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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 3
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Hi all
I’m looking for any information about this please. I was bought it by some friends about 25 years ago and it had a tag on it that said “Ethiopian chopping sword”. It’s about 28” long Any information gratefully received! Cheers Matt |
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#2 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Upstate New York, USA
Posts: 910
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I think this is a "large" Khyber knife, though some other members may have a better name for it.
For comparison: http://vikingsword.com/lew/w0133/w0133.html |
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#3 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,895
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Amazing descriptions people put on swords! Auction descriptions are an entertainment all their own.
This is of course a 'Khyber Knife' (siliwar) from the Khyber regions of Northwest Frontier India, probably late 19th-early 20th used by varying tribes. Crossed posts Lee ![]() |
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
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Yup. Old and trusty Khyber Knife as per Brits.
They took the real local name "selavah", transiterated it into English as "Salavar", noticed that many of them had recurved bladed and,... voila! -Salavar Yataghan:-) For years we thought that Salavar came from the name of Persian pants , Shalvars, but now the origin is clear. Stone called them Churra , a " knife" in Hindi. Generally, the Afghani variant of the venerable butcher's knife. I once saw an old photo from Central Asian bazaar, where newly made examples were sold there as ,- you guess,- butcher's knives. They were made all over Afghanistan and immortalized by R. Kipling and a horrible weapon. Every self-respected Afghani carried one. Nothing was better for hacking sheep carcass or an unfortunate Tommy . |
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,167
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Yup. My Salawar 'Yataghan' for another comparison, and a khyber choori, a smaller 'kitchen knife' version. The larger has a slight but noticeably recurved spine. For a Pathan, EDC - Don't leave home without one.
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 3
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Hey, thanks everyone! So not an Ethiopian chopping sword at all!! 😊. I think your answers are all much better anyway! Thanks so much for the info…..I absolutely love this thing!
Thanks again Matt |
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#7 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,167
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When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains An' go to your Gawd like a soldier. -Kipling "Strike!" said the King. "King's blood art thou— his death shall be his pride!" Then louder, that the crowd might catch: "Fear not—his arms are tied!" Yar Khan drew clear the Khyber knife, and struck, and sheathed again. "O man, thy will is done," quoth he; "a King this dog hath slain." -Kipling again. They have looked each other between the eyes, and there they found no fault. They have taken the Oath of the Brother-in-Blood on leavened bread and salt: They have taken the Oath of the Brother-in-Blood on fire and fresh-cut sod, On the hilt and the haft of the Khyber knife, and the Wondrous Names of God. - More Kipling |
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#8 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 3
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The man was obsessed! 😊
Seriously, that makes grim reading but very very interesting and some amazing background info for my humble but much loved blade. Thanks!! Matt |
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#9 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,069
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Kipling for the win, the man was there, in those days, and had sympathy for all involved in those events.
There are worse references for those days of the Great Game. |
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#10 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,069
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...Also, visible differences between the kitchen knife and the weapon.
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#11 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,167
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