OT: Odditty from Afghanistan

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
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A buddy of mine over in Afghanistan picked me up something in a village bazarre that he figured I'd be interested in. He figured right. It's some kind of funky folding tomahawk/sicle? called a Lohar. Here's a picture of one from the Oriental Arms web site. They refer to it as a fighting axe, but I remember seeing kids over there toting these, so I suspect they also have a more mundane use like harvesting forage to feed to goats and such.

5836.jpg


Sarge
 
These things are called Lohar fighting axes. They are used by the Banochie tribe located near the Khyber pass. You can find examples in folding and non-folding versions, although the latter are more common. Stone shows a fixed bladed example in fig. 528.

n2s
 
"I love stuff like that"

Uncle, I can try and get you one, but I don't think they'll let you in the casino toting one of those.:D

Sarge
 
There appear to be two springs which hold the thing open--is it like a slipjoint, or are there locking mechanisms?? I've run accross pix of the non-folding versions, but never a folding wone before.

Looks like another case of an agricultural tool doubling as, or morphing into a weapon...As I recall, there are east-asian agricultural tools (usually wood handled) that have pretty much the same shape and profile.
 
Whatever that thing is, it's pretty cool!

How big is it? Got a picture of it next to a dollar bill?
 
Here's some Japanese grass sickles (5.5-7 in blades):

sickle.jpg


Certainly not a cool as the lohars, especially a folding one, but they look made to do the same job to (basically ignorant) me.

Too bad there's only one Uncle Bill. It would be neat if someone could find a way to import some of the other ethnic tools and help keep the smiths making traditional stuff in other places going.
 
Looks similar to Kamas sold in many martial arts supply places. Always found them interesting, but never quite sure how useful they'd be in a real fight. I'll still take a .45. :)


Course, i have escrima sticks sitting next to the couch here, and then guns are locked up in safe. Maybe I should rethink things.
 
Thanks, Sarge, but I am going to pass. The dust bunnies have enough stuff to keep them occupied. And thanks for usual expert help, n2s. Good stuff.
 
Somebody must have found a cache of these or they found a clever Afghan entrepeneur to make a bunch of "antiques" for them. There are 6 in various markets starting about a month ago. I have yet to handle one so I hope they're all for real. Caveat Emptor
 
BTTT,

Just putting this back up in case you missed out on the film clip on the link above. There is some interesting footage of near vertical Himalayan farming. My legs were weary just from looking at them.

n2s
 
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