Mechanical Damascus Koumya Blade

[RobT]

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

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by RobT

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.

Hello Rob,

I don't want to discuss if it is a koummya for use and wear, you have it in hand and I've learned by handling several koummyas that it can be tricky to distinguish between tourist ones and the ones which have been in use for wearing from pictures only. But I've handled tourist ones which have been of good quality.
But I am pretty sure that we don't see any sort of damascus and I am more surprised that not one of our members who are familiar with smithing haven't commented until now. Alan G. Maisey for example will be able to confirm that we don't see any sort of damascus in your pictures.
Polish the blade and re-etch it, you will see that there is no sign of damascus, I am pretty sure, sorry.
BTW, good repair of the tip of the scabbard!

Regards,
Detlef

[francantolin]

Hello all ,

I don't even see any real pattern,
on the pictures you show us anyway
For be sure, you ''just have'' to sand it and etch it

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by francantolin

For be sure, you ''just have'' to sand it and etch it

Exactly what I've stated in up! Thank you that you don't let me alone!

[Sajen]

No other member here in the forum can say that we don't see any lamination on this blade?? Really??

[Marc M.]

Originally Posted by Sajen

No other member here in the forum can say that we don't see any lamination on this blade?? Really??

Sorry for my late response, in my opinion it is indeed not damascus but as you said it looks like the structure of hot steel cooled in water or oil. Try if you can bend the blade a little, does it come back straight, steel, does it stand crooked, iron.
Regards
Marc

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Marc M.

Sorry for my late response, in my opinion it is indeed not damascus but as you said it looks like the structure of hot steel cooled in water or oil. Try if you can bend the blade a little, does it come back straight, steel, does it stand crooked, iron.

Thank you Marc!
My intention is not to make Rob's koummya bad, but to make it clear that what we see here is in no way a lamination in any way.

Regards,
Detlef

[Bob A]

Originally Posted by Sajen

No other member here in the forum can say that we don't see any lamination on this blade?? Really??

Didn't look like lamination to me.

I didn't wish to dogpile onto a previous post.