Looking for info on Turkish swords & knives

[Keith Montgomery]

I'm looking for info on, and photographs of, Turkish yatagans. Anybody know of any websites where I can become more educated about this style of sword? I am getting one made, and the maker won't be able to start for a couple of years. During that time I want to study so that I can give him a better idea of what I am looking for.

 

[horseclover]

Hi Keith,

Here is an antique dealer that usually has a few

http://www.oriental-arms.com/

I should have replied when more prepared but there are alos a fair number of images and discussion over at http://swordforum.com in the Middle East room there. I'll post back with a link to a thread that has pictures of one I picked up last summer.

Cheers

GC

 

[horseclover]

Penultimate smith Vince Evans has done a couple of pretties
http://www.arscives.com/vevans/perturk.htm

He has a Picture Trail site as well, good stuff.

Here is a thread with more photos of mine. Turkish and made some time right around 1800

http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?t=68240

The size of the ears doesn't always relate to a specific time period. Some have more or less decoration. There are some museum images up and quite a few do pop up on fleabay.

General Googling and searches over at SFI and www.myarmoury.com will bring up some more.

Cheers

GC

 

[not2sharp]

You My want to find a copy of:

JATAGANA, by Dora Boskovic; published by the Croation History Museum, Zagreb (2006).

It may take some effort to find a copy, but it is certainly worth it. The book is a softcover (125 pages) written in Russian and English, and is focused entirely on the Yatagan Sword. About 1/2 of the book is a catalog of photos of the museum's beautiful collection.

It is listed here:
http://www.hismus.hr/english/new editions.htm

n2s

 

[Keith Montgomery]

Thank you very much fellas, much appreciated.

Glen, that is a great looking sword.

As you can see from my avatar, I know all about Vince Evans. I was hoping to get him to make me one similar, but he isn't taking orders.

 

[horseclover]

Thank you very much fellas, much appreciated.

Glen, that is a great looking sword.

As you can see from my avatar, I know all about Vince Evans. I was hoping to get him to make me one similar, but he isn't taking orders.

Actually, I have avatars turned off but I'll turn them on, just to look at yours

Yup, Vince is one that kind of has gone the inspiration route. Maybe if you convinced him he really needed to do another yataghan I bought a folder he had done, some time ago and should have grabbed the three tail locks at the same time. That was before Cutting Edge went online. I also picked up a twisted bowie he did.

The big concern I would have with a smith doing one is that they understand the geometery well. Mine has a lot of concavity and distal to it. Absolutely a joy to handle, the balance is right where the touchmark is. That might seem "far out" but the thing floats in hand. I've no digital scale but it weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of a pound and a half.

Cheers

GC