Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - The “ regulation Khyber Knife” in the Afghani Army at end of the 19th

Richard G · 28th August 2013, 02:05 PM

Thank you Mahratt and Jim,
I agree, as no examples of the short sabre have surfaced that can definitely be attributed to jurisdictions other than Afghanistan, it seems sensible to regard them all as Afghan; and as Mahratt postulates, derived from the Khyber knife.
However I have another question. Who were these issued to? They are obviously too short for cavalry and presumably already obsolete for regular infantry use by the end of the 19th century. In Europe or India it would be assumed they were for artillery or police or similar paramilitaries that used a cutlass rather than a sword.
Regards
Richard

28th August 2013, 02:05 PM	#28
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 402	Thank you Mahratt and Jim, I agree, as no examples of the short sabre have surfaced that can definitely be attributed to jurisdictions other than Afghanistan, it seems sensible to regard them all as Afghan; and as Mahratt postulates, derived from the Khyber knife. However I have another question. Who were these issued to? They are obviously too short for cavalry and presumably already obsolete for regular infantry use by the end of the 19th century. In Europe or India it would be assumed they were for artillery or police or similar paramilitaries that used a cutlass rather than a sword. Regards Richard