PRISON SHANK 011

Private collection
PRISON SHANK 011
Private collection

Collection

  • American Prison System
  • Weapons

Origin

Cayuga Correctional Facility
Moravia, New York, USA

Medium

Steel, cloth, and thread

Association

Manufactured by an incarcerated individual for close-quarters combat within a correctional facility.

Description

Improvised prison weapon constructed from a slender steel rod sharpened to a tapered point. The handle is formed by wrapping cloth tightly around the lower portion of the rod and securing it with thread, creating a thicker grip while partially concealing the tang. The steel exhibits extensive oxidation and surface corrosion, indicating prolonged use or storage. The overall design is simple and utilitarian, emphasizing concealability and effectiveness as a close-quarters improvised weapon.

PRISON SHANK 011

1/2

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550BC is an independent publishing house based in Amsterdam, founded in 2018. Specializing in the complex realities of organized crime and conflict, we explore these subjects through the lens of visual anthropology. Our photo books provide rare, first-person perspectives from within otherwise inaccessible worlds, often created in direct collaboration with those involved. 550BC is also home to a private collection of over 2,000 unique physical items, preserved artifacts from the worlds we document. A selection is presented in our online archive.

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