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Icko | 2 years ago

How are the scabbards so curvy? Is the blade simply very short?

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arthem|2 years ago

Historically in the Arab countries, people mainly rode camels or horses while wearing a dagger in their belt. A pointy scabbard would foible the wearer in the leg and groin. Curving the scabbard solves that problem nicely.

The blades do tend to be fairly short but longer than you would imagine as they too are curved.

citizenpaul|2 years ago

>A pointy scabbard would foible the wearer in the leg and groin. Curving the scabbard solves that problem nicely.

This is one of those comically out of touch armchair historian takes.

Curved blades were made back then for the same reason they are still made. They are effective at killing other humans quickly. Aimed at a throat or other vulnerable point the blade is highly likely to drag across an artery on the withdrawal thereby quickly ending your confrontation.

Curved blades don't work as well on animals with fur and thick hides.

fakedang|2 years ago

A bit of the two. The blade isn't the full length of the scabbard, but reaches a good length of it (usually four-fifths of it). But it's also reasonably curved enough.

JKCalhoun|2 years ago

Yeah, the first photo kind of shows you that. Does seem like a large part of the lower end of the scabbard is for "show"?

foobarian|2 years ago

Reminds me of shoe designs in that part of the world ending up with a pointy front that curves up.

Terr_|2 years ago

The only practical use I can think of it is that it makes it easier to ensure that when you pull on the handle, the blade comes out quickly instead of yanking the whole assembly along.

gms|2 years ago

Indeed.

(source: I'm from the region)