Dahomey cutlass ?

[Tim Simmons]

I can see no reason why it is not West African. The only thing remotely Asian is the shark skin to me. The handle of mine did at one time have a brass wire running in the groove spiraling around the handle , you can see in the picture where the remains of this wire is. I did believe this was Dahomey but I have reason to believe it is from else where perhaps Ivory Coast. The projections /guard I have seen on another members African knife but sadly this knife has not been shown again and was not uploaded using this web site system.

I would not hold much store in the fact that you cannot find a picture of the very same example.

These pictures are from- C. Spring African Arms & Armour - always a pretty good starting point. As you can see these thing varry slightly. Also my Gubasa which is from Dahomy. This has an edge, the concave curve, but realisticly no way a fighting weapon.

Most of all I think you have a really super thing.