My first Omani Khanjar

blue lander · 9th July 2014, 09:05 PM

This guy just arrived in the mail. I've given it a scrubbing with tooth paste and a tooth brush, I'll try to clean it a bit more.

Any idea what the loops on the back of the scabbard are for?

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 10th July 2014, 07:56 PM

Yes its how they attach such weapons as these to the belt. Your dagger is from the Asir... It looks old enough... perhaps before the region was encapsulated into KSA from the Yemen in about 1923...The floral decoration is likely to be flower tribe inspired. In Oman these are called Habaabi... from Abha the capital of that region...For this variant the Royal Omani Khanjar is in the frame...
Good luck with the cleanup...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

blue lander · 10th July 2014, 08:29 PM

I thought the rings on the side were for attaching to the belt, but it makes sense they're attached on the back as well.

I'm so excited to hear this khanjar might be approaching the 100 year mark. From reading your definitive khanjar thread I gather khanjars older than 50 or 60 years are not that common.

This floral tribe, is it the Zahran tribe?

kahnjar1 · 11th July 2014, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue lander

I thought the rings on the side were for attaching to the belt, but it makes sense they're attached on the back as well.

I'm so excited to hear this khanjar might be approaching the 100 year mark. From reading your definitive khanjar thread I gather khanjars older than 50 or 60 years are not that common.

This floral tribe, is it the Zahran tribe?

The Zahran Tribe inhabits the region in the north of the Asir Plateau. The tribe located nearest to Abha is the Bani Mughaid (source Flowered Men and the Green Slopes of Arabia by Thierry Mauger)

Don't get too excited about the age of your Jambiya. Suggest that you present the piece to someone who can appraise it first hand. Don't forget that something made in 1950s(relatively recently) is still 64 years old today.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 12th July 2014, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue lander

I thought the rings on the side were for attaching to the belt, but it makes sense they're attached on the back as well.

I'm so excited to hear this khanjar might be approaching the 100 year mark. From reading your definitive khanjar thread I gather khanjars older than 50 or 60 years are not that common.

This floral tribe, is it the Zahran tribe?

In mentioning the 1920 s as the date of KSA inclusion I hope I did not indicate 100 years old or near... They have been making them in the same region up until now... Looking at the wear I would be happy with 30 years or something like that and some severe damage to the hilt ...maybe it got squashed ... Nothing wrong with 30 years ...Its old enough... Once you have repaired the hilt it will be fine.

blue lander · 21st July 2014, 08:21 PM

I don't think I can repair the hilt. It looks like it was crushed or perhaps twisted apart. Rather than putting the hilt together and repairing it, they just filled the cracks with what appears to be bondo. So the hilt can't be twisted back into shape or sealed back up unless I were to drill out the bondo. I'll leave it as is for the time being, it feels sturdier than it looks.

On a lighter note, I let my two year old inspect the khanjar scabbard (without the blade of course). She looked it over carefully, poked at it a few times and declared it to be a horn. She then repeated "horn" about 100 times, which she does when she's particularly sure of herself. So in her expert opinion, the khanjar's shape is definitely supposed to be an animal horn.

ward · 22nd July 2014, 05:17 PM

Best way to clean is old toothbrush dipped in straight ammonia and a lot of elbow grease. Rinse out your brush afterwards and repeat process with warm water, dry it with old towel. Material inside the grip is borax, you can glue down the silver with dabs of epoxy. But don't get hot water near it.

9th July 2014, 09:05 PM	#1
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	This guy just arrived in the mail. I've given it a scrubbing with tooth paste and a tooth brush, I'll try to clean it a bit more. Any idea what the loops on the back of the scabbard are for? Attached Images

10th July 2014, 07:56 PM	#2
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Yes its how they attach such weapons as these to the belt. Your dagger is from the Asir... It looks old enough... perhaps before the region was encapsulated into KSA from the Yemen in about 1923...The floral decoration is likely to be flower tribe inspired. In Oman these are called Habaabi... from Abha the capital of that region...For this variant the Royal Omani Khanjar is in the frame... Good luck with the cleanup... Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

10th July 2014, 08:29 PM	#3
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	I thought the rings on the side were for attaching to the belt, but it makes sense they're attached on the back as well. I'm so excited to hear this khanjar might be approaching the 100 year mark. From reading your definitive khanjar thread I gather khanjars older than 50 or 60 years are not that common. This floral tribe, is it the Zahran tribe?

21st July 2014, 08:21 PM	#6
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	I don't think I can repair the hilt. It looks like it was crushed or perhaps twisted apart. Rather than putting the hilt together and repairing it, they just filled the cracks with what appears to be bondo. So the hilt can't be twisted back into shape or sealed back up unless I were to drill out the bondo. I'll leave it as is for the time being, it feels sturdier than it looks. On a lighter note, I let my two year old inspect the khanjar scabbard (without the blade of course). She looked it over carefully, poked at it a few times and declared it to be a horn. She then repeated "horn" about 100 times, which she does when she's particularly sure of herself. So in her expert opinion, the khanjar's shape is definitely supposed to be an animal horn.

22nd July 2014, 05:17 PM	#7
ward Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 637	Best way to clean is old toothbrush dipped in straight ammonia and a lot of elbow grease. Rinse out your brush afterwards and repeat process with warm water, dry it with old towel. Material inside the grip is borax, you can glue down the silver with dabs of epoxy. But don't get hot water near it.