The Omani Khanjar

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Atlantia

Hi Ibrahiim,

The difficulty of changing ingrained tradition cannot be easy, especially when they are linked to perceptions of status. But given the alternative, attitudes do have to change. Not only in Oman but also in the far east.

Why the lack of interest in woods?
I've seen old Khanjar with wooden hilts and it is after all, a renewable and sustainable resource.

With the recent massive resurgence of hard-stone carving in China and India, have you ever considered sourcing hard-stone hilts as a more 'status' alternative to resins?
They could still have partial silver covers with limited pins cemented in to connect the exterior elements, in fact following the Indo-Persian/Mughal methods of decoration they could be quite elaborate.
They would also provide a wide variety of colours and some of the stones used are extremely hard and durable.
Jade, Jadeite, Bowenite Serpentine etc.....

I bet Chinese or Indian workshops could produce a standard 'I' shaped Khanjar hilt to a very high standard at very reasonale cost!

And it's a readily available material with well rooted traditions!

Best
Gene

Salaams Atlantia Stone just isn't wanted..It may be because it has the wrong weight... and oddly even the expensive stone isn't sought such as Jade...though it is for exotic Persian and Indian Daggers...Standard hardwood is looked upon as the poorest hilt...followed by cheap plastic then cowhorn.. (then there is the possibility of an almost all silver hilt) then Sandalwood then Composites then Elephant then Rhino. In the advent of a peculiar horn or bone such as Water Buffalo the place they take would be below Elephant but better than Composites... Sea animal tusk I've seen a few and they come before Elephant ... somewhere in that order.

I liked the Jadeite example you placed..Shukran.

We do make a camel stick in almost that configuration in a ceramic hilt form but its a bit unsafe ... What is the effect of dropping a stone hilted khanjar onto a stone floor from about 4 feet?... I'm sure it would fall pommel down first ... would it crack break or chip? Bone and composites don't break or chip.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All ~ Here is an old Rhino Hilt redressed with new silver for an up and coming Khanjar. Note that the plate on the front is not a solid piece... but separate silver pins
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Pommel End Photo.

[BANTARU]

Wow its so beautiful. I can't believe someone actually sat there and put all those countless pins into that hilt.

Do show us the finished product when you are done!

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by BANTARU

Wow its so beautiful. I can't believe someone actually sat there and put all those countless pins into that hilt.

Do show us the finished product when you are done!

Salaams BANTARU ~ I will try to show the final complete result. Sadly the fact is that Rhino makes such an attractive hilt because of this translucence and the variety of colours in the different types ... In addition Rhino is perfect for using the very close silver pin technique since other materials split. Rhino hilt is also very robust and even if thrown to the floor it bounces... whilst other materials can crack. Fortunately we now see a fair number of composite materials substituting Rhino or horn but nothing gets close enough to Rhino ...

For a brief look at what we are trying to save see # 55 by Spiral and http://www.african-elephant.org/pachy/index.html

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[A.alnakkas]

In a jambiya or a khanjar, the hilt is probably the oldest. The hilt (and sometimes the blade) is the most expensive and treasured part of the dagger so it gets refurbished often and as style changes, you get to see those pins sometimes covered by the silver sheet which have became the new fashion or something.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

In a jambiya or a khanjar, the hilt is probably the oldest. The hilt (and sometimes the blade) is the most expensive and treasured part of the dagger so it gets refurbished often and as style changes, you get to see those pins sometimes covered by the silver sheet which have became the new fashion or something.

Salaams A.alnakkas,
I'm not sure about that since the blade seems to be the most admired and important part of the ensemble...at least thats what the locals ponder over when they are checking out a Khanjar. They smell it and even taste it! It even has to have the right musical note when struck. Locally made blades are the most expensive. However, a good hilt comes in a close second and certainly huge value is placed on Rhino and Elephant.

On the subject of pins I believe this to be a vital point since it is really only Rhino hilts that can safely take the closely hammered pins as other materials tend to split. Pins are used to decorate other horn hilts but they are not hammered so closely. It therefor becomes a mark of quality... i.e. Closely hammered pin decoration = Rhino hilt. A good hilt is just about recognisable from about 4 feet away ! (I mean you dont want to get too close!)

I wonder which came first; the pins or the technique of using sheet silver? My hypothesis leans toward the Rhino hilt plus pins since I am quite convinced of the importance of the entire weapon and its link to the Rhino both because of the hilt... and the curve in the dagger and the added apparent curve in the scabbard... I suggest the entire Khanjar is Rhino inspired (Hilt, Scabbard and Blade) though no proof exists other than that.

In keeping with that theory I have also argued that the closely decorated pins reflect/ resemble the spaghetti ended strata of translucent Rhino Horn...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Pommel End Photo.

Salaams All,
Here's the scabbard we sourced to match the hilt previously seen at #87...Well here are all the parts ! We just need to fit it all together !! Then the whole ensemble will be cleaned up and at about that point it will begin its journey of acquiring "Patina", however, silver being relatively soft and prone to oxidisation this ought to only take about 6 months.

The scabbard is an Emirati (UAE) Style and favours the very vast expanse of leather showing below the belt ~ though the toe floral decoration is typically Nizwa, Oman, done before the UAE formation when these countries were blended together loosely as one. (Trucial Oman States)(Muscat and Oman)

Afternote ~ The leather is hand tooled in simple floral geometry. Please also note that the central plate wrapped around the hilt midsection is hand decorated silver sheet... but the rest of the silver on the hilt comprises several thousand small silver pins hammered so closely they look like one sheet.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[RhysMichael]

A couple of Thesinger's photos

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by RhysMichael

A couple of Thesinger's photos

Salaams RhysMichael ~ I will dig out some Wilfred Thesiger pictures with Omani Khanjars...The examples shown are probably Yemeni Jambia.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[RhysMichael]

Thank you Ibrahiim I look forward to them