Takouba saber for comments

Tim Simmons · 13th January 2010, 08:35 PM

I have this Western Sahara sabre. The blade is 61cm long so really quite short. What is interesting which is difficult to show, is that the blade has a serrated edge on both sides almost continually along the blade. My diagram shows the cross section of the blade and a rough idea of the serrations, which to be more accurate are almost continuous along the blade.

Jim McDougall · 13th January 2010, 10:24 PM

Interesting Tim! The blade on that has a cross section like early 19th century cavalry sabres again, very much like that known as Montmorency, also found on British of latter 18th, early 19th. In West Africa, the ceremonial sabres known collectively as 'hwi' used in Dahomey (now Benin) often had a degree of serrated section on the blades. It remains unclear to me what this might be related to, but the 'zigzag' was a common symbolic element it seems.

From a more pragmatic perspective, many English hunting swords of the 17th century and used into the 18th had of course serrated backs on the blades, and these may well have been seen in the trade activity at some time.

One can only speculate what might have been intended, but clearly it seems a European blade mounted for local use, and may have been refurbished many times through generations. It was virtually customary to have blades remounted as they were passed on as heirlooms in many of the tribal cultures, or just as likely, traded or sold.

All best regards,
Jim

Michael Blalock · 15th January 2010, 08:14 PM

I was looking through some old posts and came across this image. The hilt on my Takouba must have lost it's guard and been re-wrapped. Some of the guards on Takoubas look more than two inches deep. That would account for the grip on mine being so long.

13th January 2010, 08:35 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,855	I have this Western Sahara sabre. The blade is 61cm long so really quite short. What is interesting which is difficult to show, is that the blade has a serrated edge on both sides almost continually along the blade. My diagram shows the cross section of the blade and a rough idea of the serrations, which to be more accurate are almost continuous along the blade. Attached Images

15th January 2010, 08:14 PM	#3
Michael Blalock Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: dc Posts: 271	I was looking through some old posts and came across this image. The hilt on my Takouba must have lost it's guard and been re-wrapped. Some of the guards on Takoubas look more than two inches deep. That would account for the grip on mine being so long. Attached Images

13th January 2010, 10:24 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,284	Interesting Tim! The blade on that has a cross section like early 19th century cavalry sabres again, very much like that known as Montmorency, also found on British of latter 18th, early 19th. In West Africa, the ceremonial sabres known collectively as 'hwi' used in Dahomey (now Benin) often had a degree of serrated section on the blades. It remains unclear to me what this might be related to, but the 'zigzag' was a common symbolic element it seems. From a more pragmatic perspective, many English hunting swords of the 17th century and used into the 18th had of course serrated backs on the blades, and these may well have been seen in the trade activity at some time. One can only speculate what might have been intended, but clearly it seems a European blade mounted for local use, and may have been refurbished many times through generations. It was virtually customary to have blades remounted as they were passed on as heirlooms in many of the tribal cultures, or just as likely, traded or sold. All best regards, Jim