Teda throwing knife

Luc LEFEBVRE · 7th October 2008, 11:21 PM

Recent acquisition.
An African throwing knife called musri from the Teda tribe of Tibesti in north of Chad, Niger and Sudan.
70cm
Luc

VANDOO · 8th October 2008, 06:54 PM

CONGRADULATIONS!!

I HAD NOT SEEN ONE LIKE IT IT REMINDS ME OF A BIRD THE FIRST PROJECTION BEING THE BEAK THERE IS EVEN A SMALL EYE ON THE HEAD THE SECOND PROJECTION IS THE LEG AND THE LONG HANDLE THE TAIL. THE CONSTRUCTION TECKNIQUE APPEARS THAT A LONG STEEL BAR HAS BEEN FOLDED BACK ON IT'S SELF AND HAMMERED INTO THE DESIRED SHAPE LEAVING A LINE SEPARATING THE TWO SECTIONS. IS THIS TYPE OF WORK COMMON IN AFRICA ? MOST THROWING KNIVES I HAVE SEEN APPEARED TO BE EITHER CUT AND BENT TO SHAPE AND HAMMERED OUT AND SHARPENED , A FEW WERE PUT TOGETHER FROM MORE THAN ONE PIECE AND HAMMER FORGED TOGETHER. HOW THICK IS THIS EXAMPLE AND ITS DIMENSIONS? VERRRY INTERESTING

Luc LEFEBVRE · 8th October 2008, 10:03 PM

It's often what the people said: a bird like knife, duck or pelican.
You're right the knife is forged in one bar.No welding, no join.A good work of forging.Some other knives from this region of sub-saharian / central Africa are made in the same way.
Thickness between 4mm and 1cm, size 70cm/23cm, 3cm for the stem.
Luc

Luc LEFEBVRE · 8th October 2008, 10:05 PM

You can see some decorations applied to the reverse of the topbranch, simple crosshatching.
Luc

Tim Simmons · 9th October 2008, 12:28 PM

A really super item. I think it is made in two parts. Look carefully at the third and fourth pics, you can see the forged join. I always like to think this is a good sign of old and skilled work rather than latter and cut from scrap or trade metal.

katana · 9th October 2008, 04:12 PM

Hi Luc,
cool throwing knife, Tim is right there is a forged welded joint, I think it would be too much effort and time to forge this 'one-piece'.... and the resultly piece would not be any better. I really like the shape of this type of 'thrower', congrats

Regards David

Luc LEFEBVRE · 9th October 2008, 09:48 PM

Yes, here the interest to make close-up, we can see details not so easy to examine, especially with my 46 yo eyesight wich reduce gradually...

Luc

7th October 2008, 11:21 PM	#1
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 472	Teda throwing knife Recent acquisition. An African throwing knife called musri from the Teda tribe of Tibesti in north of Chad, Niger and Sudan. 70cm Luc Last edited by Luc LEFEBVRE; 8th October 2008 at 10:03 PM.

8th October 2008, 10:03 PM	#3
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 472	It's often what the people said: a bird like knife, duck or pelican. You're right the knife is forged in one bar.No welding, no join.A good work of forging.Some other knives from this region of sub-saharian / central Africa are made in the same way. Thickness between 4mm and 1cm, size 70cm/23cm, 3cm for the stem. Luc Attached Images

9th October 2008, 12:28 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	A really super item. I think it is made in two parts. Look carefully at the third and fourth pics, you can see the forged join. I always like to think this is a good sign of old and skilled work rather than latter and cut from scrap or trade metal. Last edited by Tim Simmons; 9th October 2008 at 04:33 PM.

9th October 2008, 04:12 PM	#6
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi Luc, cool throwing knife, Tim is right there is a forged welded joint, I think it would be too much effort and time to forge this 'one-piece'.... and the resultly piece would not be any better. I really like the shape of this type of 'thrower', congrats Regards David Last edited by katana; 9th October 2008 at 08:20 PM.

9th October 2008, 09:48 PM	#7
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 472	Yes, here the interest to make close-up, we can see details not so easy to examine, especially with my 46 yo eyesight wich reduce gradually... Luc Attached Images

8th October 2008, 06:54 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	CONGRADULATIONS!! I HAD NOT SEEN ONE LIKE IT IT REMINDS ME OF A BIRD THE FIRST PROJECTION BEING THE BEAK THERE IS EVEN A SMALL EYE ON THE HEAD THE SECOND PROJECTION IS THE LEG AND THE LONG HANDLE THE TAIL. THE CONSTRUCTION TECKNIQUE APPEARS THAT A LONG STEEL BAR HAS BEEN FOLDED BACK ON IT'S SELF AND HAMMERED INTO THE DESIRED SHAPE LEAVING A LINE SEPARATING THE TWO SECTIONS. IS THIS TYPE OF WORK COMMON IN AFRICA ? MOST THROWING KNIVES I HAVE SEEN APPEARED TO BE EITHER CUT AND BENT TO SHAPE AND HAMMERED OUT AND SHARPENED , A FEW WERE PUT TOGETHER FROM MORE THAN ONE PIECE AND HAMMER FORGED TOGETHER. HOW THICK IS THIS EXAMPLE AND ITS DIMENSIONS? VERRRY INTERESTING

8th October 2008, 10:05 PM	#4
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 472	You can see some decorations applied to the reverse of the topbranch, simple crosshatching. Luc