Kurdish Khanjar Craftsmanship
 

Not sure if this is of interest, but here's a short video on a traditional khanjar maker in Erbil/Hewler: http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/140520153

Some part of the dagger, or sheath seems to be cast in wooden moulds filled with earth- the editing makes the actual process unclear, unfortunately.

Functional khanjars with decent blades are still made and widely worn in KRG, I've been told the best ones are to be found in Zakho and Dohuk rather than Erbil. I've seen Kakai fighters wearing them in Kirkuk, with good blades but ugly clear plastic hilts- such is progress :shrug:

Primary source stuff like this is always good.

GREAT VIDEO RUMPEL,ONE OF THE LAST ONES OF THE TRIBE,THANKS FOR POSTING

It's interesting he grades the blades using the old Persian wootz grades (though they're presumably not wootz now).