madmike does knives

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NMshooter

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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.
 

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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.
 
Good design. I'd really like this one, but except with a guard only on the blade side and without so pronounced a pommel.

Mike also is an excellent writer...
 
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
 
Kaylee said:
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).

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 ;)
 
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.

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

yatagan1.jpg

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

4.7-Turkish-Yataghan.jpg


4.8-Turkish-Yataghan.jpg


These all look pretty sweet!
 
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.
 
hexidismal said:
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Yup, I'm aware this is an old thread. Yup, I'm aware that I'm re-upping something from the depths of time that many may wish to cut me off at the knees for.

However, I have.... interesting.. news.

MadMike.. is indeed doing a Kataghan.. in fact, he's doing *MY* Kataghan.

This badboy was on my fireplace mantle for a few months, then in a chitchat with Mr. Williamson, turns out he was interested in doing it.. a few other things fell into place, so at the moment, it's in his workshop, and if things go REALLY well, I may have it back in the next few months.

This piece was purchased from a Canadian bladesmith; the blade is, I THINK, a Yataghan, that the original bladesmith retrofitted with a wakizashi hilt.

MadMike has already cleaned up the rather nasty notch towards the tip. The tang has also been extended; the next step will be adding rosewood hilt pieces, and then re-wrapping it in the Katana style.


kataghan.jpg

kataghan2.jpg

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I may... MAY... have the very first, MadMike-touched (and blessed!) Kataghan! A little birdy tells me he may even be making one from a Chassepot, for purposes of having one of his own, after messing with this one.

You may now proceed with turning green with envy.
 
I do believe good master Williamson is planning on putting a rather nice edge on it.. and if not, I'll be asking him to. :D
 
It's like a train wreck. Just can't look away.
I like the blade, after having lived in Turkey for a couple years I have really come to appreciate a lot of Turkish art, and blades are functional art.
I also lived in Japan, and love Japanese style blades and swords.

But the two fused together is an abomination.

Just my heavily biased opinion. If you like it, who cares what I think?
 
I have to wonder where the balance point and point of percussion would end up on that Frankensword.
 
It's like a train wreck. Just can't look away.
I like the blade, after having lived in Turkey for a couple years I have really come to appreciate a lot of Turkish art, and blades are functional art.
I also lived in Japan, and love Japanese style blades and swords.

But the two fused together is an abomination.

Just my heavily biased opinion. If you like it, who cares what I think?

Well, I'm impressed with your ability to personalize your opinion and not make it a personal attack.. but I'd have to disagree with your assessment. I actually do like how it looks; it's both a great reminder of a fantastic book (If you've not read Freehold, I wholeheartedly recommend it), as well as a rather out-of-the-ordinary blade to mount over my fireplace... and in a pinch, pick up and use.

hso said:
I have to wonder where the balance point and point of percussion would end up on that Frankensword.

That's actually something I only vaguely touched on with Mike. Originally, yup, it was absurd... the blade is no slouch; the fuller is rather deep, but the blade itself is significant to begin with so it still results in a rather noticeable weight.

Further, it's a part of why I wanted the hilt re-done.. it was just way too short, and meant that just holding it became exercise after more than a few moments. With a longer hilt, I anticipate that will shift things dramatically - but of course, we'll see. If you've touched any of MadMike's stuff otherwise, he's no slouch and produces pretty high quality end results. I'm not expecting magic, but odds are good it'll be a pleasing piece of, as USAF Vet put it, Functional Art.
 
Making it a hand and a half with counter weighting pommel will help shift the balance back a bit away from the 2x4 held at arm's length I guess it feels like now.
 
I must admit to not having read Mike Z's Freehold. He and I bumped heads a bit on the Baen Books board around the time he was working on the book until just after especially around Eric Flint's 1632 topics and with John Ringo. Sort of as a joke I tell authors I would be happy to read their book if they will send me a copy. When Freehold got published I was all burned out on Ringo's stuff and David Webber's multi verse beginning with Hells Gate and just could not read any more such.

While I think the modified blade in this thread is interesting I am reminded of the howling that takes place on the rifle board over the act of Bubba-ing an old military rifle. Now this has occurred with an old bayonet.

So shall we call the act of modifying an old Military blade a Mike-ing? You know as in "Whoa, Mike must of gotten ahold (or a Freehold) of that old war horse!"

Just teasing.

-kBob
 
Considering that most bayonets don't make for good swords/knives because of heat treat requirement differences I usually consider any efforts to turn a bayonet into anything other than a "sticker" just a crafts project.
 
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