Long Khodmi for discussion

[kronckew]

Added a long khodmi & wood scabbard to my collection, should be arriving in the next few days. Approx.40 cm overall. Will post better dimensions, etc. when it arrives.


Crude wire wrap on ends, middle of scabbard, I'm guessing to hold two halves together and hopefully can be removed & scabbard re-glued together.



Haven't seen one this long until this one. Any info appreciated. (age, etc.?)


Thanks in advance.

[Bob A]

It doesn't seem to have much, if any, handling wear. The twisted wire holding the sheath together doesn't seem to have caught on its owner's clothing or skin - it would likely have had its position modified if used. Can't tell if there's been any sharpening of the blade.

I hesitate to consider it an item made for non-utilitarian purposes, but it seems that it hasn't received much use. Your in-hand evaluation will carry more authority than my examination of a few pictures.

[Tim Simmons]

Looks nice.

[fennec]

Hi mates.
Yep this is a beautifull khodmi knife. Acrtually khodmi only mean "knife" in algerian, so you can have a lot of lenght for them... those kinds are usually called "khodmi ta3 dbih", as a "sloughtering knife", when the smallest ones are sometimes called "khodmi ta3 slikh" (knife for skinning). But those are all actually just different models of a same craftsmanship.
Know the mount.. actually most of khodmi with a full wooden scabbard like this one are mostly decoratif, or late made for tourist (that dont necessary mean that the blade is weak.. because this one have a forged bolster, when decorative ones are usually just a shaped/cut steel bar, without that thick bolster, typical from bousaadis knives). We also dont have here a classic/fonctionnal handle, with that typical hole in it, but a more decorative one, with an unsual wire on the pommel, that is also generally made for decorativ models.
However, the blade itself looks good, has true decorations, typical "cold hammering" of the cutting edge, etc.. so it depend on the price the seller is asking... its still a beautifull object, and no more made since a half century..