[Boris Bedrosov]

As the scabbard of the khanjar needs some fittings - here they are.



First, I made a couple of paper patterns - one for the chape, and another - for the mouth. These patterns were easier to work with and absolutely cheap - not as the real brass.
Well, when I was pleased with the resulting patterns, they were transfered on the sheet metal (this time I use very thin one - 0.25 mm) and cut off. As the brass is easy to work this time, I shaped both fittings relatively quickly.
And this is how the scabbard looks with them:



The long strip, which covers the seem needs some additional touch, but now it's more important to decorate the brass.
Here, I decided to use the same diamond-shaped pattern I used on the khanjar itself. The main differences are the techniques I use - while the dagger is engraved, the scabbard will be repoussed.
Well, after a couple of annealings and several hours of work I got this



Need some more finishing touches before sanding and polishing.

[Kai Lawson]

It always looks so good! I am ever motivated watching your WIP threads, Boris.
Keep them coming!

[Boris Bedrosov]

And the finishing touches were ready - this also took me a couple of annealings and several hours of work

* first, half of the diamonds got their dots with a center-punch


** then, all areas out of the diamonds were dotted also


And closer to the chape, in order to give a better idea about the appearance

[Boris Bedrosov]

The blade of the kilij after being sanded



and sometime later - after polishing



There isn't great difference in appearences on the both pictures.
As you might remember, the Islamic blades usually show very high level and quality of sanding. In my case I sanded it up to grit #2000. Effectively, I got almost mirror blade as a result of sanding, then the polishing was just for final touch.

[Boris Bedrosov]

These days I managed to finish the surface of the helmet



As a whole, I'm not quite pleased with what I got, especially in the areas between the ribs. Not sure, but I think the whole process of fluting I used, is totally wrong. I need something new for the future.

[Jeffrey Hildebrandt]

Hammering shallow flutes over a stake would probably create the desired effect with significantly less work. :-) The flutes on most originals are pretty shallow, and must have been sanded very carefully to create such even contours:

[Boris Bedrosov]

# Jeffrey,
I really should re-consider the whole process - what I've got, don't satisfies me.

As turban helmets usually show a distinctive decoration in a shape of eyebrows, I decided to make them first before moving to the next step - the etching.
Initially, my intent was to make the eyebrows from narrow strips of brass with hammering the outside edge until reaching the desired curvature in the particular area. Later, I decided to make them in quite easier manner cutting them from wider piece of brass.

* The sheet locked with locking pliers over the eye-slot, then I marked the contour of the slot


** Now the outer edge was marked


*** After cutting and some filing I got both the eyebrows ready. The long strip is the third decorative element of this kind and it runs around the cylindrical part of the helmet close to the bottom edge


**** And this would be the approx. appearance of the helmet with the brass strips. Of course, many things will be different at the end - for example, the blackened helmet and polished brass will show great contrast.

[Boris Bedrosov]

The khanjar scabbard is near completion - the fittings were shaped, a ball (actually a cone) was added at the point of the chape and the long strip was glued directly over the seam.



Next is the soldering of the fittings and some finishing touches.

[Boris Bedrosov]

After the soldering the scabbard is almost fully complete



The tip was bound with twisted steel wire, which was also soldered (here the soldering compound was somewhat overdosed); the wire extends over the cone - now it looks like as an acorn.



At the back I added a ring for the cord.



The ring was made from solid brass sheet, cut and shaped to L-shape to facilitate the soldering. Some ideas for the ring were from this



Ottoman original.

[Boris Bedrosov]

As I didn't manage to send all pictures in one post, I was forced to split it in two - so this is the second part of the previous one.

The soldering seam of the chape



and the seam at the mouth fitting with the ring



Well, actually these were my first two soldering seams on scabbard fittings. Till now I always connected them by means of brazing or bounding. As first-timer - the result is with acceptable quality.

And finally - the mouth; from the inside the fitting is covered with leather. Its purpose is to lock firmly but gently, the dagger.

[Kai Lawson]

It's amazing--I watched this come together in a sort of episodic, time-lapse manner with the photos posted here, and to see what resulted from the beginning elements is inspiring. This thread has been very helpful in terms of motivation, and it is full of interesting information and eye candy. Thanks Boris!!

[Boris Bedrosov]

Just one more cord to go - and the scabbard is finished



Actually, I wanted a cord in different colour scheme - red/gold, or at least black/gold. This one (black/silver) isn't quite good, probably I would change it if I find better one.

The knot on the ring



and the end of the cord - the tube is simply empty .22LR shell-case with clipped bottom and is absolutely test-made. As the result is good, but execution - not quite, this would be changed someday also.



As the khanjar usually was worn stuck into the sash, the purpose of the cord was to restrain the movement of the scabbard, denying it from falling. This was made by simple wrapping of the cord around the protruding out of the sash bottom and top sections of the scabbard.

[Shahril Dzulkifli]

As far as I know most Ottoman infantrymen during the 15th and 16th centuries carry the usual scimitars besides the kilij.
Swords can be changed, I guess.

Ottoman scimitar, 1600-1625

[Boris Bedrosov]

BTW, I have a bare blade for shamshir, but for this project I chose kilij mainly under the influence by the magnifecent Sultan Mehmet II's one.

[Boris Bedrosov]

The khanjar finished:

[Boris Bedrosov]

More:

[Boris Bedrosov]

And some final:











I would be able to provide some stats tomorrow.

[Boris Bedrosov]

The stats - only for the dagger, w/o the scabbard:
* total length - 370 mm
** blade length - 217 mm
*** blade width (at the guard) - 27 mm
**** blade thickness – 4.7 mm at the guard
***** cross-section - diamond
****** mass - 315 gr
CoG: in the area of the forward half of the first (the one closer to the blade) mother-of-pearl inlay
Steel: forged leaf-spring 65G
Grip: Buffalo horn, mother-of-pearl, zirconia, brass, bronze, copper and silver
Hardness: about 58 HRC

[Boris Bedrosov]

Friends,
I experienced a terrible half-a-month period - the kid got ill, then my beloved father Peter passed away on September 26th (R.I.P. Daddy - I miss you) and finally - after some 22 years as licensed driver I took part in a car accident (thankfully without any injuries, only the car and my pride suffered).
All these kept me away from the work for some time, but now I'm able to return with full pace.

The helmet was prepared for etching.
This arabesque on the spike



is heavily influenced by the decoration of an Iranian helmet from the collection of MetMuseum.

The surface of the cylindrical part will be etched with the whole text of the Al-Fatiha - the first Surah (chapter) of the Quran http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Fatiha









The text itself starts from the middle of the top row (W-shaped symbol in the center-left) and runs right-to-left and top-to-bottom. As the Al-Fatiha consists of seven ayat (verses), they are divided with several flower-shaped motives.

[Kai Lawson]

Boris--

That sounds like a rough time. i certainly hope things are improving for you now, and that you're in a good (or not a bad) mental place.
That said, the helmet looks really great. All the detail that will go into it will make it stunning.Are you planning any brass accents, and will the flutes have any internal decoration? Most helmets in this 'style' that I've seen, not that that number is very high, have had tighter, close set flutes. I like the boldness of your wider sets, but I'm wondering if you plan to do anything to the troughs in between.