Any ideas to this blade? -- myArmoury.com

Markus Klopf · Posted: Wed 21 Sep, 2016 11:34 am Post subject: Any ideas to this blade?

Hello to all of you!
I´m new here and have registered at this forum, because I hope to get some informations about this blade: It somehow came into the possession of my grandparents in the turmoil after the 2nd World War. Today there is nobody left who knows anything definite about it.

* The blade is 94cm long, 4.5cm wide, about 4mm thin and has a tang of 7cm. It´s relatively flexible.
* There are 5 fullers: The middle one is about half the length of the blade, the outer ones are about 30cm long.
* The hilt is missing.
* It was propably made/used in the Austrian-Czech-border area.

Unfortunately, adding attachements to this message did not work. You can see the photos at:
https://www.asuswebstorage.com/navigate/s/21416788AF8E4E7C80CB33624B2DD8A34

I suspect it´s some kind of replica for decoration, maybe from the late 19th or early 20th century, and was lost in the chaos of the collapsing Nazi-Germany. So I´m afraid this blade is not precious at all... ;-)

Does someone have any ideas about it?
Have a nice evening
M.Klopf

Michael Beeching · Posted: Wed 21 Sep, 2016 1:22 pm Post subject:

Sorry friend, but your link isn't working. Perhaps you should consult an administrator about the attachment requirements?

Timo Nieminen · Posted: Wed 21 Sep, 2016 10:55 pm Post subject:

I think it's a kaskara blade. The kaskara is the classic sword of the eastern Sahara/Sahel. The blade shape, fullers, and tang length, shape, and rivet hole all match.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaskara

See http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthread.php?116402-Kaskara for an example. More, including a discussion of the rivet hole: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8269

Markus Klopf · Posted: Thu 22 Sep, 2016 6:37 am Post subject:

I think you are right! It´s a Kaskara!
Poor blade! So far away from home... Wink

Thanks to all for helping me! Happy

Sa'ar Nudel · Posted: Sun 25 Sep, 2016 11:05 am Post subject:

Not necessarily away from home!
Plenty of kaskara blades were made in Germany (as well as England) for trade in Sudan.
Although the overall appearance suggest is was once mounted as a kaskara - the rough shoulders near the tang, and the rivet hole.

Timo Nieminen · Posted: Mon 26 Sep, 2016 3:22 am Post subject:

I can't tell whether it's an imported or African-made blade (due to the condition). The fullers are very straight - some African-made swords would be identifiable as such even with the blade this corroded due to non-straight fullers. But others have straighter fullers.

Sa'ar Nudel · Posted: Mon 26 Sep, 2016 4:09 am Post subject:

Yes, the fullers are very straight - and there are 5 of them, instead of the (more) usual 3, in that blade form.
Such blades were sometimes misused for fake katzblagers.

Markus Klopf · Posted: Mon 26 Sep, 2016 11:29 am Post subject:

Very interesting...
I tried to clean the blade last weekend and found 4 small engraved crescents. Each one of them is directly over the two short fullers.
I think such astrological symbols are quite common on Kaskaras, or not?

Timo Nieminen · Posted: Mon 26 Sep, 2016 6:41 pm Post subject:

Yes, paired crescent moons are common. IIRC, they were originally a Solingen maker's mark.