shashka

— The question of form naturally concerns only the cutting weapon. Indeed, it is to a certain degree idle to discuss it at all, or at least of no great moment. To be convinced of this it is sufficient to compare the curvature of the yatagan with the less decided curvature of the shashka. Yet no Cossack would probably exchange his shashka for a yatagan, nor would any Turk give up his yatagan for a shashka, because that is all a matter of usage.