Big Drama for Kurdish khanjar

Kubur · 14th October 2015, 06:40 PM

Dear All,

I need your help!
If you remember two previous posts about Kurdish jambiya.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20570
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20572
I wrote that I can see different groups in the so-called Kurdish daggers:
Turkish-Ottoman, Syrian-Iraki and the Iranian-Persian...
I had an Iranian one and I found a Turkish/ Ottoman Kurdish dagger.
The problem is that I received it broken!!!
It's the reason why I entitled my post "drama"

What do you recommend to fix the tang into the hilt?
And which kind of filling to use to fil the cracks in the horn grip?
At least, it's interesting to see how this dagger was made!
As you can see the rivets or metal pins are not going through the blade.
And the tang is very short, and doesnt go all along the hilt...

Thank you for your help
Regards,
Kubur

Kubur · 14th October 2015, 06:46 PM

I forgot: a lot of Kurdish daggers are early 20th c.
This one is clearly mid or early 19th c.
See the scabbard and also the lovely ottoman blade...

David R · 14th October 2015, 08:19 PM

That is a nice blade, and a nice scabbard. I have no real advice on repairing the horn other than epoxy or super-glue. As for fixing the blade back in the hilt, it will have been glued in with a resin compound.... So do a search for cutlers resin or cutlers cement. When making it up use a glue pot (double boiler type) or melt the ingredients in the oven at a set temperature. I made the mistake of trying to do it on the hotplate and burned the mixture.

harrywagner · 14th October 2015, 09:53 PM

J.B. Weld makes a two-part epoxy that is simple to mix and use. I have used it many times in my shop to attach wood to metal. It should work fine for attaching the blade. One word of caution though - once set it never lets go. Never. They used to run a TV commercial here where you see a man use it to attach a heavy chain to a big truck block, the clock then fast forwards 24 hours, the engine is hoisted up and he stand directly underneath it.

A shame about that knife. Good luck with the repair!

Sancar · 15th October 2015, 11:20 AM

I suspect that this dagger's tang was broken before and a previous owner got this horn hilt made for it. That is probably the reason for the short tang and those decorative non-functional rivets. I don't know Kurdish daggers but in my experience, Turkish daggers almost always have full tangs and riveted for extra security even if they were also glued to the hilt with pitch/tar/cutler's resin.

Kubur · 15th October 2015, 12:03 PM

David & Harry, thanks for your kind words and advises. I'm very worried by the cracks and how to hide them. I would like to find some material appropriate for the black horn.
Sancar, I totally agree, I think it was an Ottoman - Turkish blade reused and / or sold in the Kurdish area (scabbard & hilt).
Best,
Kubur

14th October 2015, 06:40 PM	#1
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	Big Drama for Kurdish khanjar Dear All, I need your help! If you remember two previous posts about Kurdish jambiya. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20570 http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20572 I wrote that I can see different groups in the so-called Kurdish daggers: Turkish-Ottoman, Syrian-Iraki and the Iranian-Persian... I had an Iranian one and I found a Turkish/ Ottoman Kurdish dagger. The problem is that I received it broken!!! It's the reason why I entitled my post "drama" What do you recommend to fix the tang into the hilt? And which kind of filling to use to fil the cracks in the horn grip? At least, it's interesting to see how this dagger was made! As you can see the rivets or metal pins are not going through the blade. And the tang is very short, and doesnt go all along the hilt... Thank you for your help Regards, Kubur Attached Images

14th October 2015, 06:46 PM	#2
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	I forgot: a lot of Kurdish daggers are early 20th c. This one is clearly mid or early 19th c. See the scabbard and also the lovely ottoman blade... Attached Images

14th October 2015, 08:19 PM	#3
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,053	That is a nice blade, and a nice scabbard. I have no real advice on repairing the horn other than epoxy or super-glue. As for fixing the blade back in the hilt, it will have been glued in with a resin compound.... So do a search for cutlers resin or cutlers cement. When making it up use a glue pot (double boiler type) or melt the ingredients in the oven at a set temperature. I made the mistake of trying to do it on the hotplate and burned the mixture.

14th October 2015, 09:53 PM	#4
harrywagner Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 373	J.B. Weld makes a two-part epoxy that is simple to mix and use. I have used it many times in my shop to attach wood to metal. It should work fine for attaching the blade. One word of caution though - once set it never lets go. Never. They used to run a TV commercial here where you see a man use it to attach a heavy chain to a big truck block, the clock then fast forwards 24 hours, the engine is hoisted up and he stand directly underneath it. A shame about that knife. Good luck with the repair!

15th October 2015, 11:20 AM	#5
Sancar Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 79	I suspect that this dagger's tang was broken before and a previous owner got this horn hilt made for it. That is probably the reason for the short tang and those decorative non-functional rivets. I don't know Kurdish daggers but in my experience, Turkish daggers almost always have full tangs and riveted for extra security even if they were also glued to the hilt with pitch/tar/cutler's resin.

15th October 2015, 12:03 PM	#6
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	David & Harry, thanks for your kind words and advises. I'm very worried by the cracks and how to hide them. I would like to find some material appropriate for the black horn. Sancar, I totally agree, I think it was an Ottoman - Turkish blade reused and / or sold in the Kurdish area (scabbard & hilt). Best, Kubur