The Shashka

(Adyghe language: (Сащхъуэ, Сашфэ, Сэшхуэ), Russian: (Шашка)) is a special kind of sabre; a very sharp, single-edged, single-handed, and guardless sword. In appearance, the shashka was midway between a full sabre and a straight sword. It had a slightly curved blade, and could be effective for both slashing and thrusting. The blade was either hollowed or fullered. There was no guard, but a large, curved pommel. The hilt was frequently highly decorated. It was carried in a wooden scabbard that enclosed part of the hilt. It was worn with the cutting edge to the rear, opposite to the sabre By the start of World War I, the weapon had become a distinctive symbol of the Russian army, just as it had found fame and glory among the Cossack border guards. After the 1917 Revolution the shashka became the primary edged weapon of the Red Army, and remained in use in Soviet cavalry units during the Second World War. Until 1949 the shashkawas the standard dress weapon of Soviet generals, and was issued to guard of honor soldiers from 1968.

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