Kaskara Info?

PBishop · 5th February 2007, 01:33 AM

Greetings Everyone. It looks like you guys know your swords, so perhaps you can give me some advice.

About 25 years ago my dad gave me a sword as a birthday present - paid $15 for it at a "antique store" (junk shop!) in Washington DC. It was in good shape when I got it, though no sheath. I used it like a machete while camping. Finally the hilt started getting loose and I decided to "fix" it by taking it apart...brilliant, eh?

Well, here it is 25 years later and I've only just found out that it's a kaskara and I'm kicking myself for disassembling the hilt which was otherwise in perfect shape. Anyway, the blade seems to be very fine steel and has never needed any kind of sharpening, despite the abuse to which I put it when younger.

Here is the thing that continues to bug me... Just before the tang starts on the blade, there's a stamp that says "D. Peres." I've tried finding out about this guy, but it seems like he made stuff like corkscrews and those taps they stick in the old-fashioned wooden beer barrels. There's only one mention of D. Peres blades in this forum, and the pic looks nothing like the blade I've got, though the stamp is exactly the same...could have been made by the same machine.

Advice please!?

Keep safe,
Patrick Bishop

Jeff D · 5th February 2007, 04:15 AM

Hi Patrick, and welcome,

Daniel Peres was a Solingen (German) cutler in the first half of the 19th century. Is there any way to post photos of the sword?

Hope this Helps
Jeff

PBishop · 5th February 2007, 05:43 AM

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the welcome. I'm looking forward to hobnobbing with others who can appreciate edged weapons, since my wife is hardly an enthusiast.

Here are some pics of the sword. I do still have the bits and pieces left of the hilt, but they're put away in a box somewhere.

Cheers,
Patrick

Emanuel · 5th February 2007, 04:40 PM

Hi Patrick, welcome to the forum.
There was a long thread at some point about European blades refitted as takouba swords - cousins of the kaskara. Check out the Big Takouba Thread in the sticky Classics at the top of the main forum page. The crossguard piece looks quite refined on your example. What did the hilt look like? I'd think you have a high-end kaskara, but others know a lot more about them.

Regards,
Emanuel

FenrisWolf · 5th February 2007, 08:29 PM

Looks to me like, even if you can't restore what you took apart, you have a valuable blade to work with. Since it's a traditional practice to remount western blades into middle eastern fittings, I'd keep looking until you can find someone trustworthy to do just that. You might end up with a saif as opposed to a takouba, but it'll be better than a naked blade with no mounts.

katana · 5th February 2007, 09:28 PM

Hi Patrick, and welcome......that is a very nice blade

and AFAIK good European blades are fairly rare in Kaskara 's ..and are increasingly so.....it is quite possible that the blades are being removed from this type of sword and re-dressed/hilt as other more 'economically desirable' swords .....such is the power of money

S.Al-Anizi · 5th February 2007, 09:54 PM

A VERY nice blade Bishop

Its not too hard to construct a Kaskara hilt you know...

That would make a very nice project.

RSWORD · 5th February 2007, 10:25 PM

I see you have the crossguard in the picture next to the sword. This would have been the most difficult piece to replicate. A cylindrical wood handle wrapped in leather with a "wheel" pommel, which could be wood, again wrapped in leather, would finish the ensemble. There are a few folks out there that specialize in restoration work that probably would not have too difficult a time making handle for this sword to go with the nice crossguard and blade.

PBishop · 6th February 2007, 01:53 PM

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the encouraging advice and info!

The original hilt closely resembles the hilt in the pic here of the "munitions grade kaskara," except that the leather wasn't smooth, but seemed built up of almost miniscule leather "threads." It was strictly utilitarian, with an axially mounted disk pommel. I was surprised that the pommel was a separate piece held in place only by the leather; it would seem easier just to turn a piece of wood on the lathe to the required shape.

I'm fairly competent as a woodworker and will probably make a new hilt for it myself, which I'd like to make a little fancier and an inch longer than the original. One special feature I'd like to add is a tiny compartment in the hilt for a lock of my daughter's hair. However, it will still look like a kaskara when it's done.

I'd appreciate some advice regarding the type of wood I should use. I doubt I'll be covering it with leather.

Keep safe,
Patrick

5th February 2007, 01:33 AM	#1
PBishop Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 11	Kaskara Info? Greetings Everyone. It looks like you guys know your swords, so perhaps you can give me some advice. About 25 years ago my dad gave me a sword as a birthday present - paid $15 for it at a "antique store" (junk shop!) in Washington DC. It was in good shape when I got it, though no sheath. I used it like a machete while camping. Finally the hilt started getting loose and I decided to "fix" it by taking it apart...brilliant, eh? Well, here it is 25 years later and I've only just found out that it's a kaskara and I'm kicking myself for disassembling the hilt which was otherwise in perfect shape. Anyway, the blade seems to be very fine steel and has never needed any kind of sharpening, despite the abuse to which I put it when younger. Here is the thing that continues to bug me... Just before the tang starts on the blade, there's a stamp that says "D. Peres." I've tried finding out about this guy, but it seems like he made stuff like corkscrews and those taps they stick in the old-fashioned wooden beer barrels. There's only one mention of D. Peres blades in this forum, and the pic looks nothing like the blade I've got, though the stamp is exactly the same...could have been made by the same machine. Advice please!? Keep safe, Patrick Bishop

5th February 2007, 05:43 AM	#3
PBishop Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 11	Bishop Kaskara Pics Hi Jeff, Thanks for the welcome. I'm looking forward to hobnobbing with others who can appreciate edged weapons, since my wife is hardly an enthusiast. Here are some pics of the sword. I do still have the bits and pieces left of the hilt, but they're put away in a box somewhere. Cheers, Patrick Attached Images

5th February 2007, 04:40 PM	#4
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Ahh so here is a European blade! Hi Patrick, welcome to the forum. There was a long thread at some point about European blades refitted as takouba swords - cousins of the kaskara. Check out the Big Takouba Thread in the sticky Classics at the top of the main forum page. The crossguard piece looks quite refined on your example. What did the hilt look like? I'd think you have a high-end kaskara, but others know a lot more about them. Regards, Emanuel

5th February 2007, 04:15 AM	#2
Jeff D Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 473	Hi Patrick, and welcome, Daniel Peres was a Solingen (German) cutler in the first half of the 19th century. Is there any way to post photos of the sword? Hope this Helps Jeff

5th February 2007, 08:29 PM	#5
FenrisWolf Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 181	Looks to me like, even if you can't restore what you took apart, you have a valuable blade to work with. Since it's a traditional practice to remount western blades into middle eastern fittings, I'd keep looking until you can find someone trustworthy to do just that. You might end up with a saif as opposed to a takouba, but it'll be better than a naked blade with no mounts.

5th February 2007, 09:28 PM	#6
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi Patrick, and welcome......that is a very nice blade and AFAIK good European blades are fairly rare in Kaskara 's ..and are increasingly so.....it is quite possible that the blades are being removed from this type of sword and re-dressed/hilt as other more 'economically desirable' swords .....such is the power of money

5th February 2007, 09:54 PM	#7
S.Al-Anizi Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Arabia Posts: 278	A VERY nice blade Bishop Its not too hard to construct a Kaskara hilt you know... That would make a very nice project.

5th February 2007, 10:25 PM	#8
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,083	I see you have the crossguard in the picture next to the sword. This would have been the most difficult piece to replicate. A cylindrical wood handle wrapped in leather with a "wheel" pommel, which could be wood, again wrapped in leather, would finish the ensemble. There are a few folks out there that specialize in restoration work that probably would not have too difficult a time making handle for this sword to go with the nice crossguard and blade.

6th February 2007, 01:53 PM	#9
PBishop Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 11	Hi Everyone, Thanks for the encouraging advice and info! The original hilt closely resembles the hilt in the pic here of the "munitions grade kaskara," except that the leather wasn't smooth, but seemed built up of almost miniscule leather "threads." It was strictly utilitarian, with an axially mounted disk pommel. I was surprised that the pommel was a separate piece held in place only by the leather; it would seem easier just to turn a piece of wood on the lathe to the required shape. I'm fairly competent as a woodworker and will probably make a new hilt for it myself, which I'd like to make a little fancier and an inch longer than the original. One special feature I'd like to add is a tiny compartment in the hilt for a lock of my daughter's hair. However, it will still look like a kaskara when it's done. I'd appreciate some advice regarding the type of wood I should use. I doubt I'll be covering it with leather. Keep safe, Patrick