When is it appropriate to strike hands?

In the old days, deals were made at fairs and in taverns: merchants haggled, fighting tooth and nail for discounts and favorable prices. When the time came to finalize the agreement, lawyers weren't called in. There was, of course, a more practical reason for this: merchants weren't always literate, but they carefully guarded their reputation, knowing that any mistake could ruin it. Therefore, to seal a deal, it was enough to give their word of honor and shake hands.

Merchants took out loans and purchased goods for new ventures on the basis of a merchant's word of honor. Even if a merchant or peddler's business wasn't going well, they would still return to their borrower to ask for an extension. Simply disappearing was tantamount to admitting their own unreliability and disloyalty.

For example, industrialist Sergei Chetverikov, having inherited a cloth factory from his father, discovered that his father’s debts had also been passed on to him. Moreover, some of these obligations had been unpaid for thirty years. Chetverikov then began to track down all of his father's creditors, finding out through acquaintances and placing advertisements in newspapers. It took 36 years to fully repay the debts. But, the entrepreneur kept his word and settled with everyone.

To confirm the deal, the seller and buyer would “udarit po rukam”, striking their palms together. After this, the contract was considered concluded. Merchants often sealed their deals with the sign of the cross: for them, a word of honor was as much a virtue as living according to the Christian commandments.

The expression "to strike hands" became used not only in merchant circles; it’s now used to describe any agreement.