It's not much...

Wow. After about a half hour of toothpaste and heavy scrubbing...

I had assumed the metal on this was brass that was once plated in silver that wore off, but it turns out it's a solid piece of silver! The yellow "brass" was just patina. I still have more scrubbing to do, but not bad considering I paid less than $40 shipped for this thing.
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I can't make heads or tails of the mark on the blade, maybe it'll be clearer after more cleaning. It's a very nice piece of steel and well shaped, definitely made for "business" rather than just show.
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Wow, That makes up for a loser or 2 :D Always so much fun to find something like this. Looks great and another awesome addition to "The wall". How far are you going to clean it up?
 
Thanks! I think I'm going to take it as far as I can with toothpaste. The silver's different than that in my khanjar. It's whiter, more clear and bright. Almost too bright for silver. The khanjar is more grayish like I'm used to. I don't know if that means its more or less pure, or maybe its because it's freshly cleaned.
 
Man I want to come to your house for show and tell. You got some amazing unusual to me stuff to look at.

6:30ish work for you?
 
Come on by! I have to say I'm pleased with this thing. I like how straight the blade is. Newer ones have more hook shaped blades which may look better, but probably wouldn't make for a good weapon. The hilt is also very comfortable. It fills the hand nicely and all the rough edges have been worn down. It feels broken in. Newer koummyas have more artsy fartsy hilts that look nicer but wouldn't feel comfortable to actually use.

I thought the blade might be a repurposed bayonet or something, bit it's definitely a purpose made blade intended for a koummya. I seriously doubt it started life as something else. I'm also pretty certain it's European made, so I guess some euro company must have made these for export to morocco.
 
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rhinohorn fairly unmistakable, I think, is it not much heavier than wood? I have never handled any but have seen it on many knives at oriental arms, its worth a great deal if it has a rhino horn grip, do check!
 
Depends on the wood. 9 times out of 10 you can tell the difference just by looking at it or shining a flashlight through it. Horn, especially old horn, is usually translucent around the edges. But sometimes you find a piece of horn that's opaque like wood.

I did the burn test, it's definitely wood. It smelled really nice actually, like a camp fire. Makes me want to go camping.
 
I've been looking at vids of the p'kal technique that JW mentioned. It looks like a great way to liberate a persons internal organs from their body cavity. But my concern is that you'd have to get really close to the other guy to pull it off. I'm thinking about a 7 inch curved ripper blade like the koummya vs a 7 inch stabby straight blade like a trisul or an Arkansas toothpick. The curved blade might deliver a far more fatal blow, but not before the stabby blade poked a couple holes in you. Since he'd have an extra few inches of reach on you.

Maybe someone with martial arts experience can comment. To me, curved blades are too risky. You might drop the other guy whose armed with a straight blade, but you'd be following him soon after if you didn't find a doctor.
 
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It is 2 totally different styles but neither one has a sever advantage over the other for practitioners that are at the same level of competance. I find it is more about your style and if you are a speed or strength kind of person as to which benefits you more then the style generally dictates the advantages of a type of blade. So I guess what I am saying is pick a martial art because it fits your advantages, then pick the weapon that fits your martial art style. A curved slicing blade vs a stabbing blade? in my style the slicing blade has the benefit because it allows you to move sideways while still putting strength behind your blow where as a straight blade requires more thrust so forward motion for the strength so less moving away from you opponents attack. But I am sure someone that practices another style will say that stepping in close to the person gets you inside their attack and they can't strike as well at you when you are lunging into them. Different thoughts because different patterns and strengths/weaknesses. When I practice against a straight blade I find that I crab step a lot. sort of a half turn half shuffle then when I attack it is a swinging extension of that sideways movement that takes me past the side of the person I am fighting away from their straight on attack.
 
That makes perfect sense. With a curved blade you can bob and weave and still strike the other guy, but with a straight blade you're restricted to lunging. But lunging might be enough if you can overwhelm the other guy. In an "untrained guy vs untrained guy" (aka myself) fight I'd still go with the straight blade since it allows you to strike without getting too close.
 
That wall is looking close to capacity, but what a cool wall it is.
I'm on my way, we said 6:30 but we didn't say what day right? I'm at the corner of walk and don't walk in Fort Smith Arkansas, thought I might marry my cousin long as I'm here, but it suddenly occurred to me that I have no clue where you are, not even narrowed down to a state.
Definitely poor planning on my part but I wanted to surprise ya.
Hope you don't live in Sultan, 6 miles from my house, that would make me look the fool right there.
 
You've still got a ways to go! I'm by the other Washington, the one with the Gub'ment. I'll grab a couple khukris, put on my mask and dance around outside while yelling at the top of my lungs so you see me. If I'm not home just check the county jail.
 
Dont forget a couple of bloody organs! That will make it easier for Bawanna to find you since youll likely be in a nut farm somewhere near Washington. Oh jeeez...nut farm near DC cant be good:eek:
blue lander said:
You've still got a ways to go! I'm by the other Washington, the one with the Gub'ment. I'll grab a couple khukris, put on my mask and dance around outside while yelling at the top of my lungs so you see me. If I'm not home just check the county jail.
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Just about every building on capital hill is a nuthouse if you ask me.

You know, one down side to having silver and ivory on "the wall" is that it makes everything else up there look shabbier.
 
Very nice job cleaning them up btw. They still look the age but clean:thumbup: When you get your next blade your going to have to give up carpentry to make more room;)
 
I just love the fact that you paid less than 40 bucks for that really nice knife. lol @token tool rack, just take it down blue and put up another antique from north africa.
 
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