ps. About the two pins, or one pin. I think that the original and ancient way, was probably with one pin, and wires. But its also as old as this one, that have only two pins, and even no wire (and I'm not talking about those long "saharian" models, as de marvelous one of Théodore (I'll probably ask you for pictures soon .. haha) or yours, but "real" small bousaadis (cf picture). A very close model as mine is displayed at Quai Branly museum (paris), and pretended to be owned it Oran, so very far from Bousaada. Just to remind that if we all call them "bousaadi", here, and in algeria, those knives where actually made in an area bigger that Austria (between Bousaada, Batna, Biskra, and even more in the south). So there is probably more than only one way, that had probably been lost during last centuries. Same for those tin soldering points on the wire, on some models. I think that this process is quite recent (probably colonisation era) to avoid the wire from mooving.
And even for bousaada models, you have some variations, some longs ones to slaughter, some smaller ones as EDC, some thinner ones for skinning or shaving, etc.. Those last ones, are between a rasor and a knife, and have sometimes a shape closer to kabyle rasors, but with horn handles.
Some pictures... Please dont share outside the forum for the moment..
First is my "bousaadi" without wire, quite old model. Those shapes are not very common.
Just after an exemple from the museum, you fan find it by tiping the inventory number in the collection website museum.
Then one of my "bousaada rasors".. actually between knives and rasors, used more for skinning animals, or shaving humans.
Remember that almost all bousaadi was used for that, especially head en beard shaving. Lot of them where find with a little miror attached to them.
Last edited by fennec; 31st August 2025 at 05:09 AM.
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