[NMshooter]

www.sharppointythings.com

So I sent him a message asking about a knife...

And ended up with 6" of steel!

The handguard and pommel are solid brass, the handle is very nice wood.

Workmanship is excellent.

[Eleven Mike]

Looks a tad rough, but that is a very nice design. The pommel and guard are excellent. I love a flat-ground drop-point.

[Sniper X]

I like it. It looks like something of a working knife, not a safe queen to just "show off" because it cost so much you are scared to use it. Good choice for a real feild knife in my opinion.

[JShirley]

Good design. I'd really like this one (http://www.sharppointythings.com/images/Knives/knives/IMG_0090a.jpg), but except with a guard only on the blade side and without so pronounced a pommel.

Mike also is an excellent writer...

[Kaylee]

cool.

I'm still waiting for him to do a Freehold 'kataghan' -- after its notable appearance in his awesome book, it'd be cool to see one in person.

(or heck.. maybe he could license a run of 'em. :D )

-K

[LanEvo`]

I'm still waiting for him to do a Freehold 'kataghan' -- after its notable appearance in his awesome book, it'd be cool to see one in person.I'm not sure what book you're referring to, but there is such a thing as a yatağan that was used back in Ottoman times starting with Sultan Suleyman the Magnificant. Sort of a double recurved blade...not too different from a kukri, but longer and more slender. Also, they traditionally would have a split pommel that looks sort of like ram's horns. They are best known as the sidearm of the Yeni Ceri, or "new guard" (transliterated as "Janissary" in English).

http://www.swords.spb.ru/archive/yataghan01/yataghan01_11average.jpg

I've seen it spelled all kinds of ways, but "yatağan" is the proper spelling in modern Turkish. It's pronounced "YAT-A-AHN" (the "soft g" is a silent letter that tells you to stretch out the previous vowel).

Yes, I'm a Turk ;)

[Kaylee]

Thanks for the picture LanEvo!

When I asked madmike what the thing was, this was indeed his answer:



Katana + yataghan. Drop-tipped sword with a small guard and the cross section of a katana.

I should do that sometime soon.


:)

[LanEvo`]

No prob! There are a couple of modern swordsmiths who offer yatağans today. I've recently come across the "Sinbad Yataghan" by Jody Samson:

http://jodysamson.com/images/swords/1-07-05/yatagan1.jpg

And Vince Evans offers some "Turkish Yataghan" variants, which are a bit more historically accurate:

http://www.arscives.com/vevans/images/4.7-Turkish-Yataghan.jpg

http://www.arscives.com/vevans/images/4.8-Turkish-Yataghan.jpg

These all look pretty sweet!

[hexidismal]

Does the split pommel of the yatağans serve some purpose ?

[Eleven Mike]

Does the split pommel of the yatağans serve some purpose ?

I think it's to poke the wearer in the ribs or stomach. Ouch.

[carebear]

To brace your rifle on, like a monopod, in the kneeling position.

With the long arqubueses of the day some sort of steadying device was preferable for increased accuracy, then, when the shot was fired,the Jannissary would have his sword in hand should immediate close combat be necessary. It saved carrying a shooting stick AND personal weapon, simplifying his kit.

[carebear]

I just made the above explanation up, BTW.

No jumpy on the funny man.

[LanEvo`]

Does the split pommel of the yatağans serve some purpose ?I honestly have no idea. I've never seen a good explanation. I have, however, read that yatağans were not primary weapons: they were more large knives rather than short swords, if you know what I mean. Basically, weapons of last resort.

Janissaries relied on longer range weapons, like arrows and spears. In later days (17th century onward), their primary weapons were rifles and grenades. They were pretty "cutting edge" for their time.

In the end, the yatağan was largely a status symbol from what I've read. Maybe that explains why they were so ornate. I wonder if the pommel is just there for show. It is rather distinctive.

[CWL]

In later days (17th century onward), their primary weapons were rifles and grenades.

Turkish armies had started using firearms by the middle of the 1400's, they also had porportionately more firearms than European armies. Janissaries had pretty much completely adopted firearms by the middle of the 1500s.

I do not believe that Janissaries used rifle & grenades in 17th Cent. They typically used smoothbore weapons.

Specialist Grenadiers were not Janissary (Christian slaves) but ethnic Turks.

[NMshooter]

Yes, I wanted a tool.

The blade is 3/16" thick along the back!

I mentioned I wanted something I could abuse in case I needed a prybar...

And I have all Mike's paperbacks in my collection.