Turkish knife for ID, comment
 

Hello,

Imagine my surprise when I discovered this knife on my bookshelf with no memory of when I acquired it or put it there. I offer it here for your comment and aid to help give it a better identification.

Overall length in scabbard: 12 1/2 inches
Knife-only length: 11 3/4 inches

Hilt shape: round at the bolster and grip with a notch for little finger at end of grip, thereafter flaring slightly to elephant ear "yataghan" shape at the end.

Hilt material: Horn; color is dark yellow/amber with significant aging to black from handling.

Decorative brass ring around hilt.

Hilt size: 5 inches long, 5/8 inches high at the grip.

Brass bolster, undecorated.

Blade Dimensions: Thick at the hilt with slight taper before false edge. Length: 7 5/8 in. Height: 1 inch at the bolster for 5 inches, thereafter narrowing into an upswept tip. Thickness: 1/4 inch at the bolster, typering slightly for 2 1/2 inches.

Blade Decoration: near bolster are 5 dots, empty, on each side in different pattern. Left side with a 2/3 triangle, right side with a very small eyelash. Twin fullers, both sides, a wider one on bottom and much thinner one above it, the larger one with a wavy bright patterns over a darkend background, laminations visible.

Blade Cross-Section: Slightly rounded transitioning to diamond for the final 1 1/2 inches to tip.

Scabbard: Intact; black leather, flaking, over wood; significant age-related deterioration

I look forward to your thoughts.

Dave A.

first , a very nice knife, my compliments !

for what it is worth, I believe dating back to the end of the Ottoman period, perhaps early days of the republic and looking at the V-shape of the hilt, it might be Greek or Greek influenced.
Could also be perhaps southern part of the Black Sea ....

Yes, a Laz Bichak from south eastern Black Sea region.

Agreed!:)

La Baz!
 

Thank you both You’ve given me the info I needed to remember. This was a forlorn gem among a collection of various contemporary knives at an estate auction. No one bid against me. I feel like I rescued an old dog when everyone else was taking home the puppies.

Any ideas about identifying the hilt material? It resembles a saifani hilt on a jambiya from Yemen in my collection.

Dave A.

Laz Bichak
 

With your info, I was able to locate my notes on this bichak from about a year ago. It is from the Laz people in the region of Sürmene in the eastern Anatolian peninsula along the eastern Black Sea near Georgia.

Sürmene was a center of edged weapons manufacture for a long time and it is continuing today. Once worn by Laz pirates on the Black Sea, the Laz people and Pontians also used the bichak for duel fighting and a dance called the “knife horon.”

Thanks again for the reminder!

Dave