Help to identify this African(?) knife

Helleri · 20th August 2017, 12:20 AM

I believe the hilt and scabbard work is done in nickle-silver. True silver tends to tarnish with a much wider range of hues (dependent on chemical exposure over time and alloying). Whereas this only seems to have a black tarnish (suggests high nickle content). This also presents in sheen as mild yellow-green (that's your copper and tin displaying a bit).

To be clear Nickle-silver contains no actual silver (usually). It is a white brass that mimics the appearance of silver to some degree. It's actually a superior and very common material worldwide for this sort of highly detailed work.

Question: Does the metal have an acrid/sour/spicy odor?

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20th August 2017, 12:20 AM	#15
Helleri Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chino, CA. Posts: 219	I believe the hilt and scabbard work is done in nickle-silver. True silver tends to tarnish with a much wider range of hues (dependent on chemical exposure over time and alloying). Whereas this only seems to have a black tarnish (suggests high nickle content). This also presents in sheen as mild yellow-green (that's your copper and tin displaying a bit). To be clear Nickle-silver contains no actual silver (usually). It is a white brass that mimics the appearance of silver to some degree. It's actually a superior and very common material worldwide for this sort of highly detailed work. Question: Does the metal have an acrid/sour/spicy odor?