How to pronounce "Shabaria"?

[AlaChoctaw]

Well, I have my new Shabaria (plain edge) thanks to Roger at Bayou Lafourche, and it threatens to shove my Military out of first place in my heart! However, I can't seem to find out how to properly pronounce it. The accent would seem to naturally fall on either the second or third syllable.But which one? A check of several dictionaries and encyclopedias has shed no light.I'm sure we have some cunning linguists out there!

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AKTI Member #A000934
"Always just one knife short of perfection!"

 

[Sal Glesser]

Hi AlaChocktaw. Eduard Bradichansky, the designer and Scorpio (forumite) pronounced the name:

Sha ba RI a

with the accent on the third syllable.

You are fortunate to get one. We are in the process of making some modifications so production is scarce at this time.

The design has been around longer than Webster, but has been little known outside of the Jordan Valley.

By looking at it, it's hard to believe that the blade length is up there with the Police and Military models.

sal

 

[Hojo]

Happy New Year!

I, too, love my Shabaria! I just love the way it looks and how it fits my hand!

Sal, what modifications are made to Shabaria?

Haj

 

[Blades]

Modifications??? Huh?? What mods?? Oh I need to get one soon.


Blades

 

[toothed]

I always thought "Shabaria" was pronounced "Wow!"

The American Heritage Dictionary has an interesting history of the letter "S." They say that around 1000 B.C. the Phoenicians began to use graphic signs to represent individual speech sounds instead of syllables or words and used the symbol (l) to represent the sound "sh" and called it "shin," their word for "tooth." The Greeks later adapted the Phoenician alphabet, varied the symbol, and altered its name to "sigma." It seemed to me that that the designer, Eduardo B., must have had these thoughts in mind when naming the model and selecting his logo--the blade shape resemble the canine tooth of a saber-toothed tiger IMO and the back-to-back summation sign appears on the blade.

Sal, how about sharing with us the "real" background on the Shabaria name and Eduardo's logo? I understand that unfortunately Eduardo is no longer with us.

Do I like this knife? See the above "history lesson" and compare it with my UserName.

When I first used the knife I wasn't certain which was the proper grip to use. I started with the saber grip but later moved to the hammer grip. High performance puncturing and slashing is what this knife is about. It used to be my daily carry until I purchased a J.D. Smith which is IMO less exotic and threatening than the Shabaria when opened in public.

Let's hear it from other Shabaria lovers.

Edit: BTW it is a fine utility tool for slicing and cutting. Any tips on sharpening this recurve blade?

Edit2: Correction. I incorrectly mentioned the hammer grip above; the description should have been a "modified saber grip" whereby the thumb grips the left side scale (I'm right-handed). Depending on how you grip this knife, you can extend the reach of the blade considerably beyond its modest 3.75 inches.

[This message has been edited by toothed (edited 01-02-2001).]

[This message has been edited by toothed (edited 01-02-2001).]

 

[Esav Benyamin]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by toothed:
the Phoenicians began to use graphic signs to represent individual speech sounds instead of syllables or words and used the symbol (l) to represent the sound "sh" and called it "shin," their word for "tooth." The Greeks later adapted the Phoenician alphabet, varied the symbol, and altered its name to "sigma." </font>

The original Semitic letter 'shin' was shaped like our letter 'w' and the Greeks turned it on its side. The name 'sigma' didn't come from 'shin' at all, but from another Semitic sibilant called 'samekh'.

I understand the logo is a stylized E B for the designer's initials. By the way, he also designed the Spydercard, which I believe also has the same logo on it.

When I first got my Shabaria, I posted this poem:

The ancient design is new to us,
Since tactical knives all look the same.
It's exciting to see the possibilities
In a blade that looks like a flame.

VG-10 is hard and sharp,
It slips through meat and fruit and bread;
But the blade is much too narrow
To use on any kind of spread.

Its razor edge is hollow-ground,
The recurved blade angles down.
With narrow, wasp-waist handle slabs
It would make some people frown.

It reminds me of knives
Of days long past,
When work demanded
The sharp and fast.
For self-defense or sacrifice,
Our forefathers liked
This kind of knife.




[This message has been edited by Esav Benyamin (edited 01-03-2001).]

 

[toothed]

Esav, thanks for providing us with more information. I got my information directly from the dictionary but somehow I feel that you know more about the subject than the westerner that probably wrote it.

Now that you mention it I can see a stylized "EB" on the blade as you suggest. I also liked your poem about the Shabaria--I take it that you love this knife too.

I took off the clip some time ago to adjust the pivot and found it very difficult to replace--not for techical reasons but because the knife gripped so nicely without it. After all of this talk about the Shabaria, I think I'll give my JD Smith a rest and carry the former for awhile.