Yakut knives: forging, sharpening, drawing

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:45

Knife, somewhat different from the usual one in our understanding - asymmetrical, with recesses on one side of the blade - residents of Yakutia have long used such products. Today, Yakut knives are the hallmark of this region of Russia.

History of occurrence

The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is known in the world as the main supplier of diamonds. The musical instrument khomus is recognizable even in the most remote corners of the earth. Another well-known invention is the Yakut knives. Since ancient times, the people of the Turkic language group have lived on such a vast territory. The ancestors of modern inhabitants came from Central Asia. The Yakuts call themselves "Sakha". Having mastered the harsh laws of living in the northern regions, this people not only adapted to them, but also learned to benefit from them.

Since ancient times, the Sakha have learned to extract and process iron ore. Blacksmith skills were not inferior to the products of blacksmiths in developed European countries. Russian Cossacks in the seventeenth century, having begun to interact with the Yakut hunters, noted the quality of their tools of labor and hunting. The Yakut blacksmiths knew how to smelt iron, bypassing the cast iron stage.

Archaeological work on the territoryThe settlements of this ancient people make it possible to prove the centuries-old history of Yakut knives. In the studied burial grounds and sites, scientists find samples of knives that are very similar to Yakut knives. Through the millennia, they have retained their size, geometric parameters and appearance.

Varieties

The design of the knife has not changed over the many centuries of its existence, but the ratio of the blade and handle may vary in each case. Different regions of Yakutia have their own standards for the manufacture of this product. The classic Yakut working knife is a blade of 110-170 millimeters mounted on a wooden handle.

Among the variety, there are three main types. The first is distinguished by its small size. Blade length is from 80 to 110 mm. It is made for children and women. Used for various operations in the household. The second type is the traditional and most common knife. Blade length - no more than seventeen centimeters. It is used by hunters and fishermen. No man can do without it. The third type is rarely made, because it is large and looks like a military weapon. The length of the blade is from eighteen to thirty centimeters. They call him respectfully "hotohon".

The hunters themselves distinguish tundra and taiga knives. The difference between them is in the width of the blade. With a narrow blade, the tundra knife is more often used for drilling and rivers. A taiga knife with a wider blade is used for cutting prey and livestock orwoodworking.

Main distinguishing feature

The most important difference is that the blade of the Yakut knife is asymmetrical. The knife itself has a blunt and straight back with a sharp end. It is sharpened only on one (left) side. If you look at the knife from the handle, the side edges will be completely different. The left side is convex, perfectly smooth.

All knives with an asymmetrical profile are sharpened from the working (right) side, but the Yakut knife is sharpened only from the left. This approach has its own explanation: the master most often processes the tree. Having a left-handed knife, a person precisely regulates the depth of planing. The same feature gives the accuracy of the multifunctional planer.

Cutting frozen meat or fish is much easier, the knife goes like clockwork. Skinning an animal, dressing it with such a knife is a joy, because everything happens quickly and without delay. Another definite plus: you can sharpen such a knife even in the field. A stone or, for example, the edge of a metal bucket is suitable for this.

On this basis, the Yakuts distinguish between knives for right-handers and left-handers. For a right-hander, you need a standard knife sharpened on the left side. For a left-hander, you will have to make a special mirrored knife.

Second Feature

The right side of the blade is usually absolutely straight, in the center there is a longitudinal groove. The presence of a fuller on one side of the blade is another feature of the Yakut. Craftsmen make knives with a short and thin fuller or a wide full-length blade. The Yakuts call him Jos. The appearance of such a feature is explained in different ways. The first version of the appearance of such a detail is associated with the original material for making a knife from a bone cut along the length. And the gutter is nothing more than a bone marrow hole.

Another option: Yakut knives were made from two parts. The base is soft iron, the hard part is for the blade. This was done to save solid steel. The groove in this case was like a compensatory leash, which appeared in the process of hardening the two components of the blade.

The flat right side plays an important role. It brings the blade section closer to a quadrangular shape. To work with wood or sew clothes from leather, you need to apply force. The penetrating action is enhanced by this special shape of the Yakut knife.

What is the gutter for

There are several reasons for the relevance of the valley. In addition to saving iron, there are practical indicators. In Yakutia, frosts below 30-40 degrees Celsius are not uncommon. A knife without a fuller is difficult to sharpen and edit. The blade with a fuller is thinner, very sharp, holds the edge well. It can be sharpened quickly and easily.

The wide chute when cutting the carcass allows the knife to come into contact with the meat only with the back side. The chute remains free, the skin is removed from the animal more easily due to the reduction of the contact area. Blood flows freely through the recess in the blade.

The presence of a chute allows you to lighten the weight of the product. The master, when forging a Yakut knife, triesmake it light so that it does not sink in water. The fisherman, having dropped the knife from his hands, is sure that he will not drown, or at least not immediately go to the bottom. A specific handle helps to stay afloat.

Handle

Knife handle at first glance does not have anything special. It is made from a birch burl - this is a kind of growth on a tree trunk. Impregnate the finished pen with special oil. The length of the handle is thirteen to fifteen centimeters. With an individual order, the width of the palm is measured, the handle should be slightly wider, without any guards or stops. The shape of the handle resembles an egg, the narrow part of which is directed towards the blade. Taking such a knife in hand, the hunter feels comfortable and reliable.

Sometimes the handle is made of birch bark. Fishermen have a special requirement for such products: the master must make the Yakut knife so that the handle can keep it afloat. Items with handles made of plastic or mammoth bone play the role of souvenirs. They are not used in everyday life.

Sheath for "Yakut"

The Yakut knife needs a kind of scabbard. Initially, for this they took an oxtail. It was turned inside out with a stocking, a wooden insert was inserted inside. The dimensions of the liner should have been larger than the knife itself. His task was not to hold the knife, but to protect it from breakage.

The knife goes into the sheath two thirds of the length of the handle. In this position, the sheath firmly held the product by the handle, and the blade remained free. Could build a scabbard of birch bark or wood. A cord was attached to the body for fastening.

Traditional wear

The Yakut knife is worn on the left side or in front. Free hanging does not interfere with human movements. The hunter quickly draws the knife with his right hand, while resting his thumb on the base of the scabbard.

The blade of the knife looks to the left, directed at the person when being removed from the sheath. It's always been that way, it's a tradition.

Importance of the invention

Modern craftsmen, in compliance with all traditional requirements, make a Yakut knife, the drawing of which is passed down from generation to generation. The hope that the invention will not become obsolete, and the fire of masters' love will be passed on to descendants, is very high. Modern edged weapons experts distinguish this knife with a versatile and unique design.

The philosophical basis of the knife is to use it only for creativity and work. The master creates his product as a helper, not for war or harm.

In Yakut families, a child from the age of five received a knife. Mothers were not afraid that the boy would get hurt. First blood and a small cut taught the baby to be careful, neat, and therefore rational. The first knife was made specifically for a child's hand.

A man should have several knives: for household purposes, for woodworking and for hunting. In solemn occasions, they put on an elegant knife, which emphasized the status of its owner. On ordinary days, he hung over the bed. None of the household members had the right to touch him. The family heirloom was handed down to the eldest of the sons.

Historicphenomenon

The Yakut knife is an exceptional historical phenomenon. He is put on a par with the famous "Finnish". A few decades ago, it was classified as a melee weapon and banned. Today, it is written about in the legislative acts of the Russian Federation. Since 1995, the “Regulations on the procedure for the manufacture, sale, acquisition, carrying and transportation of the Yakut knife on the territory of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)” have been adopted.

This knife is suitable for repelling enemy attacks, it is an indispensable friend in hunting and fishing. The Yakuts themselves often call it their third hand. They think it's better to lose a gun than to be without a knife.