14th April 2016, 08:35 PM | #1 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 31
|
Ivory or bone? Choora
Hi guys I think is ivory on this afghan choora.. can anybody confirm? There also is a inscription on the spine i need a hand translating with..
Thank you |
14th April 2016, 10:52 PM | #2 |
Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austria
Posts: 1,903
|
From the photos you posted it is very hard to say. Can you post better ones?
Maybe close-ups with the scales. The colour matches that of ivory and it may even display the characteristic structure (in the third photo with the close-up of the pommel) but cannot say for sure from what you posted. I'm curious to see what others may have to say. |
15th April 2016, 01:36 AM | #3 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
|
Agree re. close-up of the grip scales: bone would usually show short dark lines.
These are periostal blood vessels. If one can't see them, it might be possible that the upper layer was polished off. But if they are there, the answer is 100% final. |
15th April 2016, 01:42 AM | #4 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 1,497
|
Hard to tell, some more photos may help.
|
15th April 2016, 05:54 AM | #5 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 31
|
Hey guys , thanks for the input , here are some closer shots. I think the top section are ivory and bottom are bone? Looks like the blade is also wootz too , just needs a good etch!
|
15th April 2016, 05:55 AM | #6 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 31
|
wootz
|
15th April 2016, 06:13 AM | #7 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Russia
Posts: 1,042
|
Quote:
|
|
15th April 2016, 06:34 AM | #8 |
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 427
|
Very attractive choora, and a delightful sheath (or scabbard? Is there a difference?).
I suspect the material in question is bone. Not an easy determination to make from a photo, of course. |
15th April 2016, 07:54 AM | #9 |
Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austria
Posts: 1,903
|
Thank you for the new photos!
Based solely on the photos is difficult to form a definitive opinion, but from what I see I tend to believe it is elephant ivory, both the pommel and the scales. The blade also appears to be wootz, but then again, it is difficult to say from the photos. If I had this knife, I would give it a thorough cleaning, some polishing (to both the blade and the hilt), then try some etching of the blade. Anyhow, it is a very nice knife. PS: Not long ago, I got an Indian Pesk-kabz in pretty bad shape. Cleaned it thoroughly (the hilt with alcohol and the blade with white spirit), gave it a good polishing (the hilt with 1000/2000 up to 5000/7000 grit - and the blade with 800 up to 3000 grit) then etched the blade, and the result was spectacular. The polishing revealed the superb elephant ivory hilt and the etching revealed high contrast wootz. |
15th April 2016, 12:41 PM | #10 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 525
|
100% ivory, I can see the typical Schreger lines and the surface is too smooth for bone.
Roland |
15th April 2016, 03:28 PM | #11 | |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 363
|
Quote:
Elephant ivory indeed. |
|
15th April 2016, 06:19 PM | #12 | |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,183
|
Quote:
basically, no. i tend to look at a sheath being a soft (all leather) home for a knife or dagger, and a scabbard being a hard (wood or wood lined or metal) home for a sword, and possibly for a dagger or knife, especially a hard military issue one. the terms overlap some. a softish unlined leather sheath for a sword/hanger/cutlass/langseax with metal fittings, throat, chape, hangers, i might think of as a scabbard, others may call it a sheath. so, call them what you think best. and feel free to change your mind frequently. |
|
|
|