Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

VANDOO · 23rd January 2014, 07:02 PM

THERE ARE DAGGERS AND SWORDS MADE JUST FOR TOURISTS THAT THE LOCALS WOULD NEVER USE MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY ARE OVER PRICED FOR WHAT THEY ARE AND INPRACTAL. SOME MAY FOLLOW TRADITIONAL FORMS AND SOME MAY TRY TO LOOK MORE EXPENSIVE FOR SHOW. MOST WOULD NOT HOLD UP FOR EVERY DAY USE BUT COULD SERVE FOR DRESS ONLY. SOME MAY BE ACCEPTABLE FOR LOCAL USE AND OFFERED AT A MUCH LOWER PRICE TO LOCALS THAN TO TOURISTS. THAT KIND OF HEDGES THE SELLERS BETS IN CASE NO TOURISTS SHOW UP.
THE DAGGERS MADE FOR USE BY LOCALS WOULD COME IN MANY DIFFERENT GRADES. SOME WOULD BE A GOOD BLADE WITH VERY PLAIN FITTINGS LIKE A KITCHEN KNIFE OTHERS MIGHT FOLLOW TRADITIONAL FORMS.
IN AFRICA THERE ARE MANY BLADES MADE OF SOFT METAL THAT WILL BEND BUT CAN BE STRAIGHTENED. THESE ARE CHEAP AND SOME PREFER THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE EASY TO SHARPEN AND WILL BEND NOT BREAK. THEY DO WEAR DOWN SOONER BUT ARE INEXPENSIVE AND EASY TO REPLACE.
THE FITTINGS MAY BE CHEAP BUT MADE TO LOOK EXPENSIVE TO THE ONE BUYING THEM. GLASS STONES AND SHINEY BRASS MAY LOOK AS GOOD AS JEWELS AND GOLD TO SOME LOCAL BUYERS AND BE AS CLOSE AS THEY WILL EVER GET.

REPAIRS MADE ON THE DAGGERS AND THE WORN DOWN BLADES SHOW LOCAL USE AND THOUGH REPAIRS ARE OFTEN POORLY DONE IN THE SOUKS FOR LITTLE MONEY THEY ARE AUTHENTIC AND TYPICAL FOR THE CULTURE.

23rd January 2014, 07:02 PM	#11
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THERE ARE DAGGERS AND SWORDS MADE JUST FOR TOURISTS THAT THE LOCALS WOULD NEVER USE MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY ARE OVER PRICED FOR WHAT THEY ARE AND INPRACTAL. SOME MAY FOLLOW TRADITIONAL FORMS AND SOME MAY TRY TO LOOK MORE EXPENSIVE FOR SHOW. MOST WOULD NOT HOLD UP FOR EVERY DAY USE BUT COULD SERVE FOR DRESS ONLY. SOME MAY BE ACCEPTABLE FOR LOCAL USE AND OFFERED AT A MUCH LOWER PRICE TO LOCALS THAN TO TOURISTS. THAT KIND OF HEDGES THE SELLERS BETS IN CASE NO TOURISTS SHOW UP. THE DAGGERS MADE FOR USE BY LOCALS WOULD COME IN MANY DIFFERENT GRADES. SOME WOULD BE A GOOD BLADE WITH VERY PLAIN FITTINGS LIKE A KITCHEN KNIFE OTHERS MIGHT FOLLOW TRADITIONAL FORMS. IN AFRICA THERE ARE MANY BLADES MADE OF SOFT METAL THAT WILL BEND BUT CAN BE STRAIGHTENED. THESE ARE CHEAP AND SOME PREFER THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE EASY TO SHARPEN AND WILL BEND NOT BREAK. THEY DO WEAR DOWN SOONER BUT ARE INEXPENSIVE AND EASY TO REPLACE. THE FITTINGS MAY BE CHEAP BUT MADE TO LOOK EXPENSIVE TO THE ONE BUYING THEM. GLASS STONES AND SHINEY BRASS MAY LOOK AS GOOD AS JEWELS AND GOLD TO SOME LOCAL BUYERS AND BE AS CLOSE AS THEY WILL EVER GET. REPAIRS MADE ON THE DAGGERS AND THE WORN DOWN BLADES SHOW LOCAL USE AND THOUGH REPAIRS ARE OFTEN POORLY DONE IN THE SOUKS FOR LITTLE MONEY THEY ARE AUTHENTIC AND TYPICAL FOR THE CULTURE.