Sharing a Yemeni Janbiya

[A.alnakkas]

hello Gents,

this is the latest item in my humble collection. A Yemeni Janbiya with inscription on leather that says "Ya Mahbuba" which means : "O beloved" in english. The hilt is horn with Silver? straps. the best thing about this janbiya is the quality of the blade, was surprised to see a decent quality blade on it.

http://[IMG]http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r73/emperor_q8/Picture710.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r73/emperor_q8/Picture706.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r73/emperor_q8/Picture712.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r73/emperor_q8/Picture709.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r73/emperor_q8/Picture708.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r73/emperor_q8/Picture707.jpg

sorry about the poor pictures and cant seem to get them uploaded as attachment.

A.Alnakkas

[TVV]

Nice jambiya. The hilt appears to be of rhino horn, but I am curious about the blade - was it made from an old file, or was the cross-hatching at the base applied later?

Regards,
Teodor

[Atlantia]

Nice jambiya. The hilt appears to be of rhino horn, but I am curious about the blade - was it made from an old file, or was the cross-hatching at the base applied later?

Regards,
Teodor

LOL, If I could just echo every word from Teodor.
Exactly my thoughts.
Looks as though the pattern was added to give the impression of a reused file?

[A.alnakkas]

hm, can you tell me how a file blade is made? all i know is that they are used for janbiyas and daggers from yemen to syria.

i have a small shibriya with a file blade but its different from this janbiya.

also about that pattern, i seen it more then once on janbiyas.

[Atlantia]

hm, can you tell me how a file blade is made? all i know is that they are used for janbiyas and daggers from yemen to syria.

i have a small shibriya with a file blade but its different from this janbiya.

also about that pattern, i seen it more then once on janbiyas.


When an old file is reused for a dagger blade, the teeth of the file are ground off, but the impression often remains in a pattern of scored lines.
Like the crosshatching on your Jambiya.
As file steel tended to be good, it was regularly used pre-ww2 for this sort of thing, I guess its possible that the pattern on yours is meant to show at a glance that it's a good blade?

I know that file blades were used into the 50s regularly, but I think easier sources were becoming common by then.

[Lew]

It's not made from a file I have a few with the same markings. The file work could help create more friction with the scabbard or it is just for decoration?

[kahnjar1]

hm, can you tell me how a file blade is made? all i know is that they are used for janbiyas and daggers from yemen to syria.

i have a small shibriya with a file blade but its different from this janbiya.

also about that pattern, i seen it more then once on janbiyas.

I have also seen this marking on Jambiya blades. Not a file in my opinion.
Nice piece by the way :)
Regards Stuart

[A.alnakkas]

thanks all :) becoming a Janbiya addict here.. hehe.