Plain Jane Yataghan Origin Requested

kronckew · 7th February 2021, 06:14 PM

Balkan karakulak yats are frequently fairly crude. They and many longer Bulgarian/Greek shepherds knives are made by local blacksmiths for less well off locals. most have integral bolsters, which the Turkish ones tend not to, having formed sheet metal, usually decorated or embeded with colored stones extending partway up the blade..Like yours (which has no stones).

Longer Balkan shepherds knives can look very yat-like.

In other words, without specific indicators, yours has mixed signals, Balkans Or Turkey sounds reasonable (or both).

p.s. - something simple, like a photo of the stitching on the scabbard may help too. Turks tended to use a sort of ladder with short horizontals wound with wire (example from a sabre below)

My Bulgarian (Balkan) Karaculak/shepherd's knife:

RobT · 7th February 2021, 07:38 PM

Kubur,
Thanks for the complement and possible origin. I cleaned up the blade a bit when I first got it but it does deserve some more work (including replacement of the missing back strap).

Athanase,
After I wrote about the thinness of your blade, I realized that I have a yataghan in my collection that has a very thin and flexible blade (only a hair over 1/8" [3.175mm]). Perhaps it and your blade are one of those shepherd karakulak that kronckew mentioned. If I had to do the amount of walking that a shepherd does, I would want the lightest blade that I could get that would still be effective. Also, I don't think leather sewn with copper wire is the type of thing that would be put on a souvenir. It sounds too serviceable.

kronckew,
Well, we have two votes for Balkans/Turkey so that is probably it.

I thank you guys for all your help. I will be posting some more puzzlers.
Sincerely,
RobT

7th February 2021, 06:14 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	Balkan karakulak yats are frequently fairly crude. They and many longer Bulgarian/Greek shepherds knives are made by local blacksmiths for less well off locals. most have integral bolsters, which the Turkish ones tend not to, having formed sheet metal, usually decorated or embeded with colored stones extending partway up the blade..Like yours (which has no stones). Longer Balkan shepherds knives can look very yat-like. In other words, without specific indicators, yours has mixed signals, Balkans Or Turkey sounds reasonable (or both). p.s. - something simple, like a photo of the stitching on the scabbard may help too. Turks tended to use a sort of ladder with short horizontals wound with wire (example from a sabre below) My Bulgarian (Balkan) Karaculak/shepherd's knife: Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 7th February 2021 at 07:18 PM.

7th February 2021, 07:38 PM	#2
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 536	Thanks For The Responses Kubur, Thanks for the complement and possible origin. I cleaned up the blade a bit when I first got it but it does deserve some more work (including replacement of the missing back strap). Athanase, After I wrote about the thinness of your blade, I realized that I have a yataghan in my collection that has a very thin and flexible blade (only a hair over 1/8" [3.175mm]). Perhaps it and your blade are one of those shepherd karakulak that kronckew mentioned. If I had to do the amount of walking that a shepherd does, I would want the lightest blade that I could get that would still be effective. Also, I don't think leather sewn with copper wire is the type of thing that would be put on a souvenir. It sounds too serviceable. kronckew, Well, we have two votes for Balkans/Turkey so that is probably it. I thank you guys for all your help. I will be posting some more puzzlers. Sincerely, RobT

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode