Ngombe execution knife

Pieje · 5th August 2013, 03:22 PM

The Africans kept their weapons very clean, this can be seen on original pictures. Many have beautiful engraving. Why let these engraving covered by that black “patina” making them often hardly visible. (Not to confuse with the blackened part on the blade of some swords, Kuba etc) The many copper wire and nails used on the hilt would be useless if not kept clean.

I noticed that swords brought back from Belgian Congo in e.g. the first part of the 20th C. don’t have that black “patina”. The active usage of these weapons at that time probably made it impossible to acquire such patina. Apart of removing the active rust, those don’t need any further treatment. It is a real pleasure to clean these weapons.
However, those that stayed in Africa for dozens of years, unused, stored in that harsh climate, only those show such black blade. And cleaning could take some time as noted Sajen.
In my opinion, if you like to have your weapons as they were at the time they were used, you should clean the blade. “Showing their age” is just showing what they look like if being unused for many dozens of years. But that’s not the African way of preserving their weaponry. Only my opinion.

Sajen · 5th August 2013, 04:00 PM

Agree complete with you. There may be examples where it is difficult to find the correct way (for example the first one in post #13) but by my one I think it will be no other choice to spend some more hours for the back side!

VANDOO · 15th August 2013, 06:08 PM

I AM NOT SURE IF THESE ALL FIT INTO THIS CATEGORY OR TRIBE BUT ARE SIMULAR IN FORM. I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED THE DOUBLE BLADE TIP FORMS AND WILL ADD SOME PICTURES I HAVE ON HAND. PERHAPS SOMEONE WITH THE KNOWLEGE CAN CLASSIFY THEM AS TO TRIBE AND NAMES IF THEY WISH.

eric45 · 16th August 2013, 04:16 AM

very nice.

VANDOO · 16th August 2013, 06:02 PM

THE LAST PICTURE ABOVE IS SAID TO BE JEMONGO, NGATA I AM NOT SURE IF THATS THE TRIBES OR WHAT. HERE ARE 2 MORE PICTURES OF IT ONE SHOWING THE UNUSUAL POMMEL GRIP. OLD OR MORE RECENT WORK I DON'T KNOW BUT I LIKED IT AND THOUGHT THE PRICE WAS RIGHT.

15th August 2013, 06:08 PM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I AM NOT SURE IF THESE ALL FIT INTO THIS CATEGORY OR TRIBE BUT ARE SIMULAR IN FORM. I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED THE DOUBLE BLADE TIP FORMS AND WILL ADD SOME PICTURES I HAVE ON HAND. PERHAPS SOMEONE WITH THE KNOWLEGE CAN CLASSIFY THEM AS TO TRIBE AND NAMES IF THEY WISH. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 15th August 2013 at 06:41 PM.

16th August 2013, 06:02 PM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE LAST PICTURE ABOVE IS SAID TO BE JEMONGO, NGATA I AM NOT SURE IF THATS THE TRIBES OR WHAT. HERE ARE 2 MORE PICTURES OF IT ONE SHOWING THE UNUSUAL POMMEL GRIP. OLD OR MORE RECENT WORK I DON'T KNOW BUT I LIKED IT AND THOUGHT THE PRICE WAS RIGHT. Attached Images

5th August 2013, 03:22 PM	#1
Pieje Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Belgium Posts: 132	The Africans kept their weapons very clean, this can be seen on original pictures. Many have beautiful engraving. Why let these engraving covered by that black “patina” making them often hardly visible. (Not to confuse with the blackened part on the blade of some swords, Kuba etc) The many copper wire and nails used on the hilt would be useless if not kept clean. I noticed that swords brought back from Belgian Congo in e.g. the first part of the 20th C. don’t have that black “patina”. The active usage of these weapons at that time probably made it impossible to acquire such patina. Apart of removing the active rust, those don’t need any further treatment. It is a real pleasure to clean these weapons. However, those that stayed in Africa for dozens of years, unused, stored in that harsh climate, only those show such black blade. And cleaning could take some time as noted Sajen. In my opinion, if you like to have your weapons as they were at the time they were used, you should clean the blade. “Showing their age” is just showing what they look like if being unused for many dozens of years. But that’s not the African way of preserving their weaponry. Only my opinion.

5th August 2013, 04:00 PM	#2
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,269	Agree complete with you. There may be examples where it is difficult to find the correct way (for example the first one in post #13) but by my one I think it will be no other choice to spend some more hours for the back side!

16th August 2013, 04:16 AM	#4
eric45 Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: usa Posts: 32	very nice.