old blade on takouba ?

David R · 25th October 2020, 01:03 PM

I would ID it as a typical Kaskara rather than a Takouba, as for age..... They were still making them recently for their own market, carried at weddings by groom and male relatives. If a tourist wants one they will sell them one, but to the best of my knowledge they make no distinction between local and traveller purchasers they all get the same item. Metal fittings and blades can be any age, as with a lot of ethnic weapons good blades are not left to languish, and the same for anything else.

Lots of stuff on here about them. About the only thing I can add, is that reading a travellers tale from the 1970's they were still carried with serious intent. The late great original Richard Burton had stuff to say about their cutting power.

25th October 2020, 01:03 PM	#2
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,120	I would ID it as a typical Kaskara rather than a Takouba, as for age..... They were still making them recently for their own market, carried at weddings by groom and male relatives. If a tourist wants one they will sell them one, but to the best of my knowledge they make no distinction between local and traveller purchasers they all get the same item. Metal fittings and blades can be any age, as with a lot of ethnic weapons good blades are not left to languish, and the same for anything else. Lots of stuff on here about them. About the only thing I can add, is that reading a travellers tale from the 1970's they were still carried with serious intent. The late great original Richard Burton had stuff to say about their cutting power.