Leather Sheath Sword

Flavio · 9th April 2005, 01:24 AM

Hello Guys. I want to show you my seme masai sword.

tom hyle · 9th April 2005, 07:43 AM

Way nice! Tim, thanks for the pics. Another feature to think about (I've no input on it, really) is the suddenly swelled tip on some vs. the steady swell on others.

Jeff D · 9th April 2005, 06:31 PM

Hi Tim the crocodile mark is from a martindale machete http://www.ralphmartindale.co.uk/ral...e/africa1.html
http://www.cutsforthknives.com/catalogs/1/MM.htm .

Jeff

Ian · 10th April 2005, 08:26 AM

This is another one that seems to reflect the older style. OAL 24 in. Blade 20 in.

Ian.

Tim Simmons · 10th April 2005, 09:45 AM

Nice picture Ian,trying to get the lighting right on a table in a spare room with no real bright lamps can be testing.I am moving from the seme to the spear with the same swelling.May I be so bold as to suggest that this model is also a relativly modern departure from the older forms I have post here and in the other spear thread.I have no real proof except that I have only seen it in modern photographs and have never handled one that seems very old.This weapon should excite kung fu types as it is more like a sharp bladed staff when in your hands.Tim

tom hyle · 10th April 2005, 11:07 AM

hmmmm....yeah; I'm seeing what you're saying; the older (?)spear has a round swelling at the bottom, which has become vestigial on the newer(?) one, but which instead, has a wide seme-like tip.
Ian, yours seems almost like a transitional type sword, with the rounded, ringed handle, and the narrow, more parallel sided shaft/blade base (these are usually sharpened like macete; only from about 1/3 to 1/2 way down their length) of the old(?) style Tim is showing us, but also with the xtra wide spatulate(?) tip of the newer(?) type. Also, its size seems in-betweenish?

Freddy · 10th April 2005, 01:33 PM

Tom,

I'd like to point out that the Tutsi- (or Shi-) swords are quite different from the Masai-swords. I agree that they have a similar middle rib, but the total shape of the blade is different.

Here's a typical Tutsi-sword (or short sword) :

Also notice the tip of the blade. The Masai-sword is more round.

The total length of this piece is 43,5 cm. The blade measures 32,5 cm. This blade has a maximum width of 1,8 cm. The wooden scabbard is completely covered with copper binding.

9th April 2005, 01:24 AM	#1
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello Guys. I want to show you my seme masai sword. Attached Images

10th April 2005, 08:26 AM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,522	Another older example This is another one that seems to reflect the older style. OAL 24 in. Blade 20 in. Ian. Attached Images

10th April 2005, 09:45 AM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	Nice picture Ian,trying to get the lighting right on a table in a spare room with no real bright lamps can be testing.I am moving from the seme to the spear with the same swelling.May I be so bold as to suggest that this model is also a relativly modern departure from the older forms I have post here and in the other spear thread.I have no real proof except that I have only seen it in modern photographs and have never handled one that seems very old.This weapon should excite kung fu types as it is more like a sharp bladed staff when in your hands.Tim Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 10th April 2005 at 08:47 PM.

9th April 2005, 07:43 AM	#2
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Way nice! Tim, thanks for the pics. Another feature to think about (I've no input on it, really) is the suddenly swelled tip on some vs. the steady swell on others.

9th April 2005, 06:31 PM	#3
Jeff D Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 473	Hi Tim the crocodile mark is from a martindale machete http://www.ralphmartindale.co.uk/ral...e/africa1.html http://www.cutsforthknives.com/catalogs/1/MM.htm . Jeff

10th April 2005, 11:07 AM	#6
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	hmmmm....yeah; I'm seeing what you're saying; the older (?)spear has a round swelling at the bottom, which has become vestigial on the newer(?) one, but which instead, has a wide seme-like tip. Ian, yours seems almost like a transitional type sword, with the rounded, ringed handle, and the narrow, more parallel sided shaft/blade base (these are usually sharpened like macete; only from about 1/3 to 1/2 way down their length) of the old(?) style Tim is showing us, but also with the xtra wide spatulate(?) tip of the newer(?) type. Also, its size seems in-betweenish?

10th April 2005, 01:33 PM	#7
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Tom, I'd like to point out that the Tutsi- (or Shi-) swords are quite different from the Masai-swords. I agree that they have a similar middle rib, but the total shape of the blade is different. Here's a typical Tutsi-sword (or short sword) : Also notice the tip of the blade. The Masai-sword is more round. The total length of this piece is 43,5 cm. The blade measures 32,5 cm. This blade has a maximum width of 1,8 cm. The wooden scabbard is completely covered with copper binding.