The Omani Khanjar

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Showing the weapon around to associates I often get the call that this is a Busaidi Khanjar if you cover the hilt with one hand they will say 'Saiidi Khanjar then show the hilt they say saifaani! Some like their Royal Daggers like this !! at which point it becomes almost a personal preference . Saifaani being a Rhino horn type. Very much favoured in the past. Khanjar descriptions often mingle between styles and there are many variations add ons and subtractions...So technically this is a Saifaani 'Saiidi .
Thanks for your kind words.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Reference;
A. Omanisilver.com/contents/en-us/d365_Omani_khanjar.html


Some detail on the subject of Khanjar blades which tend to get sidelined and I have to admit not a great deal is available. This group all have some sort of wootz decoration whereas the majority are steel non wootz.

The reference above mentions earlier blades as being from Europe or Iran in its Von Oppenheimer book but that the British Museum suggests blades made in Sanaa were used in the collection of Ingrams Khanjars. (Harold Ingrams was a famous historian and chief secretary at Zanzibar in the early 20thC) I think all regions in the hub may have been responsible as well as some Omani production.

[Richard G]

I am always surprised at how little tang there is on these blades.
Regards
Richard

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

It baffles me as well! Perhaps the vibrations through a longer tang would wreck the hilt? The only thing holding the blade in the hilt is the short tang and some glue and to stop the blade twisting a small bit of the broad blade slots in. Blades dropping out is quite common.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

I should log in the usual load of normal lower quality blades available at most workshops and although some do now carry a few wootz examples these are the blade types normally seen. On being asked the shop people usually either don't know where they are obtained or say India; Rajastan

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

THE BEST ALTERNATIVE HILT TO RHINO


I've looked at cowhorn and sandalwood and ceramic and plastic alternatives but have not seen a good horn equivalent until today where an Indian hilt has stolen second place to Rhino in the business of top class hilts for Khanjars.
Its name is Qarn Zaraf al Hindi and it looks bovine or could be a large deer horn. It is dark and after a few years has slight translucent properties but is excellent for Omani khanjar hilts as it accepts silver pins easily and in quantity without splitting. While a little costly it is far less than Rhino and could help save it from further extinction. I will present the examples in my next post.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Hilt: Khanjar Zaraf al Hindi ~

Again I rely largely on the pictorial with whatever detail I can muster with this most interesting development in good quality hilts. the Zaraf al Afrique which we know better as the rhino is very translucent and hugely expensive and of course very rare and almost extinct. (The Rhino has another name ~ wahid al garn which can be, the one with the horn or the one horn)

Now to the pictures~ on which it can be seen the colour range for this horn is from almost black through a nut brown to an almost olive light green... its ability to accept silver nails almost the same as the Rhino hilt makes it the best alternative yet seen and could help save the Rhino from extinction.

I believe that aspects in design of the Omani Khanjar are directly linked to the Rhino traditionally and down many centuries from the shape of the blade to the pins reflecting the Rhino horn fabric and the turned up decorated scabbard and the fact that this weapon is worn front and centre on the belt. In support there is also the Rhino hilt shield also carried with the Khanjar and or sword. My post earlier at #246 looks at the same design.