When I hear the phrase "battle knife", the image of a shark - a predator, an ideal killer, unchanged by evolution since the time of the dinosaurs, has survived them and to this day terrifies any inhabitant of the ocean - appears in my mind. Perhaps it was the shark's tooth that prompted primitive man to think about carving a stone, giving it the shape of a combat knife, which also existed from ancient times to the present day, without undergoing significant changes.
There is an opinion among collectors that the term "Russian combat knife" has no right to exist. Like, there was a boot knife, there was a baguette, there was a bayonet, but there was no Russian combat knife. Although both "The Lay of Igor's Host" and the chronicles tell us the opposite - the Russian tradition of knife fighting is much more powerful than similar traditions of any other state. It was with a knife, and later with a bayonet attack, that the Russians terrified the enemy.
By the way, an interesting historical fact - in the armies of Western Europe, the bayonet was a "last chance weapon". The concept of "bayonet attack" practically did not exist there, and the deadly attachment on the musket barrel served only for defense.
The Russian deadly offensive bayonet attack has become a legend. The great Russian commander Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov generally introduced her to the cult, overshadowing the importance of bullet shooting from firearms. His winged dictum "Bullet is a fool, bayonet is a good fellow" is known to every Russian who is interested in the history of his homeland. However, the most famous was and remains the bayonet to the rifle of the remarkable Russian designer and organizer of rifle production Sergei Ivanovich Mosin.
Bayonet for S. I. Mosin sample 1891/1930
Developed on the basis of the Berdan bayonet of the 1870 model, the four-sided bayonet entered service with the Russian army along with the Mosin rifle in 1891.
It was a terrible melee weapon. The half-meter tetrahedral needle blade inflicted deep penetrating wounds, accompanied by severe damage to internal organs. In addition, the small entrance hole did not allow assessing on the spot the depth of penetration of the bayonet into the body and the severity of the injury, which could result in internal bleeding and introduced infections leading to peritonitis and, as a result, to death.
Virtually unchanged, the bayonet to the Mosin rifle existed for half a century, having survived its peak in the revolution and the Civil War. In the Great Patriotic War, he became the cause of the death of a considerable number of Nazis and a symbol of the people's liberation war against the Nazi invaders, which is reflected in many posters of that time.
Army knife (NA-40)
Just before the Great Patriotic War, the weapon of Russian soldiers was born, no less legendary than the bayonet to the Mosin rifle - the famous NA-40 ("army knife"), or NR-40 ("scout knife"), adopted in 1940, immediately after the Soviet-Finnish war. The second more popular, but historically less correct name is due to the fact that reconnaissance companies and subunits of machine gunners were armed with this knife.
Narrow - up to 22 mm - the NA-40 blade made it possible to stick it between the ribs of the enemy with the least resistance and at the same time lighten the weight of the knife itself. The wooden handle and scabbard served the same purpose and at the same time made production cheaper.
Army knife of the Ural Volunteer Tank Corps
An interesting historical fact: in 1943, the Ural Volunteer Tank Corps was formed, fully equipped due to over-planned work and on voluntary donations from the workers of the Urals. It was a gift to the front from people already working at the limit of human capabilities, an example of mass labor heroism of workers.
Finca NKVD
It was the Soviet-Finnish war that was an experience that revealed the shortcomings of the reconnaissance and sabotage activities of Soviet specialists behind enemy lines, including the lack of a multifunctional universal combat knife in their arsenal. With the help of which it is possible to silently remove the enemy sentry, and to equip a temporary parking lot or cache in the forest, and make snowshoes, and quickly build a drag for a wounded comrade from improvised material. Therefore, on the basis of the uniform bayonet-knife of the 1919 model and the Finnish scout knife, the legendary NA-40 was created.
However, I do not think that it was the Soviet-Finnish war that opened the eyes of Russian gunsmiths to the advantages of the combat knives of a recent enemy. Finca was famous in Russia and was popular even before the revolution. And although the Finnish knife was legally prohibited in the USSR since the 30s, in those same years it, in a slightly modified form, became a special means of the NKVD.
The so-called "Finnish NKVD", or "knife of the Norwegian type", shown in the photo, was produced at the Trud plant (before the revolution, the factory of the industrialist Kondratov) in the village of Vacha, Nizhny Novgorod region in the 40s. Although in reality this particular knife has nothing to do with Finland - the model is copied from the Swedish hunting knife made by the famous master Pontus Holmberg from Eskilstuna.
Pontus Holmberg's hunting knife from Eskilstuna
The same knife, the prototype of the famous "NKVD Finnish", or "Norwegian type knife", which is talked about so much and which few people have seen even in the photograph. Swedish hunting knife made by Pontus Holmberg from Eskilstuna, a photograph of which was provided at my request specifically for the "Combat Knives" project by the author of several books on this topic, Andrey Arturovich Mak.
Finca NKVD, modern version
Currently, the "Finnish NKVD" is produced from modern materials, its design has been significantly redesigned. The guard became almost straight, the pommel of the handle "rounded". The handle itself can be made either entirely of wood or covered with inlaid leather.
Army knife of 1943 "Cherry"
In 1943, the guard, handle and scabbard of the NA-40 underwent significant changes and the Soviet scouts were armed with an even more successful design - the HP-43 knife with a straight guard, leather scabbard and a strong plastic handle crowned with a metal pommel - if anything, and hammer a wedge, and pat the enemy on the head. The knife was named "Cherry". The design turned out to be so successful that it is still in service with a number of Russian special forces.
Special scout knife (NRS)
In the 60s in the USSR, an LRS (special scout knife) was developed, designed to defeat the enemy in battle both with a blade and with the help of a firing mechanism located in the handle and representing a short barrel and a trigger. The LRS fired a silent SP-3 cartridge with a 7.62 mm bullet of the 1943 model.
Special scout knife - 2 (NRS-2)
In 1986, the LDC was upgraded to the LDC-2. The blade of the knife became spear-shaped, the saw on the butt was almost halved, the SP-3 cartridge was replaced by the also silent SP-4 with an unusual cylindrical bullet, despite its "hemp-shaped" shape, piercing a standard helmet at a distance of twenty meters. Cocking of the hammer is carried out by a special lever located on the handle, release - by another lever located on its end part. Reloading is carried out by removing the barrel, which takes on average 1–2 minutes. Currently, the NRS-2 is in service with the reconnaissance units of the Airborne Forces and the Marine Corps, as well as special units of the internal affairs bodies and units of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Bayonet for 7, 62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle model 1949
However, the most famous Russian combat knife for every inhabitant of our country is the bayonet-knife for the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The first model of the Kalashnikov AK assault rifle, adopted by the Soviet army in 1949, did not have a bayonet at all. Only in 1953, together with the so-called lightweight AK assault rifle, was adopted the “bayonet-knife product“6X2”, which had the same blade as the bayonet for the self-loading rifle SVT-40 and differed only in the locking mechanism. According to experts, the “6X2” bayonet-knife was an extremely successful design.
Experimental knife R. M. Todorov sample 1956
The prototype of the bayonet-knife for the AKM was the standard knife of the reconnaissance and sabotage units of the Navy, designed by Lieutenant Colonel R. M. Todorov model 1956. Judging by the suspension of Todorov's knife, it simply hung on the belt like an ordinary HP.
Todorov's experimental knife came to the attention of Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov's employees, who were developing a promising bayonet knife, and was redesigned for AKM with a change in a number of nodes, keeping the appearance of the blade practically unchanged. And since that time, it has been copied in one form or another by the designers of almost all countries in the world that make weapons.
Bayonet for AKM model 1959
In 1959, during the modernization of the AK-47 assault rifle to the AKM, the bayonet-knife “product“6X2”was replaced by a lighter and more versatile one, developed on the basis of an experimental knife designed by Lieutenant Colonel R. M. Todorov, mentioned above. But the new bayonet-knife, "product 6X3", was soon again modernized for the AK-74 assault rifle, which replaced the AKM.
Bayonet for AKM and AK74 model 1978
This bayonet-knife became a kind of trademark of the Soviet Union along with the AK-74 assault rifle. I will not bend my heart if I say that the Kalashnikov assault rifle is the most famous and popular weapon of the last century, adopted for service in fifty-five countries of the world. On the flag and coat of arms of the Republic of Mozambique there is an image of a Kalashnikov assault rifle with an attached bayonet, which symbolizes the struggle for the country's independence. Also, the Kalashnikov assault rifle can be seen on the emblems of the Democratic Republic of East Timor and the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Bayonet for AK-74 model 1989
In all honesty, this is a completely different bayonet-knife, not much like its predecessor. Perhaps, the similarity remained only in the form of the scabbard and the presence of a characteristic hole on the blade. The shape of the blade and handle has changed, the material from which the handle and scabbard are made, as well as the form of attachment - now the Russian bayonet-knife is located in the horizontal plane to the right of the new Nikonov AN-94 assault rifle, adopted by the Russian army.
The engineers of the Izhevsk plant, who created the last sample of a standard bayonet-knife, believe that this method of fastening will help to avoid the blade getting stuck between the ribs of the enemy. And, perhaps, there is a certain reason for this, because such a position of the blade is typical for many schools of knife fighting. Although the previous one, in general, has not been canceled, the knife flies into the enemy's stomach and in the vertical plane remarkably.
Slingshot of the Airborne Forces of the USSR
I cannot fail to mention such an interesting weapon of this particular type of troops as the standard sling cutter of the USSR Airborne Forces. Despite the purely practical purpose of this knife - to cut tangled parachute lines if the main canopy fails to open when landing on a tree or on water, this is a combat weapon. Moreover, it is quite serious, given the ability of a double-sided saw to inflict lacerations. If, on the basis of the principle that "in the Airborne Forces, any object is a weapon," in addition to sharpen the blunt sheet-like part of the blade to the proper sharpness, the sling cutter becomes a fully-fledged hand-to-hand combat weapon.
Sling cutter of the Russian Airborne Forces
The modern Russian knife-sling cutter is an automatic knife with a frontal ejection of the blade, which has a double-sided sharpening in the absence of a piercing edge.
Regular diving non-magnetic knife
Now I would like to say a few words about Russian diving knives. Today, only professional divers and, perhaps, collectors can find classic diving knives, which are characterized by large sizes and have a developed handle with large stops that allow you to reliably fix the knife both in a bare hand and in a diving glove. The materials of such knives are made from special non-magnetic alloys, mainly titanium. The blade is extremely durable and can have several types of sharpening, as well as special tools and screwdrivers. A metal pommel is often found on the butt, which can be used as a hammer. The photo shows a standard diving non-magnetic knife, which consisted of supplying submarine sappers of the Soviet Union, who, in accordance with the requirements for magnetic signature, when working with high-sensitivity magnetometric fuses, should not have magnetic elements of equipment.
Regular diving knife with ring
The method of fixing a knife in a scabbard using a threaded connection was widely used in the armies of various states, including Germany, Italy and the United States. Such a fixation of the blade was also used in the USSR in the standard diving knife of the Navy, shown in the photo. The blade of this knife is of a classic shape, made of corrosion-resistant steel, the handle is made of treated wood.
The ring on the handle serves to secure the cord to prevent accidental loss of the knife. Despite the external elegance, the knife is quite heavy, its weight with a scabbard reaches one kilogram, and the dimensions of the handle allow you to confidently use it with a hand wearing a diving glove. The fastening of the scabbard on the belt is rigid due to the metal bracket, into which the diving belt is threaded. This is necessary so that it is possible with one hand, without holding the scabbard, to make 3-4 half-turns of the handle, releasing the knife fixed in the mouth of the scabbard with a threaded connection.
Diving knife, universal (NVU)
The combat knife shown in the photo was a standard knife for light divers of the USSR Navy and is still used by naval reconnaissance officers and detachments to combat PDSS (underwater sabotage forces and means) as a cold weapon and for work under water or on land.
The NVU blade is equipped with a serrator for sawing cables, ropes and steel nets. Plastic scabbard, with the possibility of two-point attachment to the lower leg or forearm. In the scabbard, the NVU is attached with a rubber pad on the handle. This method of fastening reduces the time for removing the knife, but also virtually eliminates the possibility of losing it. NVU has negative buoyancy, in other words, it sinks. But, having drowned and reaching the bottom, it becomes in a vertical position on the ground with the handle up, which makes it easier to find it under water in case of loss. There is an anti-magnetic modification of the NVU-AM knife, which does not have a serrator.
Sea Devil
However, in addition to the bayonet-knife for the Kalashnikov assault rifle in Russia, a fairly large number of developments of combat short-bladed edged weapons have been and are being carried out. I want to tell you about some of them, in my opinion the most interesting. The knife was named "Sea Devil" with the light hand of combat swimmers participating in the testing of new models of cold steel.
The designer of the knife is Igor Skrylev, the author of many developments in the field of creating combat knives, adopted by the special units of the Russian army and navy."Sea Devil" is a wide-profile knife that can be successfully used by both combat swimmers and special forces of other branches of the armed forces to solve a wide range of tasks.
Storm
Experimental model of a utility knife for the Marine Corps. The creation of universal knives has always attracted designers who develop new models of edged weapons, but solving a wide range of problems with the help of one tool is an almost impossible thing.
The "Storm" knife has a stainless steel blade and a shock-resistant, chemically inert handle, as a result of which it may well be used for close combat by the Marine Corps units, for which it was, in fact, developed. The knife is purely combat - due to the lack of a saw on the butt and a serrator on the blade, it can hardly be considered as universal.
Lynx
The knife was made by order of the Moscow SOBR by the AiR company from the city of Zlatoust. Available in three variants - Combat Knife, Premium Combat Knife, and Civilian Mod. The photo shows the combat version. The premium version differs in that it is made with gilding, but in terms of tactical and technical characteristics it does not differ from the combat one.
DV-1 and DV-2
The knives DV-1 and DV-2, differing only in the length of the blade, were developed by order and in cooperation with the soldiers of the Far Eastern special forces. Their names also speak about it - DV means "Far East". These are massive camping knives that can handle heavy loads and are used for the toughest jobs.
The photo shows a knife DV-1 with a spear-shaped blade and additional sharpening on the butt. The handle of the knife is made of Caucasian walnut, the steel guard and the pommel are made of the same material. The DV-1 knife has an all-metal shank passing through the handle, screw assembly and leather sheath.
The photo shows an export version of the DV-2 knife from a limited edition, which differs from its serial progenitor in the materials used. Its blade is made of Z60 steel instead of carbon steel 50X14MF, which is usual for these knives, and the knife handle is made of type-setting leather, while in the basic version it is made of walnut.
At first glance, the knife makes an impression with its size. Its total length is 365 mm, and the length of the blade is 235 mm. To protect against corrosion and to prevent unmasking glare, the blade is coated with a matte black finish. Descents from half a click, even with a solid thickness of 5.8 mm, provide a good cut. On the butt of the blade there is a section with a bevel, forming an unsharpened wedge, which is used for cutting bones. The notch in front of the guard (choil) allows you to intercept the knife by passing its guard between the index and middle fingers. Such a grip serves to facilitate pulling out a stuck knife, as well as for a number of jobs where such an arrangement of the hand on the knife provides better control.
DV-2 has a double-sided guard, which perfectly protects the hand. The handle, made of tightly fitted leather discs, has an oval cross-section. The handle ends with a massive pommel used for trauma purposes. The head is put on a through shank and tightened on it with a flat nut. The scabbard of the knife is of a classic design, made of two layers of thick leather, connected by rivets. The suspension is vertical, with a strap that securely fixes the handle.
the Punisher
The "Punisher" series knives are designed and manufactured for the power units of the FSB of Russia by ZAO Melita-K, which has been producing high-quality knives since 1994, including a wide range of combat knives and daggers.
"Punishers" are produced in two modifications - "VZMAKH-1" and "Maestro". In addition, there are modifications that differ in the material of the handle (type-setting leather, rubber or craton). "VZMAKH-1" differs in the root part of the serrated sharpening, and "Maestro" - serrated sharpening from above, the type of scabbard and the type of finishing of the blade (antiglare, black or camouflage). The guard is double-sided. The wide blade is convenient for digging and allows, if necessary, to use the knife as additional support on slopes with loose soil. The cutting part of the blade has a crescent-shaped cavity, which allows to increase the length of the cutting edge while maintaining linear dimensions. The knife is equipped with a sheath made of high-quality leather or avisent, allowing it to be attached to an arm, leg, belt and elements of combat or hiking equipment. The VZMAKH-1 knife was officially adopted for service.
Vityaz NSN
Knives "Vityaz NSN", "Vityaz NM", "Vityaz" were developed by order of the president of "BKB" Vityaz "Hero of Russia S. I. Lysyuk to equip special forces. A distinctive feature of the design is a large heavy blade with a narrow blade, which allows to preserve the inertia of movement during impact, reduce weight and increase penetrating abilities, an anatomically comfortable guard that allows you to hold the knife in your hand when working.
Anti-terror
The Anti-Terror knife was developed and manufactured for the power units of the FSB of Russia. The blade of the knife has a petal shape, which allows maximum use of the working area of the blade and increases its secant properties. The configuration of the blade has high penetrating ability, the cutting part has a crescent-shaped cavity, which allows to increase the length of the cutting edge while maintaining linear dimensions. The back of the blade has been reinforced. The standard ergonomic handguard prevents the hand from slipping when striking.
Katran
Combat knives of the Katran series differ in the type of blade and material of the handle. Knives of the Katran series, depending on the modification, are used as an underwater knife, a combat knife or a survival knife. The knife handle has a double-sided guard and a metal top. Handle material - type-setting leather, rubber or craton, depending on the modification.
"Katran-1" is an underwater combat knife. Blade with one and a half sharpening. On the butt, the sharpening is made in the form of a wave-shaped saw. In the root part there is a hook for cutting nets and a serrated sharpening. Rubber handle. Plastic scabbard with straps for suspension on the leg. Coating of metal parts - black chrome.
"Katran-1-S" - the land version of this knife. Differs in blade material: steel 50X14 MF. Anti-glare treatment of metal parts. The handle is made of leather. Leather sheath with a plastic insert.
"Katran-2" is a hunting knife with one and a half sharpening. On the butt, the sharpening has an angle designed for cutting. Anti-glare treatment. The handle is made of leather. The scabbard is leather.
"Katran-45" is a combat knife. An exclusive model developed by order of the 45th Airborne Regiment. Differs in the presence on the butt of the saw blade for metal, anti-reflective coating. The handle is made of leather. Leather scabbard. There is an option with a camouflage coating of metal parts.
Shaitan
The combat dagger "Shaitan" was developed in 2001 by order and jointly with the employees of the power unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan. The combat dagger "Shaitan" is produced in two modifications: a handle - typesetting leather and a skeletal type ("Shaitan-M"). The knife has a narrow leaf-shaped blade with double-sided sharpening. In the root part, the sharpening is made serrated. Serrated for use as a sling cutter, cuts 10-12mm climbing rope with ease. The shape of the blade is designed to inflict deep cut wounds, as well as to maximize the use of the working part of the blade. The guard and the handle are symmetrical. Also "Shaitan-M" can be used as a throwing knife that can withstand up to 3000 throws. Handle made of specially processed leather. All metal parts are anti-reflective.
Akela
The Akela knife was developed by order of SOBR as a “police” knife. A distinctive feature is its small size, which allows you to work in cramped urban conditions, crowded places, where it is impossible to use firearms. The knife is a dagger type, double-edged, the blade has an anti-reflective coating (black chrome). The handle is made of MBS rubber, fits comfortably in the hand. The top is metal, has a hole for a lanyard.
Smersh-5
The Smersh-5 knife is a classic combat knife. The prototype of this knife was used during the Second World War (HP-43). The knife blade has a high penetrating power. The ergonomic guard prevents the hand from slipping during the impact. The upper butt part of the guard is designed to provide additional pressure when cutting through solid objects.
Gyurza
The sample shown in the photo was adopted by the special units of the FSB. Knife "Gyurza" consists of two modifications and has a narrow blade with one and a half sharpening. On the butt, part of the sharpening is made with a serrator. Serrator increases the combat capabilities of the knife, and is also used for cutting ropes and cables and, to a limited extent, as a substitute for a saw
Cobra
Combat knife "Cobra" was developed by order of the SOBR Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. It is a small dagger with a narrow blade and a double-sided, anatomically comfortable guard. "Cobra" is a serious weapon that allows you to solve combat missions in crowded places where the use of firearms is excluded. This dagger is designed not only for a thrust, the shape of its blade allows the use of cutting and chopping techniques, both with direct and reverse grip.
Explosion technician
This large and powerful knife with a 180 mm blade was developed by order of the sapper units of the FSB. "Vzryvotekhnik" was created as a universal knife designed to perform the functions of a combat weapon, a survival knife and an engineering tool. It is now officially accepted for supply. The blade is symmetrical, with a differentiated sharpening - on one side of the blade there is a regular sharpening, on the other there is a small serrated. The wooden handle has a steel pommel that can be used both in combat and as a hammer.
Russian Financial Intelligence Dagger
The combat knife shown in the photo, made by the company "AiR" (Zlatoust), retains all the features of a classic dagger - a double-edged blade, symmetrical guard and handle. This dagger is interesting in that it is, apparently, the only case in modern Russia of the revival of the tradition of departmental weapons, which, being a combat model, at the same time indicates belonging to a strictly defined state structure.
A small and only batch of this combat knife was made in 2008 by order of the Financial Monitoring Service specifically for its employees. The dagger is made of stainless steel, the handle is inlaid leather, the guard and the back are aluminum.
OTs-4
The abbreviation "OTs" stands for "TsKIB Weapon". The OTs-04 knife was developed at the Tula Central Design Research Bureau (TsKIB) in the late 80s - early 90s and was intended for special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The knife has a very massive structure, the thickness of the butt is 7 mm. The blade has a slight bevel at the front. There is a double-row saw on the butt of the blade, but due to the low height of the teeth, its efficiency is relatively low, especially when cutting raw wood. The handle is symmetrical, with a double-sided guard, made of plastic and has a large corrugation for better grip.
Iron scabbard riveted from two halves. In them, the blade is held by a spring-loaded plate, like AK bayonet knives. The scabbard has a leather loop for the classic location of the knife on the belt. Also included are leather adjustable straps that allow you to place the knife on the body and equipment in several ways.
