Hand-Forged Ottoman Kilij Sword – Full-Tang 5160 Curved Sabre with Rosewood Handle

The kilij is the curved, single-edged sabre of the Ottoman Turks, carried from roughly the 15th century onward. It is defined by a strong forward curve, a cross-guard with downturned quillons, and a distinctive eared pommel that cants the grip into the hand. It is one of the most influential sword designs in history — European cavalry sabres descend directly from it. This one is a modern, hand-forged interpretation in 5160 spring steel.

The yelman is the flared widening of the false edge near the tip found on many kilij blades, which adds mass out at the point and increases cutting power. This sword is built with a clean tapering curve rather than a pronounced yelman. If you want a strong flared yelman, we can forge one for you through Custom Forge.

The clearest difference is the guard. A kilij has a cross-guard with quillons, as this sword does, while a yatagan has no guard at all and usually a forward-recurving blade. Both are Ottoman, but they are distinct forms with different handling.

Scimitar is the broad Western umbrella term for the whole family of curved Islamic-world swords. The kilij is one specific, named member of that family — the Ottoman Turkish sabre with its cross-guard and eared pommel. If you want the historically named Ottoman type, choose this kilij; if you want the general curved sword, our scimitar is the piece.

Yes. This is a real, fully functional kilij, not a cast display piece. It is hand-forged from 5160 high-carbon spring steel, full tang, oil-tempered, and sharpened to a true cutting edge before it ships. It is built to be handled and cut with, and finished cleanly enough to display as a centrepiece.

The blade is forged from 5160 high-carbon spring steel, the same alloy used in heavy-duty truck leaf springs, prized for toughness and edge retention. It is oil-quenched and tempered for a hard cutting edge backed by a flexible, shock-absorbent spine.

Yes. The tang runs the full length of the handle, so there is no rat-tail or glued-in tang to fail. Full-tang construction is what makes the sabre strong enough to handle and cut with rather than just display.

The forward curve is what makes a sabre a sabre. A curved edge slices as it passes through the target rather than simply chopping into it, which suits fast draw cuts, and it places the mass of the blade forward where the cut happens. On this sword the curve is drawn and ground by hand.

The handle is shaped rosewood over a full tang, with a polished steel cross-guard and the eared pommel characteristic of the kilij. Each grip is shaped and fitted by hand, so the grain and colour vary slightly from piece to piece.

Yes. Every sword ships with a brown leather scabbard dressed with decorative brass fittings, made by hand to fit the blade size you order.

Yes. You can add a name, initials, or a short message to the blade, and you can upload your own logo or photo for custom engraving. Personalized blades are forged to order, so please confirm the details before you buy.

Yes. We ship worldwide from Nepal by DHL or FedEx in 7 to 14 business days with tracking. In-stock specs dispatch within 2 to 3 business days; fully custom builds take roughly 4 to 6 weeks to forge first. Import and blade laws vary by country, so please check your local rules before ordering.