Kattara restoration

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

I have seen cross hilted straight blades which are stiff and inflexible masquerading as dancing blades but which were imported via Yemen from Ethiopia, originally imported from Germany...and given the cross hilt treatment in Muscat for the tourist market...proliffic since 1970.

Thus the importance of the flexibility indicator question.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Don't take this statement as absolute though as the strong bladed types from antiquity exist and are not masquerading as dance swords, they are what they are, strong fighting swords.
But beware, there are rubbish types with poor looks and ugly handles seen in the tourist dens that carry old blades. it is important to be able to distinguish the types.

Gavin

Gavin