Uzbek Pchak 3 (damascus, stabilized wood)

Pchak (from the Uzbek wordPichoq– knife) is a traditional knife of the Uzbeks and Uyghurs, widespread with minor differences in detail throughout Central Asia. Pchaks traditionally have a single-edged blade with a full flat grind set in a narrow handle with a round cross-section. A narrow tang extends from the blade at the level of the back. These are utility knives, for kitchen work, although among the Uyghurs the pchak was a man's attribute, so it must have also been used as a weapon. Pchaks were made from various materials; for the wealthy, they could be high-quality steels with richly decorated handles, but such specimens were rare. Damascus and bulat steel were more likely used for sabers, and mass-produced pchaks were made from low-hardness carbon steels. Today, Uzbek pchaks available in Russia are made in 90% from widely available industrial tool steel ШХ15 (Polish analog LH15), but knives with a traditional Uzbek or Uyghur form but with blades ordered in Russia are also popular.

This pchak belongs to the type with a straight blade referred to as kordy–the back of the knife runs in a straight line from the handle to the point, with minimal drop. The blade is made of Damascus steel ordered in Russia with a hardness of 58-60 HRC (Uzbek Damascus steel is hardened lower, in the range of 40-45 HRC). The handle is made of stabilized wood. The bolster and guard are typically Uzbek. The sheath, in a traditional form for knives from this region, is made of artificial leather with a plastic insert and decorative embossing.

Overall length: 233 mm

Blade length: 115 mm

Blade width (max.): 27 mm

Blade thickness (max.): 2.6 mm