Congo/Gabon/W African dance axe?

Tim Simmons · 9th January 2008, 05:26 PM

I have had this for a few days now but I have not been able to catch day light for pictures. It is not really an axe, more a long handled knife. The blade is well made light and sharp enough to shave with. In general it is dainty , fine and has been used. I cannot explain more without the use of pictures. I think it is East African, somewhere?

Tim Simmons · 10th January 2008, 08:36 PM

Here are some more pictures. This is not an axe but you can chop with it as you can see when looking at the use on the blade. I feel it is a knife with a long handle which seems to me that it could be held in three positions. Griped around the part near the blade, griped around the middle using the projection by the thumb as support and finally at the far end with the projection as a stop at the palm of the hand.

Is it a weapon? well there is some reach to slash with as well as slashing close in. The blade is razor sharp, a rub on a strop and you could shave with it as I mentioned before. How big does a blade have to be to slice up a half naked opponent. It is a fine piece of steel. I cannot say it is hollow ground to each side in the standard way but when passed through the thumb and fore fingers you can feel that the blade has concave sides. The wood and carving and fine shaving marks are identical to the South Sudan club. So I suspect it is from eastern region and not the elusive Dahomey amazons razor weapon. Somewhere I have heard the slogan "seek and ye shall find" fingers crossed.

10th January 2008, 08:36 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Here are some more pictures. This is not an axe but you can chop with it as you can see when looking at the use on the blade. I feel it is a knife with a long handle which seems to me that it could be held in three positions. Griped around the part near the blade, griped around the middle using the projection by the thumb as support and finally at the far end with the projection as a stop at the palm of the hand. Is it a weapon? well there is some reach to slash with as well as slashing close in. The blade is razor sharp, a rub on a strop and you could shave with it as I mentioned before. How big does a blade have to be to slice up a half naked opponent. It is a fine piece of steel. I cannot say it is hollow ground to each side in the standard way but when passed through the thumb and fore fingers you can feel that the blade has concave sides. The wood and carving and fine shaving marks are identical to the South Sudan club. So I suspect it is from eastern region and not the elusive Dahomey amazons razor weapon. Somewhere I have heard the slogan "seek and ye shall find" fingers crossed. Last edited by Tim Simmons; 10th January 2008 at 08:49 PM.

9th January 2008, 05:26 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	I have had this for a few days now but I have not been able to catch day light for pictures. It is not really an axe, more a long handled knife. The blade is well made light and sharp enough to shave with. In general it is dainty , fine and has been used. I cannot explain more without the use of pictures. I think it is East African, somewhere?