THE BUSINESS OF BLADE-MAKING: HOW CONTEMPORARY UZBEK KNIFE ARTISANS NAVIGATE MARKET ECONOMICS

Abstract

 Uzbekistan’s blade-making tradition—centered in the Fergana Valley towns of Chust and Shahrixon—has re-emerged as a vibrant micro-economy at the intersection of cultural heritage, tourism, and cross-border e-commerce. Drawing on recent festival, tourism, and sectoral statistics, this article maps the buyer segments, pricing ladders, channels, and policy supports that shape the market for contemporary pichoq/pchak knives. It argues that artisans who blend heritage branding with agile, digitally enabled distribution capture higher margins and longer customer lifetime value, while those reliant on low-information souvenir traffic face margin pressure and copycat risks. The analysis closes with practical recommendations—on provenance, limited editions, export compliance, and platform strategy—for sustaining artisanal livelihoods while protecting intangible heritage. euronews+1