Afar Dagger For comment

Lew · 2nd July 2008, 09:02 PM

Just picked this up. Seems to be a decent example but not that old.

Lew

Atlantia · 2nd July 2008, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOUIEBLADES

Just picked this up. Seems to be a decent example but not that old.

Lew

Thats a beauty Lew.
What date do you think? Immediately post war?
It looks older in the pics, its a good find for sure!

Lew · 2nd July 2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlantia

Thats a beauty Lew.
What date do you think? Immediately post war?
It looks older in the pics, its a good find for sure!

I would think 1940-60 it could be more recent it's hard to tell from the photo? The blade looks stout and well forged.

Lew

Lew · 17th July 2008, 03:31 AM

The dagger showed up in todays mail and it's a beauty. The blade is 14.5 inches long. As far as age 1940-50s seems very well made to me.

Lew

Ferguson · 17th July 2008, 06:06 PM

Looks like a nice piece.

Would it be fair to say that the blade is thicker/stronger than the usual African blades? If so, is that a characteristic of the Afar?

Thanks,
Steve

CharlesS · 17th July 2008, 06:40 PM

Lew, you picked another beaut!!!...but I am inclined to think it is a little later than you estimate.

No matter, it is a very nice one and reeks with ethnographic appeal.

Congrats!

Lew · 17th July 2008, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Lew, you picked another beaut!!!...but I am inclined to think it is a little later than you estimate.

No matter, it is a very nice one and reeks with ethnographic appeal.

Congrats!

Charles

It really is hard to date these due to the wear and tear but very well be 1970s but for some reason it seems older than the others I have seen and of much better quality. It has that old smokey smell to it like some of my older pieces. I guess if you carry anything around the desert's of Ethiopia for a short while it will age it very fast

Lew

Lew · 17th July 2008, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferguson

Looks like a nice piece.

Would it be fair to say that the blade is thicker/stronger than the usual African blades? If so, is that a characteristic of the Afar?

Thanks,
Steve

Steve

I think this knife and others like it with the heavier blades are forged from leaf springs where as some others I have seen were forged from machete blades so it's really a crap shoot thick or thin.

Lew

CharlesS · 17th July 2008, 08:56 PM

Could we get a close up of the front scabbard decoration?

Said what I did about the age because the pommel cup looks machined, but I may be wrong??

The later ones, including those coming out today, have machined pommel cups.

Yours have obviously seen use, and looks to have a nice patina to the hilt.

katana · 17th July 2008, 09:29 PM

Nice one Lew,
love the forged detailing of the blade, I have seen examples that were, apparently made in the '20's -'30's none had the quality of blade that yours seems to have. I have 'shyed' away from these as many have thin blades. Congrats

Regards David

Atlantia · 17th July 2008, 09:34 PM

It always amazes me the diversity of the native re-use of steel for forging blades.
how about the Dyak (and others) knicking the rail pins right out the sleepers!

Back to the Knife.
Lovely one Lew, even nicer than it looked in the first pics.

Lew · 17th July 2008, 10:43 PM

Charles

I will post some more pics tonight. I found this on You-Tube you might find it to your liking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blLvokatuq4

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

Lew

Lew · 18th July 2008, 02:05 AM

Charles

Here are a few more pics. The finale looks cast and not machine made?

Lew

CharlesS · 18th July 2008, 05:04 PM

Hey Lew,

This is quite different from what I had imagined and was referring to...the new ones are hollow and machined.

This one is likely quite a bit older then I had imagined.

Even cooler!

...and I really like the scabbard decor...and the videos!! Thanks!

Flavio · 9th August 2008, 09:02 AM

Hi Lew, very nice gilè with a wonderful scabbard!!! Congratulations, even if a bit late

2nd July 2008, 09:02 PM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Afar Dagger For comment Just picked this up. Seems to be a decent example but not that old. Lew Attached Images

17th July 2008, 03:31 AM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	The dagger showed up in todays mail and it's a beauty. The blade is 14.5 inches long. As far as age 1940-50s seems very well made to me. Lew Attached Images Last edited by LOUIEBLADES; 17th July 2008 at 04:45 AM.

17th July 2008, 10:43 PM	#12
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Charles I will post some more pics tonight. I found this on You-Tube you might find it to your liking. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blLvokatuq4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma5G1...eature=related Lew Last edited by LOUIEBLADES; 18th July 2008 at 03:44 AM.

18th July 2008, 02:05 AM	#13
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Charles Here are a few more pics. The finale looks cast and not machine made? Lew Attached Images

17th July 2008, 06:06 PM	#5
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	Looks like a nice piece. Would it be fair to say that the blade is thicker/stronger than the usual African blades? If so, is that a characteristic of the Afar? Thanks, Steve

17th July 2008, 06:40 PM	#6
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,855	Lew, you picked another beaut!!!...but I am inclined to think it is a little later than you estimate. No matter, it is a very nice one and reeks with ethnographic appeal. Congrats!

17th July 2008, 08:56 PM	#9
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,855	Could we get a close up of the front scabbard decoration? Said what I did about the age because the pommel cup looks machined, but I may be wrong?? The later ones, including those coming out today, have machined pommel cups. Yours have obviously seen use, and looks to have a nice patina to the hilt.

17th July 2008, 09:29 PM	#10
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Nice one Lew, love the forged detailing of the blade, I have seen examples that were, apparently made in the '20's -'30's none had the quality of blade that yours seems to have. I have 'shyed' away from these as many have thin blades. Congrats Regards David

17th July 2008, 09:34 PM	#11
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	It always amazes me the diversity of the native re-use of steel for forging blades. how about the Dyak (and others) knicking the rail pins right out the sleepers! Back to the Knife. Lovely one Lew, even nicer than it looked in the first pics.

18th July 2008, 05:04 PM	#14
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,855	Hey Lew, This is quite different from what I had imagined and was referring to...the new ones are hollow and machined. This one is likely quite a bit older then I had imagined. Even cooler! ...and I really like the scabbard decor...and the videos!! Thanks!

9th August 2008, 09:02 AM	#15
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hi Lew, very nice gilè with a wonderful scabbard!!! Congratulations, even if a bit late