Today on the Russian market there is a huge variety of knives: combat, hunting, folding, tactical and other models. All of them differ from each other in size, weight, production methods, while meeting certain standards. Separately, tactical knives can be distinguished, which are a versatile weapon that combines the advanced technologies of military and household knives. High-quality tactical knives are truly versatile, as they can serve both peaceful and military purposes, being a multifunctional tool.
One of the Russian enterprises engaged in the production of tactical knives is the company OOO PP "Kizlyar", which was founded back in 1998. Today the company is well known in the Russian market, while its products are also exported. The main field of activity of this Dagestan enterprise is the production of civilian cold forged weapons, souvenir weapons and household knives. Without exception, all models of daggers, knives and checkers are made by hand using the accumulated centuries-old experience of Caucasian gunsmiths. At the same time, the range of users of PP "Kizlyar" products is quite wide today. Among them are fishermen, hunters, tourists, collectors, ordinary housewives, the military and even intelligence officers.
One of the developments of the company OOO PP "Kizlyar" (the manufacturer of the famous "Argun", "Amur", "Biker", etc.), presented on the Russian market today, is a tactical knife called "Cerberus". This knife has been sold in our country since 2016. "Cerberus" refers to the melee weapon of the "dagger" type. A feature of this tactical knife is a leaf-shaped blade. The Cerberus knife is the fruit of a long and thoughtful effort to design a tactical knife that fully meets all modern conditions of use.
The Dagestan company has long realized that there are simply no universal combat knives on the domestic market that have a very wide range of applications. Fishermen, professional hunters and fishermen, extreme tourists and special forces fighters - they all need a universal knife that could solve everyday and tactical tasks equally well. Such a knife should have a high margin of safety, ensure the application of strong chopping blows, and have a high penetrating power when pricked. The blade of such a knife must withstand serious loads in the transverse and longitudinal plane. Also, such a knife should have a unique appearance, its own style. This is what the Kizlyar enterprise was guided by when creating its own tactical knife, Cerberus. The developers wanted people to be proud of their state and instead of "ka-bars" and "glocks" they could buy a Russian-made knife.
Tactical knife "Cerberus" combines modern technology and ancient traditions. The blade of the knife has a leaf-like shape. Blades of this shape were used by the Spartans and the ancient Greeks, they were called "xyphos". The extension, which is available in the first third of the length from the point, shifts the center of gravity of the weapon and allows you to control the knife when applying piercing and cutting blows. Tactical knife "Cerberus" is made from solid steel sheets up to 5 mm thick. The blade and tail are one piece. The convergence of the edges on the hollow of the blade provides Cerberus with a fairly strong stiffening rib. The shank, on which the guard and the handle made of Elastron material are mounted, is integral with the cutting part of the dagger, which is designed to increase its survivability. The surface of the blade is distinguished by the presence of a matte Stonewash coating. This coating is able to hide all operational damage to the knife (primarily scratches), does not peel off, does not glare, and fingerprints are not visible on it.
It is worth noting that knives and daggers with a leaf-shaped blade are called Smatchet. A similar type of dagger was created before the outbreak of World War II by William Ferburn specifically for the British commandos. At the heart of their design was the trench knife of the Welsh fusilier regiments. Sharpening of such knives was one-sided, since one of the functions of the knife was chopping vines in the tropics. The original Smatchet type daggers are much wider, and the expansion point is located almost in the middle of the blade. At the same time, the proportions of the tactical knife "Cerberus" are really closer to the swords of the ancient Spartans and Celts.
The balance of the tactical knife "Cerberus" was shifted to the area of the blade - when striking, the weapon is confidently controlled in the hand. The handle of the tactical knife was made of special rubberized plastic, which is able to damp vibrations when inflicting strong blows. Due to the presence of a special corrugation, the handle can be confidently held even with a hand in a tactical glove or with a wet hand. The back of the knife handle is designed to deliver strong blows. Here on the handle there is a ledge, which is designed to break glass, with a hole for a lanyard (loop, belt, cord or brush on the hilt of a cold weapon). Knife "Cerberus" was equipped with a sufficiently developed double-sided guard, which is able to protect the user's hand from slipping on the blade.
The handle of the Cerberus knife is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the blade. For this reason, the grip of a tactical knife is always "regular", regardless of the circumstances of the use of the weapon. The handle is made of Elastron material - butyl rubber polymer. This coating perfectly retains its frictional and elastic properties at various ambient temperatures. In turn, the lateral ribbing on the handle ensures that the knife does not slip out of your hands at the most inopportune moment.
The Cerberus tactical knife is packed in a black cardboard box with the manufacturer's logo on it. It is supplied to customers in a black genuine leather sheath with a plastic insert. The scabbard has a safety strap with a mushroom-shaped pin-clasp that wraps around the knife handle, as well as a petal with slots for a waist belt. Also included are instructions for use and a cold steel certificate.
Knife "Cerberus" was conceived as a universal, which could be equally effectively used in domestic conditions or in battle. However, to a greater extent, the knife turned out to be a piercing-cutting weapon. There are two main reasons for this: a concave double-sided sharpening and a double-edged blade. According to the manufacturer's website, the cost of this tactical knife today is 2,500 rubles (about 40 euros).
Characteristics of the knife "Cerberus" (site kizlyar.ru):
Full length - 310 ± 25 mm.
Blade length - 180 ± 15 mm.
Thickness - 4.7 mm.
Blade material - corrosion-resistant steel 57-59 HRC.
Sharpening - concave, bilateral.
The shape of the blade is leaf-shaped.
Handle - Elastron.
Weight - 320 g (blade).
Note: refers to melee weapons.
