Uzbek Pchak 7 (damascus, green stabilized wood)

Pchak (from the Uzbek word Pichoq – knife) is a traditional knife of the Uzbek and Uyghur peoples, common throughout Central Asia with minor variations in detail. Pchaks traditionally have a single-edged blade with a full flat grind set in a narrow, round-cross-section handle. A narrow tang extends from the blade at the spine level. These are utility knives, intended for kitchen work, although among the Uyghurs, the pchak was an attribute of a man, so it must have also been used as a weapon. Pchaks were made from various materials; for the wealthy, they could be crafted from high-quality steels with richly decorated handles, but such examples were rare. Bulat and Damascus steel were more likely used for sabers, while mass-produced pchaks were made from carbon steels of low hardness.

This particular piece belongs to a more expensive variety of pchaks, with a blade made of Uzbek, low-hardness (40-45 HRC), yet Damascus steel. The blade is susceptible to corrosion; it is important to wipe the knife dry after use and store it in a dry place. The blade profile is of the "kaike" type – the tip of the knife is raised above the spine line. The handle is of the "yerma" type, meaning it is not a single piece but consists of a metal center and scales, in this case, made of stabilized Karelian birch. The birch is dyed in a special way to achieve the valued "marbled" pattern. The gulband (a bolster characteristic of pchaks) is decorated with mother-of-pearl (sadaf). The sheath, with a traditional form for knives from this region, is made of artificial leather with a plastic insert and decorative embossing.

Overall length: 268 mm

Blade length: 150 mm

Blade width (max.): 28 mm

Blade thickness (max.): 2.2 mm