Strange knife/axe from Congo

Flavio · 16th August 2006, 12:05 PM

Hello Congoblades, welcome to the forum!!! These are very strange!!! I never see somethings like these before!!!!!

katana · 16th August 2006, 01:09 PM

Hi Congoblades, very functional looking.......but I've never seen this design before.....congrats

Congoblades · 16th August 2006, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katana

Hi Congoblades, very functional looking.......but I've never seen this design before.....congrats

Thanks, very functional indeed... to crush some skulls...
I searched the web and some books for many hours, couldn'n find anything that looks close.

Freddy · 16th August 2006, 06:08 PM

Hi Congoblades, welcome to the forum. Where are you from ? Perhaps we already know each other.

I already saw a similar African weapon. It took some time to find it again, but look at this one :

http://www.mambele.be/knife_detail.p...=0500&rowno=88

That's the one, no ?

By the way, this is a very nice website if you're into African weapons.

Freddy

katana · 16th August 2006, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy

http://www.mambele.be/knife_detail.p...=0500&rowno=88

The knife is catergorised as a throwing knife.....to me....I would have thought that the handle would be unnecessary.....so perhaps wrongly described??

Also the 'arc' of the blade is 're-inforced' with a 'cross-piece', which suggests that it requires more strength, as would be needed in combat. I don't think a throwing knife would need the bracing.....unless it is to balance and aid the flight of the knife , if thrown.

Tim Simmons · 16th August 2006, 06:39 PM

What a super thing. You can see that it has been a struggle to mantain heat and make this weapon. I wish it were mine.

The Double D · 16th August 2006, 06:53 PM

Is the inside arc of the blade sharp?

Freddy · 16th August 2006, 06:59 PM

Not all weapons which are put in the category 'Throwing knife' are actual throwing knives. A lot of these weapons, especially those with wood or even ivory handles, evolved into status symbols.
They weren't actually used for throwing.

A real throwing knife will have a handle made of a material that can't be damaged when thrown, for example leather, hide or even cloth.

Here are two examples :

The first one is a typical Ngbaka/Ngombe throwing knife. This weapon is called : ZA.
The handle is made of animal skin (some of the hair is still there).

The other throwing knife is from the Zulgo tribe inb East-Sudan. It's handle is made of a piece of cloth tied to the metal with some cord.

Congoblades · 16th August 2006, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy

Hi Congoblades, welcome to the forum. Where are you from ? Perhaps we already know each other.

I'm from Erpe, don't think we know each other, there is an other collector in my neiberhood who you might know, J.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy

I already saw a similar African weapon. It took some time to find it again, but look at this one :

That's the one, no ?

By the way, this is a very nice website if you're into African weapons.

Freddy

Yep, that's the one, I visited this website also, I didn't see it

Thanks.

16th August 2006, 12:05 PM	#1
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello Congoblades, welcome to the forum!!! These are very strange!!! I never see somethings like these before!!!!!

16th August 2006, 01:09 PM	#2
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Hi Congoblades, very functional looking.......but I've never seen this design before.....congrats

16th August 2006, 06:08 PM	#4
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Hi Congoblades, welcome to the forum. Where are you from ? Perhaps we already know each other. I already saw a similar African weapon. It took some time to find it again, but look at this one : http://www.mambele.be/knife_detail.p...=0500&rowno=88 That's the one, no ? By the way, this is a very nice website if you're into African weapons. Freddy

16th August 2006, 06:39 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,875	What a super thing. You can see that it has been a struggle to mantain heat and make this weapon. I wish it were mine.

16th August 2006, 06:53 PM	#7
The Double D Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the banks of Cut Bank Creek, Montana Posts: 189	Is the inside arc of the blade sharp?

16th August 2006, 06:59 PM	#8
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Not all weapons which are put in the category 'Throwing knife' are actual throwing knives. A lot of these weapons, especially those with wood or even ivory handles, evolved into status symbols. They weren't actually used for throwing. A real throwing knife will have a handle made of a material that can't be damaged when thrown, for example leather, hide or even cloth. Here are two examples : The first one is a typical Ngbaka/Ngombe throwing knife. This weapon is called : ZA. The handle is made of animal skin (some of the hair is still there). The other throwing knife is from the Zulgo tribe inb East-Sudan. It's handle is made of a piece of cloth tied to the metal with some cord.