The Omani Khanjar

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

Salam,

I am not sure about the smell and taste part. Because some of the finer blades are polished and cleaned very often which means they'd likely smell and taste of polish material. The finger flick and sound thing is something that I am beginning to see often, but to detect the material of the steel rather than the quality, as wootz supposedly sounds different from other steels.

Anyways, one of my new khanjars with a rhino hilt arrived afew weeks ago and it seems to have a wootz blade, a rarity in Omani khanjars. Will post pictures once I am done with t he etching and satisfied with the result.

Lotfy

Salaams A.alnakkas ~ I know it sounds very odd...but tasting the blade ... and smelling it are very much the old way of determining a blades quality...A good blade has the aroma of ...herbs and sweaty socks ! as does the taste. The old folks don't clean the blades with metal polish.

Wootz blades are very rare because they simply don't go for that as a style but locally made blades are sought after ...and they are laminated. I suspect that a wootz blade could have come from India or Iran/Afghanistan along with the generally known name of Johar...In fact I was just reading a fine article by Dr Ann Feuerbach in which she mentions the wootz material from which I believe the word Johar originates; Poulad Jauherder.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All~ Adding more to our library of Rhino Hilt data base detail. This Khanjar is without its scabbard. Nice old blade on a reworked Rhino Hilt. The Hilt can best be described as "Dull Yellow" until a light brings out the translucent effect and the spaghetti ends of the Rhino Horn. The pins in this case are close but not actually tight close as is the often seen application of silver pin work on this quality of Horn. It can be seen however that the pins follow a geometric pattern and great care has been taken in producing the effect.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All; More Rhino for Library;

Note that this is a "4 Ringer" Baatinah Khanjar (Oman Coast roughly between Muscat and Mussandam ) mounted on a Rhino Hilt and displaying the "Eyes of The Bedu" decoration on the lower scabbard. Also seen are both silver(pure silver) and gold(gold plated) thread decorating the scabbard For the hawkeyed amongst you please note that this is infact the same weapon as at #35 except that in, addition, I now show the light on the hilt and an end of hilt pommel shot ...
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.