Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

arsendaday · 3rd March 2016, 05:34 AM

Harry, I was bidding on this one myself, but it got too expensive for me. I was really curious about this one as well and its good that a member of this forum got it so we can discuss it here. For all it's similarities to a Caucasian shashka it was never one. I am basing my opinion on the outer side of the handle: as it can bee seen it has a little bump just before the cross-guard and no shashka Caucasian or Russian has that. This bump is not added, because the blade tang has the same form. In most Caucasian and early Russian shashkas the outer edge of the handle is flat and continues almost seamlessly into the blade. Some of them have a handle that is slightly larger than the blade, but still there are no bumps or protrusions on them. The later Russian and Soviet shashka handles have three parts and put together they are a bit larger than the blade but still follow the same outline. IMHO this sword was thought and made this way and not modified. I think this was an experiment to incorporate a crossguard to a shashka type sword for the protection, as the Russians did with their Dragoon shashkas. Below are the photos of a
1. Caucasian shashka handle (Silver)
2. Russian shashka handle
3. Russian Dragoon shashka handle (with a guard)

3rd March 2016, 05:34 AM	#9
arsendaday Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 44	Good One Harry, I was bidding on this one myself, but it got too expensive for me. I was really curious about this one as well and its good that a member of this forum got it so we can discuss it here. For all it's similarities to a Caucasian shashka it was never one. I am basing my opinion on the outer side of the handle: as it can bee seen it has a little bump just before the cross-guard and no shashka Caucasian or Russian has that. This bump is not added, because the blade tang has the same form. In most Caucasian and early Russian shashkas the outer edge of the handle is flat and continues almost seamlessly into the blade. Some of them have a handle that is slightly larger than the blade, but still there are no bumps or protrusions on them. The later Russian and Soviet shashka handles have three parts and put together they are a bit larger than the blade but still follow the same outline. IMHO this sword was thought and made this way and not modified. I think this was an experiment to incorporate a crossguard to a shashka type sword for the protection, as the Russians did with their Dragoon shashkas. Below are the photos of a 1. Caucasian shashka handle (Silver) 2. Russian shashka handle 3. Russian Dragoon shashka handle (with a guard) Attached Images Last edited by arsendaday; 3rd March 2016 at 06:36 AM.