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Old 30th November 2016, 11:37 PM   #10
Jim McDougall
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While it seems clear that the hilts on these examples are canted or angled as a result of poor construction or repair or other misfortune, I wanted to add more to instances of weapons with deliberately inclined hilts.

What I was thinking of are the so called 'Mingrelian' skirted sabres from western Georgia, apparently properly termed 'kanianikhmali' (=skirted sabre). The skirted feature of the scabbard on these is cause for notable attention, but more so is the clearly deliberate angle of the hilt.
These features were addressed by Eduard von Lenz in his article "Einesabel Studie' (ZWHK, 1912), and in much later years by Emma Astvatsaturjian (1995).

In many cases these swords were dismissed as simply parade or ceremonial due to the curiously canted hilt, thought impractical for actual combat.
In more detailed study the examples of deliberately angled hilts which were favored for use are noted as used in Siberia, Asia and China until relatively recent times. Hungarian swords of 8-10th centuries with such hilts are well known as well as that of Charlemagne (9th c)

In the brilliant article " Swords and Sabres of Western Georgia with Inclined Hilts Without Crossguards" (2015, Vakhtang Kiziria and Irakly Bukradze)
it is noted from von Lenz that the obtuse angle of the hilt actually increases impact with no loss of strength on pull in cut......as applied to cavalry sabres. This same dynamic seems to have been in mind with various Tatar sabres.

With Qama and these daggers, it would seem that such a feature would be less relevant, but to a cavalry sabre, it does seem that these angled hilts did have a purpose.

Just added this as a point of reference re: angled hilts.
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