Origin ?

Andrew · 10th December 2008, 01:43 PM

A "gile" from a file!

Michel · 10th December 2008, 05:54 PM

Thanks to both Bill and Andrew. after a search a "gile" certainly. From a file ?
The original file would have been very wide and thick !
No other explanation for this grid on the blade ?
Thanks

Regards
Michel

Lew · 11th December 2008, 10:08 PM

Michel

It's a gile Afar or Danakil tribe. The blades are forged from truck leaf springs or large files or rasps as is yours.

Click=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma5G1...eature=related

Lew

Michel · 11th December 2008, 10:37 PM

Thank you Lew,
You are certainly right, I found your gile after a search with the name "gile" that was given by Andrew. I am just surprise by the file idea but I cannot explain the scratched network otherwise.
I have no sheath but as I paid 7$ for the blade, I think I did well !
Michel : :

Lew · 11th December 2008, 10:57 PM

Michel

Files are usually made from good tool steel and old worn out files are seldomly discarded they are recycled into blades. I have a huge pesh that was forged from an old file I will see if I can find you a picture of it.

Lew

Michel · 12th December 2008, 07:52 AM

Thank you Lew,
I can conclude that the blade of the Gile was really forged and not obtained by stock removal. This means also that it must have been forged with several files that have been heat welded. This demonstrate a good control of the forging process and a sizable consumption of charcoal. When one looks to your video on the Afar tribe dancing, the number of gile shown, seems to indicate that these blades are currently produced in relatively high number. All this means high consumption of charcoal which should be scarce in the region as it is very dry and with little vegetation. Very surprising.
Thanks for this information.
Regards
Michel

asomotif · 12th December 2008, 10:00 AM

I am not a metalurgist, but with my practical knowledge I have a few questions / remarks.

- A file is hard and brittle. not the best material to make a knife
- a file is often not as broad as this knife is.
- a file's surface is often flat while this blade is getting thinner towards the edges is away that I have never seen in a file.
So if you would reshape a file, the original grooves of the filw ould remain vissible in th emiddle but surely not towards the edges.

So my idea is that this knife is not made from a file, but maybe the grooves/stripes are caused by shaping the steel, with a very rough file.
So in fact they are filling marks

10th December 2008, 05:54 PM	#2
Michel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Switzerland Posts: 139	A gile Thanks to both Bill and Andrew. after a search a "gile" certainly. From a file ? The original file would have been very wide and thick ! No other explanation for this grid on the blade ? Thanks Regards Michel

11th December 2008, 10:08 PM	#3
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Michel It's a gile Afar or Danakil tribe. The blades are forged from truck leaf springs or large files or rasps as is yours. Click= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma5G1...eature=related Lew Attached Images

11th December 2008, 10:37 PM	#4
Michel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Switzerland Posts: 139	A gile Thank you Lew, You are certainly right, I found your gile after a search with the name "gile" that was given by Andrew. I am just surprise by the file idea but I cannot explain the scratched network otherwise. I have no sheath but as I paid 7$ for the blade, I think I did well ! Michel : :

11th December 2008, 10:57 PM	#5
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Michel Files are usually made from good tool steel and old worn out files are seldomly discarded they are recycled into blades. I have a huge pesh that was forged from an old file I will see if I can find you a picture of it. Lew Attached Images

12th December 2008, 07:52 AM	#6
Michel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Switzerland Posts: 139	Old file utilisation Thank you Lew, I can conclude that the blade of the Gile was really forged and not obtained by stock removal. This means also that it must have been forged with several files that have been heat welded. This demonstrate a good control of the forging process and a sizable consumption of charcoal. When one looks to your video on the Afar tribe dancing, the number of gile shown, seems to indicate that these blades are currently produced in relatively high number. All this means high consumption of charcoal which should be scarce in the region as it is very dry and with little vegetation. Very surprising. Thanks for this information. Regards Michel

10th December 2008, 01:43 PM	#1
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	A "gile" from a file!

12th December 2008, 10:00 AM	#7
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,235	I am not a metalurgist, but with my practical knowledge I have a few questions / remarks. - A file is hard and brittle. not the best material to make a knife - a file is often not as broad as this knife is. - a file's surface is often flat while this blade is getting thinner towards the edges is away that I have never seen in a file. So if you would reshape a file, the original grooves of the filw ould remain vissible in th emiddle but surely not towards the edges. So my idea is that this knife is not made from a file, but maybe the grooves/stripes are caused by shaping the steel, with a very rough file. So in fact they are filling marks