silver mounted file knife

[Oriental-Arms]

Pease have a look at this set:





The Jambiya dagger in this set is most surely Arab, so will be the Shafra. (For a similar set see also Tirri p 95, Fig 56).

Years ago I had a long discussion with John Powell regarding the origin of this knife. He had a similar knife in his collection and supported the Nepali origin. Unfortunately we never agreed. Yet, after all I do believe in the Arab origin

[Berkley]

When I originally posted this I asked John Powell for his thoughts about it, and he replied as follows:

I never did get to the bottom of this, but Artzi and I had many discussions about these side knives. While they appear with or connected to some Omani pieces there are many with Indian/Nepali markings. Trade items? Who knows, but I would disregard Egerton and stick with the mid-east for origin.

Stuart's illustration from Elgood is convincing as far as I am concerned also.

[kahnjar1]

Now that it has arrived I will post further on this particular knife when I get some pics. In my opinion it is NOT a back knife for any Jambiya/Khanjar as it is just too big. Berk---you have email coming, and Artzi ---That is a REAL NICE pair of knives whatever they are called.
Regards Stuart

[kahnjar1]

OK here we go............. I am probably going to raise some healthy discussion with what follows, and hope I do.
I am of the opinion that we are all calling different varieties of knife SHAFRA as it would appear that the various Arab Tribes called different knives by the same names depending on their particular geographic tribal location.
Hence the item shown by Artzi is a SHAFRA, and is a double edged dagger. The item shown in Egertons sketchs above is also called a SHAFRA, but appears to be single edged. The back knife found with Khanjar/Jambiya is also known as SHAFRA and is single edged, but with a straight blade, rather than "hooked". Also the back knives are smaller/shorter than the "dagger" variety, and are likely used as utility knives. ALL back knife scabbards I have seen attached to Khanjar scabbards are a folded piece of leather, laced along the curved bottom edge, suggesting a straight single edged blade.
The item which started this thread off, and has since been identified (probably) as a Khusa, also has a scabbard of the above type, but is far too big to ever have been a back knife. The whole measures 13'' and has a blade of 8". It is a VERY similar item to the Al Mahri Khanjar which has a handle of the same length, but a blade of 12". Both are single edged and the internal edge is the sharp one. I have one Khanjar with its back knife present, and this knife is 9 1/2" overall with a blade of 5 1/2".
Some pics herewith.
Regards Stuart

[kahnjar1]

Bump

[Kubur]

It was decided by the forum members (and I approved too) that these knives were Shafra or Kusha... and Cameron and the MET were idiots...
Then can you explain this knife?
And please "no dance" on trade routes between Yemen, Tibet and Nepal... The silver chain is typical from kukris...
and then I think we have two kind of knives very similar but from different origins... A good example of what was decided was wrong but also a good example that research is not concluding... This stament applies to me too

[TVV]

Kubur, I believe the knife you posted has obvious differences in decoration, construction, suspension and even blade shape from the one that started the thread. It is like posting a khukri in a thread on Bulgarian shepherd's knives. I am really not sure what you are trying to accomplish here.

Teodor