Born in 1930, Erbil-native Haji Karam Saleh Ahmed has been making traditional Kurdish daggers since he was 15. Although not as fashionable as in years past. Ahmed's customers still search him out for the finest blades. Most he sells for $100, but some of his finest daggers are worth $600. He even made one for Mullah Mustafa Barzani. His craft is a way of life that has allowed him to raise 10 children. "I went to president’s office. I made them 28 daggers. I made them with gold. I sharpened Mullah Mustafa Barzani’s dagger. I made it very beautiful," he said.
