Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

delor · 28th December 2011, 03:27 PM

Alex,
you are right to point out these two issues, and this is the exact difference between custom job and historical accuracy.

The fittings had to be casted, because it was the client request to get the same aspect as the one you will find with most of the modern sword / sabers. The design was taken from antique yataghans, so the global shape and general design are the same, but - as you precisely said - the object completely differs from the genuine model because the technic is not the same (this I would like to discuss later).

The scabbard design has also been a difficult issue to me. Because of the overall bending of the blade I had to make it quite large, and it makes it look something like a black sea yataghan scabbard. Of course I have noticed that genuine scabbards are usually narrower. This makes no problem when the yataghan has a straight blade, but when it has a more bended blade, I don't see how it's possible. Would there possibly be a split at the aperture, just like some others sabers ? I never saw this on a yataghan scabbard, but couldn't examine much anyway... so if you have any clues or explanations on this issue, I would greatly appreciate !

Some words about the historical accuracy and the use of one technic or another. My opinion is that the only way to reach (or should I say try to reach) historical accuracy, is to keep on using the exact same technics as those ancient craftsmen used to. Only then, with the same tools, and trying to reach the same skill, sometimes you see that the result is going to be OK, and you start feeling you're walking the same path the ancestors did.
At the opposite, using different technics will bring you to some different point which might sometimes be close to the genuine object. But always the "flavour" will be different, and an experienced eye will always notice the differences.

Thank you very much for your critical review. This is exactly what I was looking for by posting in this forum. I hope you will be so kind to answer my questions about the scabbard design, if you can help...
... and I also hope that I will have the opportunity to show you some more historically accurate work in the coming monthes (by the way, I might have two commissions planned for 2012 : a shaska and a kindjal, with chiseled / embossing traditional work on both of them).

Kind regards,
Bernard

PS : I apologize for my english speaking which might look a bit "frenchy". Hope it remains understandable...at least !

28th December 2011, 03:27 PM	#15
delor Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Marseille - France Posts: 73	Alex, you are right to point out these two issues, and this is the exact difference between custom job and historical accuracy. The fittings had to be casted, because it was the client request to get the same aspect as the one you will find with most of the modern sword / sabers. The design was taken from antique yataghans, so the global shape and general design are the same, but - as you precisely said - the object completely differs from the genuine model because the technic is not the same (this I would like to discuss later). The scabbard design has also been a difficult issue to me. Because of the overall bending of the blade I had to make it quite large, and it makes it look something like a black sea yataghan scabbard. Of course I have noticed that genuine scabbards are usually narrower. This makes no problem when the yataghan has a straight blade, but when it has a more bended blade, I don't see how it's possible. Would there possibly be a split at the aperture, just like some others sabers ? I never saw this on a yataghan scabbard, but couldn't examine much anyway... so if you have any clues or explanations on this issue, I would greatly appreciate ! Some words about the historical accuracy and the use of one technic or another. My opinion is that the only way to reach (or should I say try to reach) historical accuracy, is to keep on using the exact same technics as those ancient craftsmen used to. Only then, with the same tools, and trying to reach the same skill, sometimes you see that the result is going to be OK, and you start feeling you're walking the same path the ancestors did. At the opposite, using different technics will bring you to some different point which might sometimes be close to the genuine object. But always the "flavour" will be different, and an experienced eye will always notice the differences. Thank you very much for your critical review. This is exactly what I was looking for by posting in this forum. I hope you will be so kind to answer my questions about the scabbard design, if you can help... ... and I also hope that I will have the opportunity to show you some more historically accurate work in the coming monthes (by the way, I might have two commissions planned for 2012 : a shaska and a kindjal, with chiseled / embossing traditional work on both of them). Kind regards, Bernard PS : I apologize for my english speaking which might look a bit "frenchy". Hope it remains understandable...at least !