Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - The SHASHKA: what, whom, where, when and how?

Radu Transylvanicus · 22nd January 2006, 08:17 PM

I am very excited along with others in the Forum to see an infusion, a captivating wave of interest regarding the Shashka sabers. I also feel guilty of not knowing enough about them.
Does anyone know any article or maybe any kind of manual that deals with the type of fencing tied specifically to the shashkas? Does the early Russian Army, likely the Czarist had anything like it since by all means these swords were no outlaws, were well regarded and in regimental issue.
I would assume more than anything would be a cavalry sword used much in the fashion of a kilij/shamshir. But many differences exist. Their curvature is equal to that of classic Japanese katana. The morphology of the blade is similar to the Central-Eastern European sabers. The hilt is resemblant of the eared type Turko-Iranian weapons, especially the early yataghan. Still it retains a certain uniqueness and a sense of place as a breed apart. While the blades are very utilitarian, very fit for combat, the absence of guards, quillions, thumbrests or such suggests a different approach to fencing exercise. I am sure nevertheless you should be able to do new tricks, which were not permitted with others...
Without doubt, as powerful as beautiful, there is no questioning of the lethality but it seems very little fencing literature has been wrote on the matter of Shashka. I refuse to believe such an individual weapon had no particular place in the military manuals.
Even so, there are endless folk dances of the formers Soviet nations of the Caucasian that involve the use of the kindjals but don’t recall a single one to have the shashka as protagonist.

22nd January 2006, 08:17 PM	#1
Radu Transylvanicus Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 2008-2010 Bali, 1998-2008 USA Posts: 271	The SHASHKA: what, whom, where, when and how? I am very excited along with others in the Forum to see an infusion, a captivating wave of interest regarding the Shashka sabers. I also feel guilty of not knowing enough about them. Does anyone know any article or maybe any kind of manual that deals with the type of fencing tied specifically to the shashkas? Does the early Russian Army, likely the Czarist had anything like it since by all means these swords were no outlaws, were well regarded and in regimental issue. I would assume more than anything would be a cavalry sword used much in the fashion of a kilij/shamshir. But many differences exist. Their curvature is equal to that of classic Japanese katana. The morphology of the blade is similar to the Central-Eastern European sabers. The hilt is resemblant of the eared type Turko-Iranian weapons, especially the early yataghan. Still it retains a certain uniqueness and a sense of place as a breed apart. While the blades are very utilitarian, very fit for combat, the absence of guards, quillions, thumbrests or such suggests a different approach to fencing exercise. I am sure nevertheless you should be able to do new tricks, which were not permitted with others... Without doubt, as powerful as beautiful, there is no questioning of the lethality but it seems very little fencing literature has been wrote on the matter of Shashka. I refuse to believe such an individual weapon had no particular place in the military manuals. Even so, there are endless folk dances of the formers Soviet nations of the Caucasian that involve the use of the kindjals but don’t recall a single one to have the shashka as protagonist.