Small jambiya/khanjar translucent handle.

[Marc M.]

A small jambiya/khanjar 26 cm oal, with a good steel solid blade with some pitting on one side and a handle made of horn.
Now other than the small size there is nothing special about this dagger until I looked at the hilt with a strong light source and determined the it was completely translucent. In the hilt are a large number of small silver pins struck at one end and also at the top and two studs on the hilt that appear to be gilded. I know rhinoceros is sometimes translucent but I can't find the typical hair texture anywhere. According to the seller so it would be giraffe horn but I have no idea what that texture looks like. Your opinion is welcome.

Regards
Marc

[Sajen]

I don't think that it is rhino horn. The seller could be correct by his statement. I hope someone will be able to be more helpful as I am.

Regards,
Detlef

[Peter Hudson]

Hello , You have a nice Rhino Hilt there. The weapon is an Omani Khanjar. ...No Scabbard? Please note that on the thread Omani Khanjars; at post 221 is an example of a rhino hilt showing a picture of the end of the pommel ... note the stacked spaghetti form of the illuminated horn... Peter Hudson

[Gonzoadler]

Hello,

I doubt that it is rhino, it is looking rather like buffalo or ram horn.

Regards
Robin

[Gustav]

Yes, not rhino.

[Marc M.]

Originally Posted by Peter Hudson

Hello , You have a nice Rhino Hilt there. The weapon is an Omani Khanjar. ...No Scabbard? Please note that on the thread Omani Khanjars; at post 221 is an example of a rhino hilt showing a picture of the end of the pommel ... note the stacked spaghetti form of the illuminated horn... Peter Hudson

Hi Peter, thank you for your response. Unfortunately no scabbard, that would have made identification easier. I have tested the light transmittance of my other khanjars and jambiyas and one jambiya is also completely light translucent. Never tested before because of the lack of the typical stacked spaghetti structure. The only khanjar, KSA, that I have with a rhinoceros handle has that structure clearly visible but is not light translucent at all. Are there other horn types that are also light transmitting? Is the typical hair structure always visible with rhinoceros?
Regards
Marc

[Marc M.]

Detlef, Robin and Gustav, thanks for your response. At first glance I did not suspect rhino horn but the light transmission is confusing. I found among the materials I have a piece of sheep/ram horn and a Turkish knife of probably the same material. Both are translucent.

Regards
Marc

[Marc M.]

Originally Posted by Marc M.

Detlef, Robin and Gustav, thanks for your response. At first glance I did not suspect rhino horn but the light transmission is confusing. I found among the materials I have a piece of sheep/ram horn and a Turkish knife of probably the same material. Both are translucent.

Regards
Marc

Pictures.