Check on this  thread: BI posted pics of Bukharan "shashkas" as described by Phillip
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=911
And I posted an "Afghani shashka" that has some of the above characteristics as well
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2695
 I completely agree with Rivkin: we tend to lump all Persian or Central Asian swords together. 
 But just look at garden variety Afghani Khyber knives: there are several variants of handles obviously coming from different areas/tribes.  I would not encorage anybody to go there these days for  a field research  tour 

  But we should keep it in mind.