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Post by Onimusha on Nov 28, 2012 19:52:11 GMT
I'm going to forge it from a piece of spring. I think I can pull it off (that's half the battle right?). The only question remaining is what to use for grip stock.
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Post by Anders on Nov 28, 2012 20:50:25 GMT
In my personal experience, forging is the easy part. The hard part is the heat treatment.
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Post by Onimusha on Nov 28, 2012 22:05:52 GMT
That's true of any forged blade, but if you believe, you can achieve. That is, if you know what you're doing. I've read that you can spring temper 5160 by submerging it in brake fluid, setting it on fire, and letting the fluid burn away.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Nov 28, 2012 22:30:44 GMT
The thing about the shashka is, what do you mean when you say shashka?
There's the original, indigenous shashka, the "long knife" of the Circassian people, used for cutting vines. Then there's the Russian military shashka---adopted in honor of the cossacks in the Caucasus. I strongly suspect that the imperial armories just started making standard military sabers without a guard. Then the shashka spread to Central Asia, and frequently blades were either recycled, or sourced from standard vendors. (Like an 18th century Kult of Athena! Only without online ordering.)
I know I've seen (online) some Central Asian shashkas that were using recycled saber blades, some that looked very, very much like a 1796 light cav/Blucher saber.
Grip material? Bone, horn, wood, ivory, niello over hammered metal. I've seen 'em all. Choose the best locally sourced hardwood and go from there, is my advice. Then again, I'm big on "in the spirit of" and not "it's a true clone."
Also, I think the best way to get a close approximation of a shashka is probably to start with a Windlass 1860 light cavalry saber, remove and recycle the guard and grip, and go from there.
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Post by Onimusha on Nov 28, 2012 22:43:03 GMT
I want the traditional handmade shashka that a Cossack would carry. I want it to have the proper weight and balance. It doesn't have to look like an existing one.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Nov 28, 2012 23:31:49 GMT
If you can hold off for a couple of weeks, I should have mine all cobbled together, and I can post it to the derision of the masses.
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Post by Onimusha on Nov 29, 2012 0:22:39 GMT
Sounds good. Be sure to detail the hilt attachment. I was thinking along the lines of the ones in this video . By the way, is that the proper grip, or is it personal preference? |
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Nov 30, 2012 4:13:42 GMT
So many (good) questions, to which I have so very few (good) answers!
That's a good video----he shows the flexibility and sharpness in conclusive fashion. That, for me, is what makes a shashka a shashka, and not just a guardless saber.
If you'll notice, at about 2:50 of the video, when he sheathes the shashka, not only the blade but a goodly bit of the handle goes down into the scabbard/sheath. So the grip he demonstrates would be good for the old "excuse me while I whip this out." As for whether it's proper, I'm still looking for the answer to that question.
Unfortunately my hard drive crashed and I lost my pdf copies of Avtatsveturian's books on Turkish and Caucasian weapons, gonna have to try and track down fresh copies.
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Post by Onimusha on Nov 30, 2012 4:33:17 GMT
I did see an antiue shashka on eBay that had a grip that looked like you could only get three fingers on it. All the videos I've watched on shashka combat show a full hand grip. Maybe the three-fingered grip is used for the flashy twirling, and the other grip is for business. I noticed the sheath. From what little I've been able to glean from the videos, they practice sliding their hand along the sheath, catching the "hook" on the pomel with the edge of their hand, and cutting in one motion. I like that. The system seems well thought through and aggressive. The guy in the video is supposed to be an actual Cossack. Apparently, they still carry the things around. At least that's what the forum post said.
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Post by K. Vander Linde on Nov 30, 2012 13:50:11 GMT
Yes, they do. You would probably like their festivals: dance, food, & cutting competitions.
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Post by Onimusha on Nov 30, 2012 17:46:53 GMT
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Nov 30, 2012 17:49:41 GMT
Outstanding! Thanks.
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Post by Onimusha on Nov 30, 2012 17:59:17 GMT
There's another video there showing a speed demonstration. The guy in that video is carrying something that looks like the windlass. The thread is an interesting read. hemaalliance.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=2605 this thread has links to manuals, threads, and videos. The manuals are in Russian, and, therefore, are useless to me. |
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