i am surprized that shive has come up in this discussion.

i know a shank is any item being used as weapon, but a toothbrush, handle, shapened into a knive is a shank that is also a shive.
a shive is a shank that has a cutting edge.

where as a lump of mashed potatoes, packed into a toe of sock and left to dry can be a mace like weapon, (a shank)

i think shive is more commonly used on TV crime drama's, but shank was more common in 1940'- and 50's crime movies.

i suspect a ball point pen cartridge, made into a handcuff key, while not technically a weapon, would also be a shank.


my other obsession