. Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 31st October 2018 at 10:48 AM.

31st October 2018, 11:22 AM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Looks pattern welded to me.

31st October 2018, 07:10 PM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	I'm afraid I'm with Ariel on this. It doesn't look like fake etched pattern weld to me nor does the wear and the inscription look fake to me either. The blade and inscription might be later though.

1st November 2018, 11:06 PM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	When I hear fake wootz I think of the method of etching the blade with a wax resist so that you get a pattern that is etched into the blade that looks like wootz.

2nd November 2018, 12:03 AM	#8
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,911	The blade is almost certainly Indian, and and of fairly recent production (last 50 years). However, is neither wootz, nor "fake" wootz, but plain pattern welded. We can talk about "fake wootz" when a pattern resembling wootz is etched or engraved on a plain blade to make it resemble wootz. .... my two cents... PS: Many Omani khanjars were fitted with Indian blades, and almost all the khanjars made in the last 20 years have them.

2nd November 2018, 06:28 PM	#11
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Mahratt and Ariel, thank you both so much for these excellent explanations and descriptions on wootz and mechanical Damascus! Ibrahiim, thank you as always for the historical and geographical character on this. There is so much dimension to these amazing daggers, which to the untrained eye probably all appear the same or similar. Much appreciated having these elements well explained.