Tweezers on a sword scabbard

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Iliad

Good morning/evening to all,
The entire membership of my fan club (both of you) will be pleased to see another posting from me. This time, pics of a sword with tweezers attached to the scabbard. I have not seen this before, but then I am a relative newcomer to collecting edged weapons. Such a thing may be commonplace. Someone will tell me if common or unusual. Also, note the thin leather strap to hold the sword in the scabbard; I have never seen this before.
Best to all,
Brian

Salaams Iliad ~ I can't believe it. They just cannot be tweezers. It has to be a weapon.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Atlantia]

Not to mention useful for in the field stamp collecting!

[Lew]

The tweezers could be for removing splinters or thorns on himself or his horse. Many kukri come with tools and I have seen a few arm daggers that've have canvas sewing needles in them. Nice find .

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Iliad ~ I can't believe it. They just cannot be tweezers. It has to be a weapon.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Why not?? The Khanjar/Jambiya have tools attached...........and in fact tweezers are often one of the items..............

[spiral]

Tweezers have many uses, but the nationalities that are fairly naked when it comes to body hair have a tendency to use tweezers to pluck any such offending hairs that appear out.

Weve all seen them with kukri, {Some provenenced examples Dating as early as C.1815}

And Ive also often seen them attachted to Pia Katta & even a katar on one occasian,

Spiral

[eftihis]

Hello,
I doubt that the twezzers have anything to do with personal grooming...
I think that have the same use as the twezzers on cretan knifes, that is to enable someone to pick a burning charcoal from the fire, and put it on his pipe or on the nargile to start smoking.

[RDGAC]

Afternoon Brian, handsome thing you have there! Happened to glance in and just thought I'd contribute re: the leather strap: while reading the late Richard Holmes' excellent Sahib, which (unsurprisingly) is all about the British Raj and its armies. He notes that, during the Mutiny, several British officers and soldiers observed the Indians using straps, or ribbons, to hold their swords in the scabbard, presumably because the scabbard was kept loose. They apparently weren't impressed by the British habit of having tight, metal scabbards that blunted their swords thanks to repeated drawing and sheathing.

He also quotes one bloke who felled an Indian, and remarked that he had opportunity to only because the Indian, a little distracted in the heat of battle, had forgotten about this small strap, and couldn't extract his tulwar from its scabbard, however hard he yanked. Fortunately for the author, he had no such encumbrances.

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Afternoon Brian, handsome thing you have there! Happened to glance in and just thought I'd contribute re: the leather strap: while reading the late Richard Holmes' excellent Sahib, which (unsurprisingly) is all about the British Raj and its armies. He notes that, during the Mutiny, several British officers and soldiers observed the Indians using straps, or ribbons, to hold their swords in the scabbard, presumably because the scabbard was kept loose. They apparently weren't impressed by the British habit of having tight, metal scabbards that blunted their swords thanks to repeated drawing and sheathing.

He also quotes one bloke who felled an Indian, and remarked that he had opportunity to only because the Indian, a little distracted in the heat of battle, had forgotten about this small strap, and couldn't extract his tulwar from its scabbard, however hard he yanked. Fortunately for the author, he had no such encumbrances.

A very interesting passage.

My opinion in this instance clearly differs though. The fabric wrapped around the hilt is part of the decoration of the scabbard that has come adrift as can be seen in the images of where it once was attached. By default and chance it now sits around the hilt.
I for one have not ever seen this leather strap noted in this passage, perhaps one of the more learned Indian scholars such as Jens can provide visual evidence of this.

The sabre as a whole is a wonderful piece to study and appears to have by design some good age to it.
The tweezers are a ponderous twist too! I like the design with the locking slide.

Thanks for sharing

Gav

[RDGAC]

Originally Posted by freebooter

A very interesting passage.

My opinion in this instance clearly differs though. The fabric wrapped around the hilt is part of the decoration of the scabbard that has come adrift as can be seen in the images of where it once was attached. By default and chance it now sits around the hilt.
I for one have not ever seen this leather strap noted in this passage, perhaps one of the more learned Indian scholars such as Jens can provide visual evidence of this.

The sabre as a whole is a wonderful piece to study and appears to have by design some good age to it.
The tweezers are a ponderous twist too! I like the design with the locking slide.

Thanks for sharing

Gav

D'oh! I really should have paid closer attention - thanks Gav! I'll endeavour to find the reference for that above statement, mind.

- Meredydd (Who always forgets there's no automatic signature here.)