Peshkov Brothers Workshop

Their work soon caught the attention of Russia's most renowned knife company, Shirogorov Brothers Workshop. In 2016, SBW commissioned the Peshkovs to create a line of branded accessories. It began with buckles featuring the company's famous bear face, followed by lighters and pins, and eventually lanyard beads.

This was how Artem and Alexander Peshkov entered the fascinating world of knifemaking. They met numerous makers, became immersed in the culture surrounding knife enthusiasts, and soon began collaborating with other craftsmen. The Peshkovs were commissioned to produce metal components for hunting fixed blades and art knives.

The brothers became involved in custom bead making almost by chance, at the request of friends. The first batch was distributed among their closest circle. Encouraged by the enthusiastic response, the Peshkovs decided to turn lanyard beads into a serious line of work. Their first three characters — Yorick, Clown and Papakha — were introduced in 2018. For their designs, they chose the most iconic totem of knife culture: the skull. The heads were cast in bronze and finished with a rich blue patina.

The brothers personally design every bead, create the master models, assemble, polish and patinate their distinctive creations. The only stage they outsource is the casting itself, as this demanding process requires specialized industrial equipment.

The Workshop's beads are just as interesting on the inside. The lanyard hole has a pear-shaped profile, allowing knots and melted cord ends to be tucked neatly into the wider lower cavity. This design also reduces the overall weight of the bead, while the thin walls allow for a smooth, clean cast surface without visible porosity.

Most Peshkov Brothers Workshop pieces are made from bronze and silver. The makers value silver for the exceptional polish and striking blackened finishes it can achieve. Bronze, meanwhile, offers endless possibilities for patination. And the Peshkovs have developed a particularly distinctive patina of their own, with a durable decorative finish ranging from deep blue to rare shades of red. Artem and Alexander occasionally experiment with copper as well, and in 2019 they began producing their first cobalt beads. Cobalt is notoriously difficult to cast and work with, but with careful heat oxidation it can develop an exceptionally durable surface in shades of gold, blue and violet.

The Workshop's lanyard beads fall into two main families: Yorick and Mosol. The first includes grinning skulls such as Dolph, Yorick, Konung and Clown, as well as the Peshkovs' most popular bead — a skull wearing a cap, nicknamed Chotkiy. The second family, as the name suggests, is made up of animated bones. The Mosol characters were created to expand the range beyond skulls, which simply don't lend themselves to every character concept. Thus came Executioner, Frank, Gilza and Hellboy.

Thanks to the custom nature of their production, every piece made by the brothers has its own individual characteristics. In 2019, however, Artem and Alexander took things a step further and released their first limited-edition bead: Mosol-Kar, featuring stylish exhaust pipes and a radiator grille in place of a mouth. The edition was limited to 50 pieces, each individually numbered.

In addition to lanyard beads, the Peshkov Brothers Workshop produces rings, bracelets, customized lighters and screwdrivers, as well as clips for watch straps.

At Knives by Maria Stalina, we are pleased to showcase the work of some of the finest makers from Russia and around the world. Get in touch, and our manager will help you find a custom bead that suits your taste.