mysterious marking on kaskara

tom hyle · 29th July 2011, 01:44 AM

a few points
First, 19th Solingen makers' marks in my experience were usually struck, not etched, with additional decorations further out the blade etched.
The lion seems etched, the other marks seem struck.
I don't know what is meant by the idea that this is wildly different from Solingen work; I don't see it.
I don't know what is meant that the blade is "bulbous"? Is this a cross sectional reference?
As to the blade with the inlays, if there are pits showing thru from under the inlay they could be from water (etc.) penetrating beneath an incompletely sealed-down inlay, but if the pits are older than the inlay, that means that the depression the inlay is in must have already been there, yes? In any event, this is actually rather difficult to see in the photo.
The perpendicular extensions from the guard are called lagnets (in French/English)
Certainly old European blades that are thin and soft enough (and many are) will vibrate as described. Burton (19th) recomended vibrating a sword in somewhat this manner (by striking the pommel though) to see the centers of vibration and of impact.
Understand that as has been stated European trade blades for these swords were not cast-offs of the European market, but deliberately produced for the African market.
Burton cracked that Solingen seemed determined to arm the entire continent with its steel.
The recieved idea that these were based on European medieval swords seems entirely specious; what I tend to refer to as a "collectors' tale". The people who weild these call themselves Arabs, and these seem clearly descended from and related to Arab swords, including the semi Turkish style guard (it is not hollow to form a ferule like real Turkish and Persian ones, and the upper lagnet is often/usually covered by a ferule or wrapping as seen on modern Arab sabres). Medieval Arab swords were usually straight and double edged.

29th July 2011, 01:44 AM	#22
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	a few points First, 19th Solingen makers' marks in my experience were usually struck, not etched, with additional decorations further out the blade etched. The lion seems etched, the other marks seem struck. I don't know what is meant by the idea that this is wildly different from Solingen work; I don't see it. I don't know what is meant that the blade is "bulbous"? Is this a cross sectional reference? As to the blade with the inlays, if there are pits showing thru from under the inlay they could be from water (etc.) penetrating beneath an incompletely sealed-down inlay, but if the pits are older than the inlay, that means that the depression the inlay is in must have already been there, yes? In any event, this is actually rather difficult to see in the photo. The perpendicular extensions from the guard are called lagnets (in French/English) Certainly old European blades that are thin and soft enough (and many are) will vibrate as described. Burton (19th) recomended vibrating a sword in somewhat this manner (by striking the pommel though) to see the centers of vibration and of impact. Understand that as has been stated European trade blades for these swords were not cast-offs of the European market, but deliberately produced for the African market. Burton cracked that Solingen seemed determined to arm the entire continent with its steel. The recieved idea that these were based on European medieval swords seems entirely specious; what I tend to refer to as a "collectors' tale". The people who weild these call themselves Arabs, and these seem clearly descended from and related to Arab swords, including the semi Turkish style guard (it is not hollow to form a ferule like real Turkish and Persian ones, and the upper lagnet is often/usually covered by a ferule or wrapping as seen on modern Arab sabres). Medieval Arab swords were usually straight and double edged.