Pesh-kabz knife, Indian Police, no date

Pesh-kabz knife with etched decoration on blade and ivory grips on hilt.

The pesh-kabz is an Indo-Persian knife used extensively in northern India and Afghanistan. It has similarities to the Khyber knife, or choora, but has a significantly shorter blade. Designed as a stabbing weapon, the pesh-kabz had a sharp, tapering single-edged blade which was designed to penetrate mail armour and thicker textiles. Easily portable, the weapons were popular souvenirs for British soldiers serving on the North West Frontier of India.