Yatagan blade, any info welcome.

[C4RL]

Hello All, this is my first post seeking information from the knowledgeable folks on here. 👍
This is a Yatagan blade (that much I know!) that I pulled out of a house clearance trash bin many years ago. It was a lump of rust with the remainder of a horn handle in a terrible split & hairy state pushed off the blade with rust.

There was a brass embossed typical triangle on one side & the frayed remains of some fine brass wire, knowing nothing at the time (20 years ago) I sanded it by hand & presumed it was carbon steel, & made the oak handle you now see.

Roll on another 15 years or so & I read something that made me wonder if it might be pattern welded, a quick try with Ferric Cloride looked promising so after a few ferric & vinegar soaks in a bent pvc pipe this is where I am.

Please forgive the handle, but to be honest the original was ruined & if I hadn’t picked it up it would be in a land fill now!
Any info welcome.

Thanks.

[Ian]

Hi Carl,

The central pattern on your blade resembles "Turkish ribbon," which has been discussed elsewhere on the Ethnographic Forum. Your pictures are very large. I will resize them. Perhaps you could post smaller ones next time so that they will fit on a single screen rather than having to scroll across. The recommended file sizes are listed in the "Manage Attachments" section of the Thread Post page.

This looks like a very good save. Nice old blade. BTW, I think the handle looks fine and appropriate for an old garbage bin find.

Ian

[C4RL]

Thank's for your reply Ian, and sorry about the large images, I made the mistake of linking them which I realised afterwards isn't appropriate! Sorry.

I shall have a search for "Turkish ribbon". Thank you.

[Battara]

Oh this Turkish blade is wonderful. The only addition I would make is that this could come from Turkey proper.

[C4RL]

Thank you Battara.

After reading up on Turkish ribbon I have a question, I understand the stacking of the twisted bars & my blade has four quite distinct ones along the centre, but what is the composition of the bars that make the cutting edge & spine?

Having looked at other blades of similar construction the spine & edge bars look much plainer, am I correct in assuming this is welded up from the same steel/iron as the pattern bars but a much finer "mix"?

Because my blade was so rusty & required a lot of etching I'm guessing it's this that is showing as fine mix of random & some straighter lines?

[Battara]

I would say yes to your question. In fact, it makes sense that it would be more horizontal laminations for stiffness and hardened steel (not iron).

[C4RL]

Originally Posted by Battara

I would say yes to your question. In fact, it makes sense that it would be more horizontal laminations for stiffness and hardened steel (not iron).

Thank you.