Mechanical Damascus Koumya Blade

RobT · 2nd May 2024, 01:17 AM

Rick,
Here are two rather unadorned koumya from my collection. Unlike the subject of the current discussion, these two koumya have all of the expected construction features (hilt ferrule over sheath throat, press fit sheath throat, two wood blade protectors inside the sheath, through tang, less decoration on the obverse). I have no doubt that they were made in Morocco for sale to Moroccans. The first koumya has an octagonal copper sheath and copper hilt furniture. The blade has a maker’s mark. The second koumya has a brass sheath and hilt furniture. The simple decoration on both koumya notwithstanding, they are well constructed of heavy copper and brass. I agree with you that the koumya now under discussion wasn’t made in Morocco. It isn’t the lack of decoration but rather the other atypical features that lead me to conclude that this item was made outside of Morocco for sale to Moroccans. Hopefully someone will recognize the anomalies as typical for some sort of jambiya made somewhere else and be able to give us a possible location.

Sajen,
I rather doubt that someone would go to the trouble of stamping a maker’s mark and then inlaying it with brass for a tourist koumya. If you look carefully at the photos (especially the close-ups), you can see that the brass on the sheath and hilt is heavy. The workmanship is very well done (especially the rivets). All the parts are well shaped and fitted together. The hilt ferrule fits tightly enough in the sheath throat so that the blade won’t fall out if the sheath is held upside down. Currently, I have 27 koumya and have seen a whole lot more. I know tourist from the real deal. This one is the real (albeit 20th century) deal. As for the damascus issue, we will have to agree to disagree. I have the piece in hand and I say that it’s for sure damascus. It isn’t damascus made to show off a pattern by any means but rather a gathering together of enough bits of steel (with varying degrees of carbon content) to be forge welded into a blade.

Sincerely,
RobT

2nd May 2024, 01:17 AM	#6
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 456	Plain Koumya, Not Tourist, For Sure Damascus Rick, Here are two rather unadorned koumya from my collection. Unlike the subject of the current discussion, these two koumya have all of the expected construction features (hilt ferrule over sheath throat, press fit sheath throat, two wood blade protectors inside the sheath, through tang, less decoration on the obverse). I have no doubt that they were made in Morocco for sale to Moroccans. The first koumya has an octagonal copper sheath and copper hilt furniture. The blade has a maker’s mark. The second koumya has a brass sheath and hilt furniture. The simple decoration on both koumya notwithstanding, they are well constructed of heavy copper and brass. I agree with you that the koumya now under discussion wasn’t made in Morocco. It isn’t the lack of decoration but rather the other atypical features that lead me to conclude that this item was made outside of Morocco for sale to Moroccans. Hopefully someone will recognize the anomalies as typical for some sort of jambiya made somewhere else and be able to give us a possible location. Sajen, I rather doubt that someone would go to the trouble of stamping a maker’s mark and then inlaying it with brass for a tourist koumya. If you look carefully at the photos (especially the close-ups), you can see that the brass on the sheath and hilt is heavy. The workmanship is very well done (especially the rivets). All the parts are well shaped and fitted together. The hilt ferrule fits tightly enough in the sheath throat so that the blade won’t fall out if the sheath is held upside down. Currently, I have 27 koumya and have seen a whole lot more. I know tourist from the real deal. This one is the real (albeit 20th century) deal. As for the damascus issue, we will have to agree to disagree. I have the piece in hand and I say that it’s for sure damascus. It isn’t damascus made to show off a pattern by any means but rather a gathering together of enough bits of steel (with varying degrees of carbon content) to be forge welded into a blade. Sincerely, RobT Attached Images