How to make an Uzbek pchak knife yourself. Types and characteristics of national Uzbek knives pchaks. From hand to hand

05.03.2020

Of great interest to collectors is the Uzbek knife, which is versatile in use, has a richly decorated handle and good workmanship. Such a chic blade will be a great gift for anyone who appreciates melee weapons. To date, many varieties of pchak are known - from knives for use in the kitchen, to richly decorated models for collectors.

Description of the knife

The Uzbek knife, or as it is also called pchak, is a traditional weapon of the Central Asian peoples, with a wide blade of an unusual shape and one-sided sharpening. Such blades are made of high-strength carbon steel, the handle can be made of wood, metal, horns or bones of exotic animals. The pchak is worn in a straight wide leather scabbard and is popular in the countries of Central Asia, where there are numerous variations of this weapon, which differ in the proportion of the blade and ornament.

Blade features include:

Unusual blade shape.
One-sided sharpening.
Wooden and bone handle.
Richly decorated handle.

The length of the Uzbek pchak is usually 12-27 cm. The thickness of the handle is 6-7 mm. The cross section of the blade usually tapers from the butt to the blade. The original blade geometry makes it easy to cut products, while the blade is perfectly balanced. It has optimal weight characteristics, fits comfortably in the hand, and thanks to the extended handle, it will suit people with large and medium-sized palms.

History of creation

Uzbek pchak is a modified Asian knife, which was known as early as the 4th century BC. In the future, several varieties of such weapons became widespread, the most popular of which was the pchak. Such a blade is extremely effective, versatile in use and at the same time has an attractive appearance. With equal success, this weapon can be used both in everyday life in the kitchen and considered as a combat one.

According to one version, such a weapon with an original blade shape appeared during the conquest of Uzbekistan and all of Central Asia by the Russian Empire. The new authorities, fearing unrest and rebellions among the local population, forbade them various types of edged weapons. The unusual shape of the blade made it possible to use the knife exclusively for cooking or at home, but such a blade was not suitable for use in combat purposes, it was allowed only in Asia and the Caucasus.

Today, the most popular are decorative models that have rich carvings on the blade and original handles made of bone or horns of exotic animals. Previously, Uzbek knives, which were made by craftsmen by hand, were considered the highest quality and most expensive. Such weapons are made by the largest weapons workshops, which follow a centuries-old tradition, observing all the proportions and features of the classic pchak.

Advantages and disadvantages

Collectors value Uzbek knives for their incredible beauty and energy. The best examples can cost several thousand dollars, they are made by famous craftsmen and are real works of art.

The advantages of these knives include the following:

Versatility of use.
Stylish appearance.
Durability and strength.

The disadvantage of such blades is the difficulty of sharpening, as well as the need for proper care of the weapon. So, pchak does not tolerate water well, so the surface of the blade should be wiped dry, which eliminates the formation of rust. It is also necessary to take into account the high cost of such knives, which can reach 50,000 rubles or more.

Design features

A feature of this knife is the handle and the method of attaching decorative overlays to the blade. It is on the execution of the handle that the craftsmen spend most of their time and effort. A real Uzbek knife is made exclusively with a handle made of wood or bone. Models made from the horns of rare animals are also valued. Various inlays of expensive materials, precious metals and jewelry stones can be used as decoration. The cost of such a knife will directly depend on the complexity of the handle and the materials used for decoration.

The classic drawing of a pchak knife includes the following elements:

Today, several varieties of Uzbek knives are known, which have wide and medium-sized blades. Universal working varieties are made with a blade length of 8-9 cm, they are distinguished by the quality of sharpening, and due to their original shape they are characterized by excellent cutting ability. Massive varieties will be an excellent option for chopping vegetables. They are balanced, fit well in the hand, and their use is not particularly difficult.

Collection and working options

It is customary to divide the Uzbek pchak knife depending on its purpose. Beautifully decorated models, which are made of stainless steel, are intended more for decoration and are especially appreciated by collectors. If you choose a knife for work and use on the farm, then preference is given to weapons made of heavy-duty carbon steel. In the latter case, hardening can be performed by zone hardening, exclusively at the cutting edge of the blade.

For standard working models, the strength index is usually 50–54 units, therefore, even despite the use of high-carbon steels and the presence of hardening at the blade, it is often not possible to maintain the sharpness of the cutting edge for a long time. For sharpening pchaks, special stones and scissors are used to edit the shape, which makes it easier to use such weapons. To increase the strength of carbon steel, it can be oxidized, for which it is immersed in a solution of iron sulfate or Naukat clay.

Collection models have a handle richly decorated with engraving, which is covered with transparent enamel paint on top. Also appreciated are the options in which the handles are decorated with birch and mother-of-pearl inserts. The best craftsmen who work on such weapons by hand leave the so-called tamgo on the blade. This is the engraving signature of the master who made the specific model. Experienced collectors who are well versed in such weapons will be able to identify the area where a particular knife was made and the master who worked on such weapons from one signature engraving.

It is necessary to choose a blade taking into account what the pchak knife is intended for, how it will be used. If you need a weapon for working in the kitchen, then it is preferable to use the classic Uzbek pchaks, the blade shape of which is ideal for cutting meat, fruits and vegetables. But collectors choose old Akkadian varieties and handmade Uighur pchaki knives, which have an original appearance, have rich inlays on the blade and handle. They are highly prized by gun lovers.

When purchasing such a knife, it is best to refrain from ordering in various online stores. Otherwise, you can buy low-quality weapons, which not only do not meet all the classic requirements for the Uzbek pchak, but will quickly fail and require sharpening in just a few months of use.

It is best to buy knives in specialized stores where you can be completely sure of the quality of the offer. Collectors purchase them at special auctions and thematic forums. Such blades have all the necessary documents and certificates to confirm their originality and origin.

The cost of the best models

The cost of an Uzbek knife will depend on the specific model, the material from which it is made, as well as the brand of the manufacturer. The simplest clinics can have a price of 500-1000 rubles. Knives from Uzbekistan, made according to all the canons, will already cost 2-3 thousand rubles.

Models made by well-known gunsmiths who have been working on such blades for many days are estimated at 20-30 thousand rubles or more. Collectors also appreciate weapons that are 100 years old or more. Knives are made exclusively by hand, have an attractive appearance, which allows them to become a diamond in the collection of every edged weapons lover.

When purchasing knives, it should be remembered that in some models the blade length exceeds 90 mm. Such blades already belong to the category of edged weapons with all the ensuing restrictions. Their use will present a certain difficulty, so they are in demand only among collectors or among buyers who have the appropriate permits to carry edged weapons.

Uzbek national pchaks are a universal weapon in use, which is valued by collectors and used in everyday life when cooking. It is important to choose the right knife, which is made in compliance with all the requirements for classic models, made of durable carbon steel, which greatly simplifies its subsequent use. It is necessary to take into account all the recommendations for choosing, including refraining from buying Uzbek pchaks in stores that do not guarantee the high quality of weapons.

Talking about Uzbekistan, I cannot but tell about the Uzbek national knife - pchak. Pchak or pechak (uzb. Pichoq - “knife”) is the national knife of the Central Asian peoples - Uzbeks and Uighurs. Traditionally, it has a straight wide blade made of carbon steel with a wedge-shaped section with one-sided sharpening, sometimes with a narrow fuller along the butt. A thin handle, round in cross section, is attached at the level of the butt, slightly widens towards the head, sometimes ending in a beak-shaped pommel. It can be made of horn, bone or wood, also inlaid with colored stone. Pchak is worn in a wide straight leather scabbard. Distributed throughout Central Asia with slight differences in ornament and proportions.

In Uzbekistan, they are made mainly in the eastern and central parts of the country - there were no such knives in Khiva, only imported ones. In Bukhara, in the very center of the city, there are several workshops where pchaks are made, but the prices here are somehow exorbitant, apparently calculated for tourists who come for a day.

Tools in the workshop

The main blank for a knife is an automobile valve, but they are also made from some cheap stainless steel, but it is carbon steel knives that are most valued. There is better steel, there is Damascus, but the prices for such knives are appropriate.

After forging, the knives receive a handle made of fiberglass, plexiglass, metal, horn, bone, and then they are roughly sharpened on a grinding wheel.

After polishing, they are often applied with a pattern or inscriptions.

I still don’t understand why the knife is covered with a thin layer of hot paraffin (?)

Let him cool down

Apparently in order to then draw a sketch with a special brush, which in the future will be a drawing or an inscription

The final sharpening is done on such a grindstone

Sometimes, at the request of the client, a gift inscription is applied

Workshop

Well, the knives themselves

I bought one for myself in the market in Tashkent - an excellent knife in the household! Sharpening on a fork

Let's start simple. These photographs depict a knife that any person who is at least somehow interested in knives or who has been to Central Asia will call “PCHAK”, or, in Uzbek, “PICHOK”. The appearance of the pchak is peculiar and easily recognizable.

This is the most common pchak with a kaike blade. Such a blade involves raising the tip above the line of the butt by 3-8 mm. More advanced and inquisitive people will say that this is the Andijan Pchak.

Someone else will add: "Sharkhon."

The pchak blade itself is traditionally forged from carbon steel (in ancient times, broken weapons or iron ingots from India were used, from the 19-20th century automobile springs, bearing cages and other improvised materials were used, now factory-made steel bars of the ShKh type are most often used -15, U12, 65G or cheap fittings from St3).

In Uzbekistan, they still say: “Pichok made of carbon for work, stainless steel for decoration!”

If the blade is made of high-carbon tool (U12) or bearing (ШХ15) steels (which allows you to get a better product), then St3 shanks are usually welded to it, which is noticeable in the form of a triangle near the pchak handle.

By the way, many Japanese and Russian masters do the same, for example, G.K. Prokopenkov. This is due to the fact that U12 and ShKh15 have low impact strength and strength, and if the blade and shank are forged from a single piece of steel, there is a high probability of the blade breaking in the neck area, for example, when falling.

The length of the blade is usually 16-22 cm, the thickness always decreases wedge-shaped from the handle to the point, and at the handle it can be 4-5 mm. In cross section, the blade of the pchak also tapers wedge-shaped from the butt to the blade. The slopes are usually straight, rarely convex or concave lenticular. Blade width can be up to 50 mm. All this together gives a good geometry of the knife and provides an effective cut of any food products.

As already mentioned, carbon steel is used on pchaks, from what is at hand, hardening (as a rule, zone - only at the cutting edge) is usually carried out up to 50-52 Rockwell units, less often up to 54-56, and then only in recent times. On the one hand, a hardness of 50-54 units does not allow long-term retention of the sharpness of the cutting edge, but it allows you to edit such a knife on anything (the bottom of a ceramic bowl is usually used, but there are also special stones of a traditional shape for dressing pchaks and scissors), which, of course, is a big plus. But in this case, the knife quickly wears off and turns almost into an awl, so you have to buy a new one. Although the cost of pchaks (not souvenir ones) has always been small.

Recently, more and more often there are pchaks made of ShKh-15 steel, which can be hardened up to 60 Rockwell units, which we see on some blades.

Such hard blades are made specifically for the Russian and Ukrainian market in order to compete with Japanese kitchen knives. From my point of view, such hardness is not very justified, because pchaks have a very thin reduction and working with such knives requires certain skills and special equipment, otherwise the blade will crumble and break (similar to Japanese kitchen workers).

On the other hand, there is no special point in heating ShKh-15 to 50-52 units (the norm for a pchak) - just a translation of good material.

The surface of blades made of carbon steels is usually oxidized (burnished), immersed in a solution of Naukat clay (traditionally), ferrous sulfate or ferric chloride, due to which the blade acquires a dark gray color with a blue or yellow tint, and is decorated with a fuller (“komalak”, moreover if there is only one dol, then it will definitely be from the side of the tamga), stamped with a brand (“tamga”) or engraved. The knocked-out recesses are filled with brass. On carbon blades, a hardening zone is often noticeable.

The names of the parts of the pchak are presented below:

"GULBAND", or bolster, is cast from low-melting tin or tin-lead alloys, soldered from sheet brass or cupronickel and filled with tin or its alloy. I note that the use of lead in cooking is not good, and it is advisable not to use leaded knives (or at least varnish them). You can distinguish lead by trying it with a soldering iron (lead melts worse), it is highly oxidized, acquiring a dark gray tint, and gets dirty (like newsprint). It seems to me that the use of lead and alloys is a cost of the easy availability of old car batteries and bearing babbits.

They decorate the gulband with engraving (traditionally, with the Uzbek floral ornament “islimi”), often with filling in the recesses with enamel paint (black, red, green), as well as inserts of mother-of-pearl (“sadaf”), turquoise or rhinestones.

"BRINCH" - a strip of sheet brass or cupronickel, up to one millimeter thick, soldered around the perimeter of the shank when the handle is mounted on the surface ("erma dosta"). Handles are riveted to the brinch, decorated with engraving and decorative oxidation. I note that usually the brinch protrudes beyond the shank by 1-2 mm, and there is an air gap between the linings and the shank.

The meaning of this action is not very clear, except to save the material of the overlays when expensive material is used (for example, ivory). Perhaps this design allows you to dampen the stress in the handle, because. the same installation is traditionally used in the handles of Central Asian sabers (filling the air cavities with mastic).

"CHAKMOK" or pommel.

A specially made and decorated pommel is used on expensive pchaks with surface mounting (“yorma dosta”), in the form of metal pritins, or mounted mounting of handles (“sukma dosta”) from a hollow horn, in this case it is performed by soldering from cupronickel, brass.

Decorate with engraving, sadaf, rhinestones.

On inexpensive pchaks, chakmok is designated by changing the cross section of the handle (from rounded to rectangular) and / or the presence of a beak-shaped protrusion.

"DOSTA" - black, handle.

For manufacturing, local wood (apricot, plane tree), textolite, plexiglass, bones, horns are used, soldered from sheet metal (cupronickel, brass)

Wood, textolite and bone are usually not decorated, colored “eyes” and wire are inserted into plexiglass, the horn is decorated with decorative carnations, sadaf inserts or rhinestones, engraving is applied to metal handles, usually in the form of a floral, floral (“chilmikh guli”) ornament with adding rhinestones.

Handle shank with surface mounting ("erma dosta") usually has the same thickness in gulband and chakmok, rarely thickens towards chakmok. Often the thickness of such a handle exceeds its width - this is convenient for traditional cutting of vegetables in the preparation of Uzbek dishes: pilaf, salads "chuchuk", or "shakarob"

"TAMGA" - brand

As a rule, each craftsman (“usto”) who produces any product (especially knives) uses a workshop brand (tamga).

For Uzbek masters in the center of the tamga, a crescent is usually used (as a symbol of faith), stars are often used (they say that their number used to indicate the number of children-heirs or students who became masters) and the symbol of cotton.

Anything can be found on modern hallmarks - even the image of a car.

It should be noted that at present it is impossible to fully rely on the tamga to identify the master. I saw tamga, which is used by at least four different masters (although maybe one makes it, but different people sell it on their own behalf).

As with any household knife, a sheath is required for a pchak. As a rule, they do not differ in good materials and workmanship. Today, it is usually leatherette with cardboard inserts, sometimes decorated with appliqué and imitation beads.

More expensive pchaks may have a leather scabbard decorated with embossed or woven leather cord.

Rarely there are metal scabbards (melchior, brass) with engraving or combined ones (leather, wood, metal).

At the end of the review of the Andijan pchak, I will quote from O. Zubov’s article “The Sign of the Master” (magazine “Vokrug sveta” No. 11, 1979):

“... Wide, ringing with a black and purple tint, inlaid with red, green, blue and white pebbles - specks, three stars and the moon shine on the blade - the ancient brand of the Abdullayevs.

This knife is an indispensable helper at a meal with friends, an integral part of Uzbek cuisine. the master said. And, after a pause, he smiled: “But the best thing is to cut a melon!”

Considering the Uzbek pchaks, willy-nilly one wonders what led to the appearance of just such a form of blade.

The fact is that this form is suitable exclusively for cooking, while the neighboring peoples had a typical knife that could somehow be protected and used for other (non-cooking) needs, that is, they were used all over the world more versatile knives. The Uzbeks also had such knives, but ... only until the 14th century. The exact reason for the emergence of this form is not known, but if we recall that the 14th century is the century of the empire of Timur (Tamerlane), an empire with centralized power and strict laws, then we can assume that Timur's officials, or himself, were somewhat concerned about the subjugation of the conquered peoples , and, in order to prevent the appearance of edged weapons among the people, they took all the gunsmiths to the Shah's forges, to the capital of the empire, Samarkand, and for the civilian population they forced the craftsmen to make knives with a point raised up.

It is almost impossible to inflict stab wounds with such a knife, and, therefore, the danger of an uprising and other “terror attacks” is reduced.

Recall that in the days of another empire, already close to us in time, pchaks also did not belong to edged weapons precisely because of the shape of the blade, and for their manufacture they were not sent to places not so remote. Although there may be other versions. In any case, it turned out to be a very convenient knife for cooking, which quickly gained popularity in Central Asia. If it were not convenient, it would not have received such distribution!

In addition to pchaks with a “kaike” blade, there are pchaks with a “tugri” blade, that is, with a straight butt.

Let's compare two types of blades: the photo below clearly shows the difference between the blade "tugri" (above) and "kaike" (below)

The blade "tugri" has a constant or decreasing width towards the tip. Convenient for slicing meat, usually included in the butcher's kit ("kassob pichok").

In addition to the already mentioned "Andijan" pchak, one can come across the names "Old Bukhara" and "Old Kand".

In the "Old Bukhara" blade evenly narrows to the point, the rise is less pronounced, but the entire blade is often arched, the blade is more specialized for meat work - skinning, deboning.

Interestingly, to this day, the narrow Bukhara pchaks are often called "Afghan", although there is a difference between the pchaks from Bukhara and Afghanistan - on the "Bukhara" rivets go in one row, and on the "Afghan" - a half-envelope.

Also, traditionally Bukhara pchaks have a sheath with a ball or leaf at the end.

"Starokandsky" - the blade of this pchak is distinguished by its small width, most likely used as an auxiliary when deboning or peeling vegetables.

You can also meet the names "tolbargi" (willow leaf) and "kazakhcha". These are functional highly specialized knives designed to perform a specific job.

"Tolbargi" - a butcher's knife for butchering animal carcasses,

"Kazakhcha" - for cutting fish.

Pchaks "Kazakhcha" were distributed mostly among the inhabitants (fishermen) of the coast of the Aral Sea, mainly Kazakhs.

The line of the “Kazakhchi” butt approximately one third to the point forms a smooth notch, again rising to the point, located on the butt-handle line. The recess is sharpened on one or both sides. With a blade of this shape, turning the knife over, it is easy to clean and gut the fish.

The handles of the "tolbargi" and "kazakhcha" are usually made of wood and, as a rule, are not decorated (only the presence of a colored ornament on the gulband is allowed).

Here is a photo of the knives of the master Mamurjon Makhmudov from the city of Kokand:

"Tolbargi"

Well, another photo of knives from Tashkent

Photo from the Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan, the selection is called "Tashkent 1985"

The Uigur pchaks deserve special mention.

These are knives from XUAR (Xinjiang - Uighur Autonomous Region of China). Sometimes the name Yangisar knives is found - the name was fixed in the center of production - the city of Yangisar. They also have the "Old Bukhara type-Afghan" and "Old Kandish", but if you look at the photos, you can see the differences. The higher quality (and beautiful) manufacture of handles and the absence of a cast gulband (bolster) made of tin are striking, the blade shanks are almost always open, the brinch is not used. But the blades are often processed roughly, or not sharpened at all, because. the production of Uyghur knives with sharpened blades longer than 200 mm is prohibited by Chinese law!

Starobukharsky. Uyghur masters

Afghan. Uighur masters.

Starokandsky. Uighur masters.

If the Uzbek pchaks are more specialized for cooking, then the Tajik KORDs are more versatile knives.

Cords come in three typical sizes. The most common (most working) has a length of 14-17 cm, a large knife "Gov kushi" ("cow cutter") is used for slaughtering livestock and has a length of 18-25 cm and the smallest knives (less than 14 cm) are for women.

The blades of traditional cords are powerful, up to 4 mm thick at the guard (I note that if the thickness of the knife blade is more than 2.4 mm, then it can already be considered as a melee weapon and is prohibited for free circulation), lenticular slopes from the butt or the middle of the blade width, less often straight (for Uzbek pchaks, as a rule, the opposite is true). The cutting edge is displayed on each knife, depending on the purpose. The butt of a cord blade, usually machined from a finished strip of metal, is straight and parallel, and not wedge-shaped, like a pchak. On the blade, valleys are usually machined, one or two on each side, or two on the right and one on the left.

Installation depends on the area of manufacture. In the southeastern mountainous regions, preference is given to mounted installation, and in the western and northern regions, which are closer to Uzbekistan, to overhead installation. Moreover, the overhead installation of the cord is somewhat different from that of the pchak: a brazed brinch is not used, and the entire shank is poured around the perimeter with a tin alloy, so the handle on the pchak is lighter, and on the cord it is stronger! In general, the device for cords is only cast, made of tin and its alloys (or silver), the ornament is only engraved and more geometric, radially symmetrical, in contrast to the complex-vegetative Uzbek “islimi”. The ornament is individual for each master and can replace the stigma (the cords are traditionally not stigmatized, at least on the blade, on the guard there is a certain ornament or stigma)

The overhead handles of the cords are always wider than those of the pchaks, they expand towards the pommel and have a characteristic notch for the little finger.

Horn, bone, wood, plastic go to the handle of the cord. When mounted or overhead mounting, the cord blade shank is always full for the entire length of the handle (with the exception of small knives for women in the kitchen).

Photo from the Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan, the selection is called "Khorezm, Khiva. 1958"

I would like to once again dwell on the terminology - pchak, pichok, bull, cord, card.

The fact is that some time ago I got a knife somewhere in the 17th-18th century

Length 310mm, blade length 185mm, butt width 30mm, butt thickness (3.5-2.5-1.5)mm. The purpose of the groove on the butt is not clear to me, except perhaps to increase the thickness of the butt, which slightly increases when the groove is minted. The yellow metal in the ornament is gold. Hardness about 52 units. I was struck by the blade structure (as the famous cutler Gennady Prokopenkov put it, “just aerobatics!”): - a wedge from the butt with a concave lens, and turning into a drop-shaped view a few millimeters (from 3 to 5) from the cutting edge. Of course, this is all - tenths of a millimeter, but everything is visible and palpable. After some persuasion, G.K. Prokopenkov agreed to make me a modern copy, preserving the entire blade structure as much as possible.

Here is the knife:

It turned out that when working in the kitchen, it surpasses almost all the knives I have - both in terms of cut quality and ease of use. Well, it’s easy to edit anything (even musat, even ceramics). Although if you chop vegetables for a long time, that is, on a stream, a good chef will apparently be more convenient. But for home...

In addition, its design allows you to cut off / cut the stick and protect yourself from any evil spirit.

That is, we got an excellent wagon.

Naturally, the question arose about the type of knife. There were two options - card or pchak. The cord was not considered for obvious signs. Based on the materials of the Internet and, in particular, the RusKnife conference, the Bukhara knife turned out to be the closest.

Knife from Bukhara. Museum of Artillery, Engineering Troops and Signal Corps. Exhibition "Weapons of the East 16-19 centuries"

I note that the “museum” exhibit is simply called “Knife from Bukhara”

Further searches resulted in the following photos:

Pchak is old. Bukhara

Pchak. Bukhara.

Bukhara card

Pchak Bukhara with turquoise

Pchak Afghanistan

Persian card

Note that in the last photo the knife (Persian card) has an armor-piercing thickening on the tip.

Thus, it is apparently not possible to determine exactly the type of my knife.

From the point of view of collectors and connoisseurs of edged weapons, a card is a knife created primarily for military purposes: it looks more like a stiletto and its edge, as a rule, is strengthened.

So I think that I have a pchak. Tugri-pchak, most likely, of Bukhara production.

However, I am most impressed by the position of Marat Suleymanov, who claims that card, cord and pchak are not brands at all, but simply the names of one product - a knife - in different languages ("pechak" - in Tatar, "pichok" - in Uzbek, "pshah" - in Azerbaijani, "kord" - in Tajik, "kard" - in Persian. Kard and Kord are close in sound, since Tajiks and Persians (Iranians) belong to the same language group, Uzbeks, Tatars, Azerbaijanis - to another, Turkic)

There is also a "bull" - a Karachay knife (see the article "Bychak - the knife of every Karachay" on this site), but the Karachays and their closest relatives - the Balkars, as you know, are also Turkic-speaking peoples.

There are also knives of the Turkmen-Saryks (photo from Rusknife)

Thus, without touching on military topics, it seems most correct to say:

National Uzbek knife (pichok, or pchak)

National Tajik knife (cord)

National Uighur knife (pchak)

National Karachai knife (bull)

Here is another photo from the “Turkestan Album” 1871-1872

Samarkand, Pichak Bazaar (By the way, the original says “Pisyak Bazaar”)

In previous years, Uzbek pchaks came to the European part of the USSR in the form of single specimens, most often they were brought from expeditions in Central Asia. As a rule, their quality was not at a high level.

Since the end of the 90s of the last century, the Soyuzspetsosnaschenie company began regular deliveries of Uzbek pchaks to Russia, and it became possible to purchase them at the company's office or in retail. Currently, they can be purchased in many knife stores and oriental culinary shops, including online stores (in particular, in Dukan Vostoka, Pchak-handmade knives, etc.).

At first, suppliers bought pchaks in bulk at the bazaars in Uzbekistan, so it was impossible to find out either the name of the master or the place of manufacture from the sellers. As the market saturated, the trade began to "civilize", and now you can buy pchak made by a particular master (especially from those sellers who buy products directly from the masters), and choose the type, style and materials of the blade and handle.

During the Soviet Union, the most popular were pchaks from the city of Chust, where there was the only knife factory in Uzbekistan.

Photo from the Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan, the selection is called "Chust 1987"

At present, the bulk of Uzbek pchaks are produced in the city of Shakhrikhon, Andijan region of Uzbekistan, where there is a whole urban area (“makhalla”) of cutlers (“pichokchi”), in which entire family dynasties of blacksmiths and pchak fitters work.

Photo from the Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan, the selection is called "Shahrikhon 1999"

Thus, the famous craftsman Komiljon Yusupov, who devoted more than 50 years of his life to his craft, and was elected the elder of the mahalla pichokchi of Shakhrikhon, passed on his art to his sons and now the brothers can make, if they wish, very good products.

Usto Bakhrom Yusupov

In other regions of Uzbekistan, individual craftsmen (“usto”) and pichakchi families also live and work, but their products are much less common. For example, the Abdullayev family, who lives and works in Bukhara, also makes pchaks, but their true “horse” is hand-forged scissors for various purposes, famous throughout Uzbekistan.

Related to the Uzbek pchaks, Tajik knives (“cords”) are mainly produced in the city of Istaravshan (former Ura-Tyube).

Also, stands with pchaks and cords are always present at various knife exhibitions: “Blade”, “Arsenal”, “Hunting and Fishing” and others ...

Usto Abduvahob and his knives:

The director of the store "Dukan Vostoka" Bakhriddin Nasyrov with Uzbek masters - "usto": usto Ulugbek, usto Abdurashid, usto Abduvakhob.

Usto Ulugbek

Usto Abdurashid

Both pchaks and cords are made by hand, and it is safe to say that each such knife carries a particle of the master's soul.

Already with an external examination, you can judge the level of quality of the knife:

- good build and processing of the blade, a pronounced hardening line and a thin cutting edge allows you to count on a good and long cut;

- well-soldered or cast from pure tin (light and shiny) gulband allows you to use pchak or cord in the kitchen without the risk of lead poisoning;

- a clean and long ringing after clicking on the blade, the absence of a shank at the saddle handle indicates a high-quality assembly;

- the absence of gaps between the device and the handle, or cracks in the handle handle prevents the reproduction of microorganisms in them;

If possible, pchak and cord, like any other tool for work, need to be selected “by touch” so that it becomes a “natural extension of the hand”.

The only (today) pchaks that cannot be faulted are the pchaks of Mamirjon Saidakhunov

Blade 140x4mm at the butt, evenly descends to the spout. Reduced to zero, the double-sided lens is light, sharpened perfectly. Powdered steel DI-90, heat in the oven, 61 hardening somewhere. Handle 110mm, walrus bone. Gulband is a hard alloy based on tin. The food cuts brutally, the tree cuts dry, the chicken cheerfully butchers. Sheath: 3mm leather, water resistant

True, there is a small nuance - the master lives and works in Ukraine and the price for this knife is quite high (compared to other pchaks)

To date, more than 30 knives from Shakhrikhon, Samarkand, Tashkent and so on are presented in Russia ...

In addition, such knives could not fail to interest Russian manufacturers.

So, at the request of their customers, they make pchaks:

Gennady Prokopenkov

We can see this knife almost every weekend on the NTV channel in the hands of Stalik Khankishiev. Fiber composite based on 40X13, hardened up to 52-54

Dmitry Pogorelov

Steel CPM 3V, HRC - about 60. Length 280 mm, blade length 150 mm, width 33 mm, thickness (3.5-2.5-1.5) mm, weight 135g. Handle -cocobolo Zeroing, excellent cut

Mezhov's workshop

Knife of S. Kutergin and M. Nesterov

H12MF steel, silver, rosewood, rosewood, bone. Knife length 280mm, blade 160mm, width 40mm, thickness 4mm, HRC 57-59

But even from the photograph it is clear that the mixing is by no means "Pchakovsky"

Zlatoust gunsmiths

Steel 95X18, HRC 58, length 292 mm, blade 160 mm, width 35 mm, thickness (2.2-2.0-1.8) mm, weight 120 g. The handle is walnut. Despite the small thickness and good reduction, the cut of this knife leaves much to be desired.

Gunsmith

Damascus, gilding. Length 260 mm, blade 160 mm, width 35 mm, thickness (4.0-3.5-2.0) mm, weight 140g. HRC is about 56. Convergence is about 0.2-0.3 mm.

Despite the various decorations, the cut is much better than the previous AiR.

A little testing showed predictable results - first Prokopenkov with Pogorelov, then Oruzheinik and then A&R by a wide margin.

It is interesting that the usual pchak (see photo) proved to be slightly worse than the pchaks of our eminent masters (in terms of cut quality), but better than the Gunsmith, but not by much.

In the middle of the last century, knives similar to pchak were made by the German company Herder, but I could not find out its specialization

Of course, a pchak, even a good one, is difficult to compare in terms of manufacturability and hygiene with a European chef, and in modern food production it will be less convenient, but in a home kitchen and especially somewhere in nature, this knife can give you a lot of pleasure!

For a more complete picture of the work of the pchak, I recommend that you read Roman Dmitriev's review "Pchak in real life" on this site.

Great help in writing the article was provided by Marat Suleimanov, Roman Dmitriev and the RusKnife forum

Special thanks for providing photos to Bakhriddin Nasyrov ("Dukan of the East") and Alexander Mordvin ("Pchak - handmade knives")

Taken from CookingKnife.ru

Each people, depending on the characteristic geographical, climatic and socio-cultural conditions of life, adopted and received the greatest use of its own type of knife, which has distinctive features from similar tools of other nationalities. Among them belongs national Uzbek knife "pchak". Appearing, according to various sources, among the Central Asian peoples at the turn of the 14th-15th centuries, it has retained its form almost unchanged to this day.

General description of the Uzbek knife "pchak"

The name of the product comes from the Uzbek word "pechak", which means directly "knife". Pchak knives distributed throughout Central Asia with minor differences in proportions and decoration. Their characteristic features are a wide straight blade with one-sided sharpening and a thin (already blade) handle, which is attached flush with the butt.

The knife blade can be up to 50 mm wide. Its length is usually 16-22 cm. The section of the metal part is wedge-shaped, tapering from the butt to the blade. From the handle to the tip, the thickness of the knife gradually decreases: from 4-5 mm to zero. The descents are most often straight, less often - convex or concave. This geometry provides the product with excellent cutting properties.

Traditionally, carbon steel is used to make the blade. As a result of burnishing with ferrous sulfate, ferric chloride, or local varieties of clay, the metal surface acquires a specific dark color with a bluish or yellowish tint. Often the blades are hardened, decorated with an engraving or an embossed brand. It does Uzbek knife not only a necessary element of everyday life, but also distinguishes it as an object that characterizes the culture and life of an entire people.

The history of the spread of pchak knives since the times of the USSR

During the Soviet Union pchak uzbek knives could be found in the European part of the country in single copies, brought as souvenirs from tourist trips or expeditions in Central Asia. The most common was the production of the only knife factory in Uzbekistan in the city of Chust. To date pchak knives are made in semi-handicraft industries. Most of them are produced by the masters of the city of Shakhrikhan, Andijan region. There is a whole handicraft area where dynasties of blacksmiths and cutlers work.

Regular deliveries national Uzbek knives to Russia began to occur by the end of the 90s of the last century. It became possible to purchase them in retail trade: in specialized stores and oriental culinary shops. At the same time, specialized online stores, guided by increased demand, began to offer pchak knives: them a photo filled up many electronic catalogs. Today, not factory stamped products are in special demand, but products of specific craftsmen. Author's works are marked with engraved emblems of the manufacturer who made them. do-it-yourself pchak knife, depicting stars and a crescent in Islamic traditions.

Popular varieties of pchak knives: sharkhon and old Bukhara

On practice Uzbek knife pchak designed for household needs: cutting meat products, cleaning and cutting vegetables. Depending on the type of operations performed, knives of various shapes are used. Therefore, to complete the collection, it makes sense to purchase the main types of Uzbek knives the most common forms:

kaike - with the tip of the blade raised up;
tugri - with a straight blade and a smooth butt;
kushkamalak - with a double fuller along the butt.

The most versatile in use are samples with a blade length of more than 14 cm. Such models are called "sharhon". They are very convenient for professional cutting of various products: without knocking on the cutting board, but in a fluffy manner, as in video culinary forums.

Along with the most popular Chust and the most common Andijan (Shakhrikhan) bees, you can find varieties called “Old Bukhara” in online catalogs. Their characteristic feature is an arcuately curved blade, evenly tapering towards the tip. Their second frequently used name is “Afghans”.

National Traditions of Finishing “Pchaka” Gift Samples

For souvenirs and collectibles, it is preferable to choose from piece goods from famous craftsmen. Each such pchak knife, a photo which can be seen on thematic sites and forums, is a masterpiece of a particular master. At the same time, custom-made knives go through all the necessary stages of hardening and sharpening, allowing them to be used in practice.

In addition to providing practical functions, gift pieces are finished in the best traditions of oriental color. To a large extent, this applies to the decoration of the handle, which Uzbek knives rather narrow in cross section, with a characteristic beak-shaped bend at the end. Valuable specimens are made from various types of wood, hoofed horns or metal. Often they are inlaid with mother-of-pearl or semi-precious stones.

Sharpening knives and care rules

The master in the manufacture sharpens do-it-yourself uzbek knife pchak on a corundum circle. The end of sharpening is determined by the tone of the sound that makes pchak knife, a video online can demonstrate this. You can adjust the sharpness of the blade from time to time simply on the bottom of the ceramic plate.

Subject to corrosion, the metal of the blade requires careful handling. Blades must not be left wet after use. They should be stored in a suspended state or on a stand, you need to wipe dry.

[:RU]Pchak or pechak (Uzb. Pichoq - "knife") - the national knife of the Central Asian peoples - Uzbeks and Uighurs. Traditionally, it has a straight wide blade made of carbon steel with a wedge-shaped section with one-sided sharpening, sometimes with a narrow fuller along the butt. A thin handle, round in cross section, is attached at the level of the butt, slightly widens towards the head, sometimes ending in a beak-shaped pommel. It can be made of horn, bone or wood, also inlaid with colored stone. Pchak is worn in a wide straight leather scabbard. Distributed throughout Central Asia with slight differences in ornament and proportions.