Lebanese / Syrian Dagger

tom hyle · 29th May 2005, 02:02 PM

Freddy, I wonder if your dagger might be from Somaliland or Ethiopia. The metal "guard" and the overall shape of the handle, as well as the use and placement of the bone spacer, are similar to what's seen on billao. What is the nonsymetrical knob at the sheath tips? I see this swoopy curved pointy knob on sheath tips, and sometimes at the ends of quillons. What is known of its meaning or regionality?

Justin · 29th May 2005, 06:39 PM

I would personally advise against the acryllic spray idea,alot of that stuff just makes a mess and can be very difficult to remove.

Aurangzeb · 29th May 2005, 10:34 PM

Hi Justin!

Thanks for the advise about the acryllic spray.

tom hyle · 30th May 2005, 07:21 PM

Yeah, don't do it. It won't stick anyway to a previously oiled blade unless you degrease it, and I must say that in contrast to gloppy silver and gold paint, blades that have been lacquered (one does encounter it fairly frequently, with yellowed or red-faded old lacquer; it seems to have been popular with English and Euro-North Americans in the early and mid 20th) are usually fairly easy to clean off (but modern spray acryllic might well be more difficult), and it does seem to have a certain preservative power (so do the ugly metallic paints, but they can be SOOOO hard to get off!

). If the laquer seperates from the metal, as it sometimes does, then the pocket underneath becomes like a little moisture chamber, though. I think you're better to stick with waxes and oils; cosmoline seems real good for longterm storage (is that commercially available? Is it truly as same as drugstore petroleum jelly as it seems?).........I like a plated blade (though others don't), but that's not a realistic after-market protection for an assembled sword or anything......too long winded; oil and/or wax. Microcrystaline wax, like "Rennaissance Wax" or some fancy car waxes, is usually recommended, as the danger is not just from large packets of water that will bead up on ordinary wax, but from water vapor in the air, acting at a smaller level of reality. Alternately, good gun oils with Teflon or graphite that claim to leave behind a microscopic protective layer usually work fairly well, too, although they rub off easily and must be reapplied. I've heard of using bicycle lubricant, too, but know nothing specific there.

Aurangzeb · 30th May 2005, 07:39 PM

Hi Tom!

I just bought a nice Afghan choora off e-bay with a lacquered blade that has begun to peel, it should be a real treat to get off.

Conogre · 7th June 2005, 06:18 AM

Acetone often takes off old antique laquer with extreme ease in only minutes.....I too recently aquired a laquered Afghan Khyber knife, and it was clean in less than 5 minutes with no effort.
DO work in an open or well ventilated area though, as it's extremely bad to inhale (no matter how good you might feel for a few moments) **grin**
By the way, for those of you not familiar with buffalo horn, often that's what's mistaken for "black plastic" as it does have a superficial resemblance...it's extremely common on Arabic and middle eastern knives, swords and daggers as a hilt material.
Mike

Aurangzeb · 7th June 2005, 11:15 PM

Hi Conogre!

Thanks for the help I be sure to try it as soon as I get it. Most of those cleaners smeel absolutly horrid. I have a type of glue that makes my eyes water just being around an opean tube, can't possibly be good for anyone.

29th May 2005, 02:02 PM	#1
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Freddy, I wonder if your dagger might be from Somaliland or Ethiopia. The metal "guard" and the overall shape of the handle, as well as the use and placement of the bone spacer, are similar to what's seen on billao. What is the nonsymetrical knob at the sheath tips? I see this swoopy curved pointy knob on sheath tips, and sometimes at the ends of quillons. What is known of its meaning or regionality?

29th May 2005, 06:39 PM	#2
Justin Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 182	I would personally advise against the acryllic spray idea,alot of that stuff just makes a mess and can be very difficult to remove.

29th May 2005, 10:34 PM	#3
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Hi Justin! Thanks for the advise about the acryllic spray.

30th May 2005, 07:21 PM	#4
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Yeah, don't do it. It won't stick anyway to a previously oiled blade unless you degrease it, and I must say that in contrast to gloppy silver and gold paint, blades that have been lacquered (one does encounter it fairly frequently, with yellowed or red-faded old lacquer; it seems to have been popular with English and Euro-North Americans in the early and mid 20th) are usually fairly easy to clean off (but modern spray acryllic might well be more difficult), and it does seem to have a certain preservative power (so do the ugly metallic paints, but they can be SOOOO hard to get off! ). If the laquer seperates from the metal, as it sometimes does, then the pocket underneath becomes like a little moisture chamber, though. I think you're better to stick with waxes and oils; cosmoline seems real good for longterm storage (is that commercially available? Is it truly as same as drugstore petroleum jelly as it seems?).........I like a plated blade (though others don't), but that's not a realistic after-market protection for an assembled sword or anything......too long winded; oil and/or wax. Microcrystaline wax, like "Rennaissance Wax" or some fancy car waxes, is usually recommended, as the danger is not just from large packets of water that will bead up on ordinary wax, but from water vapor in the air, acting at a smaller level of reality. Alternately, good gun oils with Teflon or graphite that claim to leave behind a microscopic protective layer usually work fairly well, too, although they rub off easily and must be reapplied. I've heard of using bicycle lubricant, too, but know nothing specific there.

30th May 2005, 07:39 PM	#5
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Hi Tom! I just bought a nice Afghan choora off e-bay with a lacquered blade that has begun to peel, it should be a real treat to get off.

7th June 2005, 06:18 AM	#6
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	Acetone often takes off old antique laquer with extreme ease in only minutes.....I too recently aquired a laquered Afghan Khyber knife, and it was clean in less than 5 minutes with no effort. DO work in an open or well ventilated area though, as it's extremely bad to inhale (no matter how good you might feel for a few moments) grin By the way, for those of you not familiar with buffalo horn, often that's what's mistaken for "black plastic" as it does have a superficial resemblance...it's extremely common on Arabic and middle eastern knives, swords and daggers as a hilt material. Mike

7th June 2005, 11:15 PM	#7
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Hi Conogre! Thanks for the help I be sure to try it as soon as I get it. Most of those cleaners smeel absolutly horrid. I have a type of glue that makes my eyes water just being around an opean tube, can't possibly be good for anyone.