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Originally Posted by kronckew
the japanese believe that even the most simple objects are beautiful. they also often include a deliberate but not obvious flaw, as man is fallible, only god is perfect.
sheik zayed was obviously a man of taste and refinement who knew that garish ostentation was not the sign of a cultured man, let alone a good ruler, who should be a servant of his people.
i am more familiar with the saudi styles, having lived there for 10 years, which i have always disliked and never bought because of the ostentation of the tons of silver wirework (and cleaning them must be a big headache!). personally i always did and do prefer sharp functional 'users' (which can have some tasteful decorations) rather than useless bejewelled decorative boat anchors.
thus, i hope this beautiful reproduction also has a proper forged and razor sharp blade (wootz?)
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Salaams kronckew, Funnily enough cleaning khanjars is not as difficult as it seems ~ The quickest way is with a brass brush ! which sounds agressive but its not as the brass bristles which are softer than silver only takes away the silver oxidation and polishes the silver without a scratch.
The silversmith uses an enhanced method for example on stitched silver belts which are first cleaned in a solution called "sapun rita" (sapun means soap..see next para for how this is prepared) a smooth flat headed hammer is pressed firmly onto the silver decoration and pushed along the belt with moderate force...Burnished ... Cleaning the khanjar is a peculiar operation which sounds a bit majical ~
Sapun Rita is prepared by setting fire to a rita berry which when dropped into water disolves immediately forming a burnishing solution..into which the khanjar is dipped then brushed vigourously and given the mallet press treatment as above. It is a long lasting polish technique suited to filigree and needleworked silver stitching on Khanjar scabbard and belt.
Khanjar Blades (Naslah). On the subject of Wootz or Johar blades though a few may exist Omani and UAE Khanjars don't use such steel. Sheikh Zayeds Khanjar was, thus, not Wootz... but razor sharp on both inner and outer edges.
Regards Ibrahiim al Balooshi.