Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Atlantia · 23rd February 2013, 06:50 PM

Namaste Ibrahiim,

Excellent work on these hilt materials.
I absolutely applaud such a stance.
They not only look fantastic, they also preserve the traditional skills of the craftsmen who decorate them.

As this is such an important innovation in the evolution of the Omani Khanjar, perhaps you could expand on this post and tell us more about the vital work of ending the demand for new Khanjar with hilts made from endangered species and how you go about altering the more "traditional" mindsets of those who still might see them as 'current' status symbols and not simply items of historic interest?
As a dealer and maker of new Khanjar, have you developed any of these alternatives yourself?
What materials have you used, how are they made? How do they 'perform' in terms of durability etc?
Do your clients prefer them to say exotic wood or coloured cow horn?
How have your clientele reacted to their introdcution and recieved them in general? In fact have your clients led the demand for these alternatives or have you taken the chance and introduced them anyway?

Can you envision a time when public opinion in Oman might make it socially unaceptable to wear the endangered species hilts and they could be consigned to collections and museums only? (here's hoping!)

Well done again
Gene

23rd February 2013, 06:50 PM	#83
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	Namaste Ibrahiim, Excellent work on these hilt materials. I absolutely applaud such a stance. They not only look fantastic, they also preserve the traditional skills of the craftsmen who decorate them. As this is such an important innovation in the evolution of the Omani Khanjar, perhaps you could expand on this post and tell us more about the vital work of ending the demand for new Khanjar with hilts made from endangered species and how you go about altering the more "traditional" mindsets of those who still might see them as 'current' status symbols and not simply items of historic interest? As a dealer and maker of new Khanjar, have you developed any of these alternatives yourself? What materials have you used, how are they made? How do they 'perform' in terms of durability etc? Do your clients prefer them to say exotic wood or coloured cow horn? How have your clientele reacted to their introdcution and recieved them in general? In fact have your clients led the demand for these alternatives or have you taken the chance and introduced them anyway? Can you envision a time when public opinion in Oman might make it socially unaceptable to wear the endangered species hilts and they could be consigned to collections and museums only? (here's hoping!) Well done again Gene Last edited by Atlantia; 23rd February 2013 at 07:06 PM.