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USSR submariner's knife. Domestic combat knives. Sling cutter of the Russian Airborne Forces

For a long time, divers Soviet Navy When performing underwater work, they used a massive knife made according to drawing 1U-170, which was part of the UVS-50 complex (Advanced three-bolt ventilated diving equipment). Knives of this type were produced by the 28th military plant for the Navy and civilian enterprises that performed work under water.
The knife is made in a design that is classic for diving knives of the early 20th century. It is equipped with a long massive blade, since in water, when carrying out various works, slashing attacks are usually used. The tip of the blade is on the middle line, with a semicircular butt in the Bowie style.

The method of fixing a knife in a sheath using a threaded connection was widely used in the armies of various countries, including Germany, Italy and the USA. This type of blade fixation was also used in the USSR in a standard Navy diving knife.
In the 1980s, the 21st Expeditionary Unit of the Podvodrechstroy of the Ministry of River Fleet of the RSFSR produced diving knife NV (diving knife), which was widely used by industrial divers.

An experimental knife for reconnaissance and sabotage units of the Navy was developed by a participant in the defense of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War, lieutenant colonel maritime service R. M. Todorov in 1956 and was offered to the USSR Navy Department. The knife allowed the scout to saw and bite through metal rods and wire. After approval, in limited quantities, it was adopted by the naval intelligence unit Black Sea Fleet THE USSR.

In the 1960s - 1970s, hose scuba tanks of the ShAP-40, ShAP-62 and ShAP-77 series were developed to replace three-bolts at shallow and medium depths. They made it possible to make the diver's equipment much lighter and included reserve cylinders with compressed air for autonomous breathing in emergency mode, or, in the event of a short-term disconnection of the hose, for working in cramped conditions.
New conditions for the use of ventilated equipment also required changes in the design of the knife: in the late 70s, a new diver's knife NVU (NVU - universal diving knife) began to arrive in the armed forces.

The NV diving knife developed by the KAMPO enterprise has been accepted for supply to the Russian Navy and is part of the SVU-5 diving equipment in service with the navy.
The knife has a blade 164 mm long, the tip of which is made in the form of a chisel. The blade is single-edged, the spine has a saw-tooth cut, and a ruler is engraved on one side of the blade.

The creation of universal knives has always attracted designers developing new models of edged weapons, but solving a wide range of problems with the help of one tool is almost impossible. Therefore, any design carries within itself the features of a certain specificity, which determines the tactical and technical characteristics of the knife.
The massive Storm knife was developed by the SARO company (Vorsma) for use as a tactical marine knife. It can be part of the equipment of PDSS combat swimmers or marines.

By order of the Military - Navy Russia Plant SN "CAPO" has developed and supplied several types of modern special knives. First of all, the task was set to produce knives for PDSS units (anti-sabotage forces and means) and divers protecting Russian military bays from underwater penetration by enemy swimmers.
The technical specifications for this knife were extremely complex. It was proposed to make a knife capable of sawing a metal rod of underwater barriers up to 15 mm thick, while it naturally should cut rope, rope, seaweed, and hoses.

The “Igla” combat knife was developed by the famous Russian design engineer Igor Skrylev in accordance with the tactical and technical specifications of the “Igla” development work theme. The knife received the unofficial name “Sea Devil”.
The "Igla" combat knife has been adopted by combat swimmers of the Navy's Anti-Sabotage Forces and Means (PDSS) Russian Federation and is manufactured at the Kazan enterprise "Melita-K".

A scuba diving knife is a necessary element of a scuba diver’s equipment. Depending on who uses the accessory - a diver, a hunter or a diver - it will have individual characteristics.

The main requirements for diver knives are accessibility and reliability. It is necessary that they are well fixed in the sheath and, if necessary, quickly removed with one hand.

The accessory is designed to perform many tasks. It may be needed in a situation where it is necessary to cut fishing lines or nets; they often have to replace other tools and devices or be used as a weapon. That is why the knife must have a good margin of safety in order to withstand rough work with a blade or lever if necessary.

For ease of use, the knife requires an ergonomic non-slip handle. It is much more difficult to control the instrument underwater, so these parameters should not be neglected. You can accidentally drop a knife and lose it forever. True, today there are models on the market with neutral buoyancy that simply hover in the water column.

Underwater knives come in several varieties. A diving knife is used as a tool when working with equipment, as a means of protection, or in cases of entanglement under water. Today there are many design solutions for these accessories. They come in various sizes, handle and blade shapes. As a rule, their blades have a sawtooth sharpening.

Often, diving and spearfishing knives are perceived as one and the same. However, it is not. Spearfishing knives are mandatory element hunting equipment, since they have to be used in cases big catch. They have a number of distinctive features. In appearance, hunting knives resemble stilettos and daggers. These accessories are much heavier and more massive, which allows you to deliver a strong and accurate blow underwater.

The price of knives for spearfishing depends on the comfort of the handle, size, and is determined by the configuration. Some models are sold immediately with covers. As for the quality of the products, these accessories are made of stainless steel or titanium. Materials are resistant to impact aquatic environment. Proper handling of knives will extend their service life. They must be washed after each dive. fresh water and wipe dry. It is not recommended to use the accessories at home, otherwise the sharpening may be damaged.

Our online store of diving equipment presents a large assortment underwater knives. From us you can buy a universal diving knife, diving or hunting, produced by world-famous companies. If you are in doubt about your choice, you can always contact our managers for detailed advice. We will be happy to help you with your purchase.

In the fall of 2009, during military exercises in the Baltic, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was presented with a domestic combat swimmer's knife "Katran". For some reason, this event greatly excited the media, and soon publications appeared in the press talking about this weapon. The name of its author also surfaced - Igor Skrylev. But the information about this blade in the press, to put it mildly, is not entirely true. The creation of some types of weapons often has a rather interesting history.

You can write adventure novels about almost any product adopted for service. Moreover, real history is often mixed with fiction and various legends. Over time, legends can successfully supplant what actually happened. This is exactly what happened during the development of a new knife for combat swimmers. The theme was called “Needle”, and the knife itself was unofficially called “Sea Devil” (this name was given to it by the combat swimmers themselves during its tests).

Probably, like most similar developments, it would have remained known only to a narrow circle of its users, but history decreed differently. During the exercises that took place in the Baltic in the fall of 2009, this knife was presented to the President of the Russian Federation. For some reason unknown to me, this aroused considerable interest in the weapon from the media. mass media. At the same time, in the best traditions of our country, everything was mixed up.

So to the correspondent " Komsomolskaya Pravda“from the headquarters of the Navy they reported that the knife was called “Katran”, and with a little tension they even remembered the name of the developer - a certain Skrylev. This is very surprising, because, as a rule, no one knows the authors of such developments. I myself learned that my product came to the President, first from the news, when they presented a knife, and then from the newspaper, where I was surprised to see my own name. However, despite the inaccuracies, some of this story was true. Both the Katran knife and I have a direct connection to the new development.

It all started in the 90s. Then the Navy became concerned about replacing the NVU knife, which was in service with combat swimmers. NVU stands for “Universal diving knife”. Indeed, this model was universal and was intended not only for combat swimmers, but also for Navy divers. But these specialists have completely different tasks. So for a diver, a knife is, first of all, a tool, but for a combat swimmer it is both a tool and a weapon.. Therefore, it is not always possible to successfully take into account the ability to perform such different tasks in one model. In addition, the NVU is simply outdated.

There were also purely design errors and problems with the choice of material. So the blade, 180 mm long and 4 mm thick, had a double sharpening - regular and sawtooth, which was located on the butt. In its root part, a transverse groove was made for bending and breaking the wire, but the place for it was chosen very poorly, because this is where the largest bending moments occur, and the gap itself serves as an excellent stress concentrator, which means it significantly weakens the blade. The complete impression is that the developers of this knife have not even heard of such a boring science as strength of resistance.

The knife handle is made of plastic, which does not have the necessary strength and slips in the hand. The situation is somewhat saved by the shape of the handle and knurling. At the same time, the handle suspiciously resembles the handle of the Promyslovy No. 1 knife, produced as a hunting knife.

The sheath is also made of plastic, in them the knife is fixed in two ways - the main fixation is by snapping in the guard area, the role of the second fixing element was played by a rubber ring. Such attention to fixing the knife is not accidental; it should ensure maximum reliability, since remaining under water without a knife is at least unsafe. After all, for a diver, a knife is one of the means of self-insurance.

The NVU blade was made of corrosion-resistant steel 40X13 and polished. This solution is correct from the point of view of corrosion resistance, but is very unfortunate for a combat knife, since the shine of a polished blade is a strong unmasking factor. In addition, 40X13 steel itself is not the best option, as it does not hold an edge well. As you can see, the NVU really has many disadvantages.

There was another sample used by submariners - this scout knife NR-2. Although it was designed for land operations, it was also used by combat swimmers. NR-2 is an excellent combat knife, but its use as an underwater knife was still necessary measure. In addition, he lacked the length of the blade. The main underwater knife remained the NVU. They offered to develop me a new knife to replace it.

This is how the theme “Cortege” appeared, according to the technical specifications, for which a promising model of a combat knife was supposed to be a symbiosis between a combat knife, a diver’s knife and a survival knife. Such universality is largely a forced measure, since naval special forces operate in different environments, both on land and at sea. At the same time, the knife is his only bladed weapon and tool rolled into one.

During development, a requirement was placed on the knife, according to which it had to cut wire-reinforced diving hoses. This is how a saw of a specific shape appeared on the knife. It seems to consist of two types of saws. One with a large pitch, similar to a wave-shaped sharpening, the other has small teeth located on these waves. This saw can handle both soft fibrous materials and metal (a patent was received for this saw design).

Another feature of the knife is the presence of a durable and sealed case for the NAZ (wearable emergency supply), closed with a sealed lid that can act as a hammer. The pencil case is made of steel, as it must maintain tightness at depth. It also served as the power basis of the handle. Therefore, you can painlessly change the handle on a knife and make it from different materials.

The blade has a hole for docking with the sheath, after which the knife is converted into wire cutters. This design was borrowed from the bayonet knife. The blade is made of corrosion-resistant steel and has an additional anti-reflective and protective coating of black chrome. The knife handle should have been made of rubber. It had a developed metal guard; on the handle itself there were sub-finger protrusions and transverse corrugation. All this helped to securely hold the knife, both in a bare hand and in a hand wearing a thick diving glove.

This model was developed but never released. Only prototypes were made, and the handle on them was made of plastic. On the experimental model, the lid of the pencil case was changed; it was made in the form of a truncated cone for delivering shocking blows to the enemy.

By the time the prototype appeared in metal, the fleet had lost interest in this development, or rather, it had big problems with financing, and there was simply no time for the knife, which probably would have remained in the form of prototypes if the Tula FSB had not become interested in it . Thanks to Major Sergei Velmezev, an order for a small number of such knives was placed at an arms factory produced by the ASVA-TOZ company. Wherein the sample was converted into a land model.

The rubber handle was replaced with a wood handle. This was justified by the requirements of new customers who wanted a “warm” handle and the capabilities of the plant. They didn’t want to use it to make a mold for producing a small series and used waste from the main weapons production for production. That's why most knives have a handle made of seasoned walnut. Although there were other design options, fortunately the design allowed this without problems.

The NAZ cover has also undergone changes.. It became flat again, as in the original version. The hole for connecting to the wire cutters was removed from the blade, as they were abandoned. The sheath was made of leather with a steel liner, which was made of thin steel and held the blade well due to its own elasticity. Upon request, the scabbard was supplied with an additional cover made of camouflage fabric. This model entered service in small quantities with some FSB units. Actually, this sample was called “Katran”. Real recognition came to him with the beginning of the first Chechen war.

As it turned out, when conducting local hostilities, the role of personal equipment, including edged weapons, increases. Combat properties Katran knives turned out to be at their best. The wavy saw played the role of a shock tooth, which made it possible to inflict a terrible wound, and did not cling to the uniform, that is, it did not have the main disadvantage of shock teeth, the difficulty of extraction. Doctors who saw the wounds inflicted by this knife even expressed the idea that it should be banned as an inhumane weapon, as if a weapon could be humane.

The Katran knife in this version was officially adopted by the special unit of the Ministry of Emergency Situations “Leader”. It was also used in some units of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to some sources, about 3,000 knives were produced in total. Whether this is true or not is now difficult to verify, but in general, it seems to me that the figure is close to reality. However, the fate of the knife did not work out in the best way. Immediately after the end of hostilities, its production ceased, since potential customers simply did not have the money. Afterwards it was not resumed for a number of reasons.

The Katran knife of the first series was produced in different modifications. For example, there is a version of the knife that replaces the wave-shaped saw with a regular-type double-row saw. In fact, this modification has become an ordinary survival knife, as it has all its features (the presence of a saw and a container for the NAZ). There were other modifications as well. However, now such knives are already a rarity, having serious collection value. Connoisseurs of edged weapons call them “Katran-1”, although there was no such name officially.

The demand for Katran forced the production of its simplified modification to begin.. The development of new models was carried out by my company “NOKS”. Simplification of the design was carried out taking into account the real combat use knife The pencil case under the NAZ disappeared from the knife, the shape of the blade changed (it became more massive), the guard was simplified, and the rider-type handle began to be made from different materials. The most common were wood, leather and kraton.

Despite the presence of a kraton handle, the knife was not considered as an underwater knife and was equipped with a leather sheath. In addition, the blade did not have a black coating, but a matte finish, which makes it less resistant to corrosion, especially in conditions maritime climate. In fact, all that remained from the first model was the wave-shaped saw. This model was called “Katran-2” (it was advertised in the press as a new combat knife developed within the framework of the “Needle” theme, which was a mistake).

In addition to this modification, another was released, in which the saw on the butt was replaced with a second sharpened edge. This sharpened edge had a larger angle and was designed for chopping. This model was called "Katran-3". This replacement of a saw with a chopping surface is quite reasonable, since the knife is planned to be used in land conditions. The third modification of this knife was released at the request of the 45th Airborne Regiment. It has a modified saw, it is made in the style of a bayonet saw. Why such a replacement is needed is a complex question, but that was the customer’s desire.

A household version of the knife was also produced on the basis of combat models.. It differed from combat knives only in the sawed off tip. Later it began to be designed as a flat-head screwdriver. It must be said that this modification differed little in its combat potential from the combat version, since the screwdriver made it possible to deliver an effective stabbing blow without any modification. This modification was very popular among bladed weapon lovers. Some people bought it for subsequent alteration, at least I have seen such knives.

As you can see, on the basis of one successful model, a whole brood of various modifications appeared, which went quite far in evolution from their ancestor. Unlike the Katran-1, these models were never officially accepted into service and were produced mainly on orders from individual units.

There was almost a detective story connected with the Katran knife. It was purchased by Latvia to arm one of its police units. Moreover, his competitor in this tender was the American “Ka-bar”. This version differed from the serial “Katran” only in the presence of the unit’s emblem and complete absence other identification marks. They especially asked that there be no inscriptions anywhere that would allow the knife to be identified as a weapon made in Russia. However, the manufacturing plant, Melita-K, did not care how to make money, and the order was completed.

Meanwhile, the need for a knife to equip combat swimmers became acute again, and this time it was solved in a comprehensive manner, since the development of a set of weapons was underway, which was supposed to include a new knife. It is quite natural that the Navy offered to carry out this development to the NOX company, since we already had experience in such work.

The theme was called "Needle". The problems began with the approval of the technical specifications; it contained criteria that were simply impossible to combine. The desire of the military, who finally received money for new developments, to have the best of everything possible was understandable, but sometimes it was more like a whim.

However, soon all points of the technical specifications were agreed upon, and work on the project began. In many ways, this design was reminiscent of the Katran, but in a simplified version. At the request of the customer, the knife should have had wire cutters, so we returned to the original idea of combining functions. But this time the reciprocal part of the wire cutters was made not in the form of a sheath, but in the form of a separate lever. This approach was used on the naval reconnaissance knife designed by Todorov, and then served as the basis for cutting bayonet knives. And this idea was remembered again.

In addition to the functions of wire cutters, the additional lever could also play the role of another tool. The drawings were completed, the customer gave the go-ahead for the production of prototypes, but tests of the prototypes showed that the idea with the lever was not entirely correct. In addition, we had to abandon the universal saw, which was borrowed from Katran. The symmetrical contours of the handle were also removed, since under water it was difficult to determine by touch how the knife was positioned. And the idea of removing the metal guard and making it part of the handle, on the contrary, turned out to be in demand, since there should be no elements on the handle of the knife that could damage the wetsuit.

In general, the tests revealed that... a completely different design is needed! However, this is precisely why the tests are carried out. The new knife was fundamentally different from the experimental sample. The blade took on a spear shape. This blade shape has increased penetrating ability.

A blade with a beveled spine, used on bayonet knives, turned out to be not the most successful solution in a real war. Yes, they can deliver an effective blow if the bayonet is attached to a machine gun, but this blow involves the energy of the legs, body rotation, two arms, the weight of the fighter and the weight of the weapon itself. But if you use it as a knife, then a blade with a beveled spine does not always show the required effectiveness when piercing winter clothing and personal protective equipment. That is why the new combat swimmer’s knife also received a spear-shaped blade.

The blade is quite long. Since, according to technical requirements, it must serve as a bladed weapon not only against people, but also against sea animals, which are used to protect important objects. These are primarily dolphins and seals. In addition, when using a knife as a survival tool to perform a number of jobs, its dimensions and weight may also be in demand. But a compromise is important here, since the excessive dimensions and weight of such a knife are strictly limited.

The knife is developed as an element of a set of combat equipment, and its parameters are tied to the weight of the entire set. And if the mass-dimensional parameters of a knife can be minimized, this needs to be done, because due to the freed grams it is possible, albeit not by much, to increase the fighter’s ammunition. Therefore, the approach to the weight culture of knife development here is almost like in aviation. At the same time, the knife must have greater strength, since anything can happen in a combat situation; it can be used as a lever when entering a room, as a fulcrum in mountainous areas, and you never know what situations a reconnaissance saboteur may encounter. That's why when bending when firmly fastened, the blade must withstand a weight of 100 kg.

As we see, there is little room for maneuver and constructive compromises. That is why a knife for combat swimmers is not a primitive sharpened piece of iron, but the result of design calculations and real technological capabilities. So, for example, on the experimental sample there was no fuller selection, since its structural usefulness in this case is minimal, but on the final version, the selection appeared in order to reduce the weight of the blade by several tens of grams, without loss of strength.

It was these grams that were not enough to fit into the requirements of the technical specifications. There were other issues that could only be resolved by testing various options in conditions as close as possible to combat ones. Suffice it to say that the knife was tested in three fleets: the Black Sea, Northern and Baltic. As you know, it is the little things that determine the real quality of development and manufacturing. So, in order to choose the type of serrator, several knives with different types of this element and the optimal option was found experimentally.

It was a similar story with the coating.. The fact is that, according to technical specifications, the knife must have an anti-reflective coating, but matting the blade with glass beads disrupts the surface structure of the metal and, as a result, the steel begins to actively corrode in an aggressive marine environment. To protect the blade and meet the requirements for massaging, the blade must have an anti-reflective coating with great resistance to both corrosion itself and mechanical abrasion. In addition to searching for coverage options, prototypes the material of the handle, the technology of attaching the handle to the shank of the blade, the shape and fastening of the pommel of the knife changed.

But the most difficult element was the sheath. However, this is not surprising, since the sheath on survival knives has long become more complex than the knife itself. For example, you can take the “Basurmanin” knife. On its sheath there are wire cutters, a universal saw mount and a place to place it when carrying it, an auxiliary knife and an awl. In order to use, for example, a saw, you need to remove the knife and sheath from the belt, remove the knife from the sheath, remove the saw and secure it in the sheath. As you can see, it is a rather long and inconvenient procedure.

At the Sea Devil they decided to simplify this process. The cutters are also located on the sheath, and in the front part of the sheath, in addition to the cutters, there is also a flat screwdriver. The handle of the pliers contains a wood saw and a metal saw. In a special recess there is a removable tool that combines an awl and a can opener. The kit should include a diamond stone for straightening the blade. The saw is fixed on an axis, and when the handle is folded back, it can be locked in the working position. But if it becomes dull or broken, the saw can be replaced.

During testing, it turned out that it is desirable to have one combination saw on one side of the blade with teeth for wood, and on the other for metal. The removable awl was also secured to the sheath, and the can opener was removed as unnecessary. The design of the awl has become more universal. Now it has a diamond coating and at the same time plays the role of a finishing stone. At the same time, the plane of the awl itself is designed for finishing the main cutting edge, and its back is shaped to match the shape of the serrated blade and is designed for sharpening it.

The sheath itself is made of plastic. But it has some disadvantages - it is too noisy. This is unacceptable for a saboteur's knife. Therefore, the knife and sheath are carried in a special auxiliary case, on which the elements for fastening the knife to the equipment are located. This case is made of avisent and has noise-absorbing pads. The knife is fixed in two ways: it is fixed due to the elasticity of the sheath and a special rubber cap ring.. The knife is supplied with spare parts, which includes a spare saw, two rubber rings, a passport with instructions for use and a packaging box.

Another problem that we encountered during our work on the “Needle” topic was competing companies that proactively submitted their models for testing. So the company "SARO" offered its underwater knife "Moray". An interesting and even in many ways unusual design.

The Moray knife uses a very tricky saw. On the butt of the knife itself there is a wave-shaped sharpening, designed in theory for cutting cables; on the wave-shaped sharpening there is a longitudinal groove into which an additional metal saw is inserted. It is made from a regular hacksaw blade. This would be a very good solution: if the saw breaks or becomes dull, it can be easily and cheaply replaced with a piece of hacksaw blade.

However, in reality everything is not so smooth. Contact of corrosion-resistant steel (from which the blade is made) with carbon steel (from which the hacksaw blade is made) in sea water leads to intense corrosion of the carbon steel. During testing, the saw became so rusty to the knife that it was simply impossible to remove it.

The second problem with the Moray knife is the sheath.. They are made of plastic and have a retainer in the form of a recess into which the saw latch pin fits, and the fixation occurs only due to the elasticity of the sheath. The fixation is reliable, but to remove the knife from the sheath, you need to stick your finger into it and push the walls apart, and while this “trick” can still be done on land, it won’t work underwater with thick diving gloves. In general, “Moray eel” was an order of magnitude inferior to “Sea Devil” both in terms of design quality and manufacturing quality.

There were other competitors. Thus, the KEMPO company from Orekhovo-Zuev, which develops underwater equipment, including in the interests of the Navy, developed its own model of a knife for divers, but this knife was focused mainly on instrumental use. For combat swimmers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (there are such), the Southern Cross company also developed its own version of an underwater knife. These models were not direct competitors of the Sea Devil; moreover, the Southern Cross had simply disappeared from the market by that time, but the developments and customers remained.

Our knife for combat swimmers served as the basis for knives for other purposes. So, a simplified version was proposed for Navy military units. The knife itself was taken unchanged, and the design of the sheath was simplified - there were no cutters and saws in them. They are simply not needed. The Killer Whale knife was also developed on the basis of the “Sea Devil”. It is designed for UPASRA (Navy Salvage Directorate) and features a modified tanto blade tip. This made it possible to strengthen the knife blade and use it for heavy work. A simplified version of such a knife is also considered as a diving knife.

It is easy to see that on one design basis it is easy to obtain several models for different purposes. On the basis of combat models, a universal model of the “Moray” was developed, produced in the version of a diving knife and a survival knife (not to be confused with the “Moray” from the SARO company). Our “Moray eel” has the front part of the blade changed, as a result the knife is not considered a bladed weapon. In the version of the survival knife, instead of a serrated blade, there is a double-row saw along the blade.

Strange as it may seem, but it was the underwater knife that served as the basis for the knife developed by NOKS on the theme “Peregrine Falcon”(survival knife for Russian Air Force pilots). The reason is the versatility of the basic design and its flexibility. “Sapsan” has the same type of blade, shortened to 130 mm and a slightly shortened handle, but the type of blade and even the type of serator remained unchanged. Only the harpoon ledge was added.

The reduction in the dimensions of the Sapsan sample was forced, as it was dictated by the conditions of placement on the flight gear and weight reduction. The sheath is made of plastic, and the knife has two wearing options. The first is used during parachute jumps and should ensure a safe landing. After landing, the knife hangs on the belt. These features are reflected in the design of the suspension.

Having one knife for all situations and all climate zones is not rational, it’s not for nothing that there are so many varieties of knives, which reflect local conditions and habits, everyday life and the development of technology; this is also true for combat knives. Thus, the “Sea Devil” turned out to be very convenient for the conditions of the North and the Middle Zone, but for the mountains this knife is too heavy and cumbersome. Therefore, the NOKS company has developed a version of a combat knife for mountain conditions. The Irbis knife was used as a basis; the blade length of this model is 130 mm, the blade thickness is 6 mm. The sharpening of the knife is one and a half, in the root part there is a serrated for working with rope. Double-sided guard and rider handle made of kraton.

The requirements for this design are minimal dimensions and weight while maintaining combat and operational properties. Combat properties are determined by the ability to deliver a piercing blow through warm clothing. A scabbard made of avisent with the possibility of fastening in different places of combat equipment. The sheath has a pocket in which a mini-tool is placed. The mini-tool is made on the basis of the “Biker” tool developed by NOKS. The only difference between the military version is the presence of a detonator crimp on the pliers; the “Biker” was chosen for its small size and, most importantly, for its flat dimensions, which allow it to be conveniently placed in a pocket.

Thus, based on one combat model of the “Sea Devil” knife, a whole range of knives for a wide variety of purposes has been developed. In addition, according to the drawings of the “Sea Devil”, which were transferred by the company “NOKS”, the Zlatoust company “AiR” released a gift version of this knife. Demand for the “Sea Devil” as a gift appeared just after it was presented to the President of Russia.

There is an opinion among collectors that the term “Russian combat knife” has no right to exist. It turns out that there was a boot knife, there was a baguette, there was a bayonet, but there was no Russian combat knife. Although both “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” 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 a bayonet attack that the Russians simply terrified the enemy. By the way, interesting historical fact- in armies Western Europe the bayonet was a “weapon of last chance.”

The concept of a “bayonet attack” practically did not exist there, and the deadly attachment to the barrel of a musket served only for defense. The Russian deadly offensive bayonet charge has become a legend. The great Russian commander Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov generally introduced it into the cult, relegating the importance of bullet shooting from firearms to the background. His catchphrase “The bullet is a fool, the bayonet is a good fellow” is known to every Russian who is interested in the history of his Motherland. However, the most famous was and remains the bayonet for the rifle of the remarkable Russian designer and organizer of rifle production, Sergei Ivanovich Mosin.

Bayonet for S.I. rifle Mosin model 1891/1930

Based on the Berdan rifle bayonet of the 1870 model, the tetrahedral bayonet entered service with the Russian army along with the Mosin rifle in 1891.

It was terrible weapon close combat. The half-meter tetrahedral needle blade inflicted deep penetrating wounds, accompanied by severe damage internal organs. In addition, the small entrance hole did not allow us to assess on the spot the depth of penetration of the bayonet into the body and the severity of the wound, which could result in internal bleeding and infections leading to peritonitis and, as a consequence, death.

Virtually unchanged, the bayonet for the Mosin rifle existed for half a century, surviving its peak during the revolution and 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.

Scout knife and its derivatives

Army knife (NA-40)

Just before the Great Patriotic War, a weapon of Russian soldiers was born, no less legendary than the bayonet for the Mosin rifle - the famous NA-40 (“army knife”), or NR-40 (“scout knife”), adopted for service 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 submachine gunner units were armed with this knife. The narrow - up to 22 mm - blade of the NA-40 made it possible to insert it between the enemy’s ribs with the least resistance and at the same time lightened the weight of the knife itself. The wooden handle and scabbard served the same purpose and at the same time reduced the cost of production.

Army knife of the Ural Volunteer Tank Corps

An interesting historical fact: in 1943 the Ural Volunteer was formed tank corps, fully equipped due to above-plan labor and voluntary donations from the working people of the Urals. This was a gift to the front from people already working to the limit of human strength, an example of the mass labor heroism of workers.

Exactly Soviet-Finnish war was an experience that showed 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 an enemy sentry, set up a temporary camp or cache in the forest, make snowshoes, and quickly figure out a drag for a wounded comrade from scrap material. Therefore, on the basis of a uniform bayonet-knife of the 1919 model and a Finnish scout knife, the legendary NA-40 was made.

However, I don’t think that it was the Soviet-Finnish war that opened the eyes of Russian gunsmiths to the advantages of combat knives of the recent enemy. “Finka” gained fame in Russia and enjoyed deserved popularity even before the revolution. And although the Finnish knife was legally prohibited in the USSR in the 30s, in those same years it, in a slightly modified form, became a special weapon of the NKVD.

The so-called “Finnish NKVD”, or “Norwegian-type knife”, 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 was copied from a Swedish hunting knife made by the famous master Pontus Holmberg from Eskilstuna.

Hunting knife of Pontus Holmberg of Eskilstuna

The same knife, the ancestor of the famous “NKVD Finnish knife”, or “Norwegian-type knife”, which is talked about so much and which few have seen even in photographs. Swedish hunting knife produced by Pontus Holmberg from Eskilstuna.

Finka NKVD, modern version

Nowadays, the “NKVD Finka” is made from modern materials, its design has been significantly altered. The guard became almost straight, the top of the handle was “rounded”. The handle itself can be made either entirely of wood or covered with printed leather.

In 1943, the guard, handle and scabbard of the NA-40 underwent major changes and Soviet intelligence officers received an even more successful design - an HP-43 knife with a straight guard, a leather sheath and a durable plastic handle topped with a metal pommel - if anything, you can hammer in a wedge and caress the enemy on the head. The knife was called “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 (SRS)

In the 60s, the USSR created the NRS (special scout knife), designed to defeat the enemy in battle both with a blade and with the help of a firing mechanism located in the handle and consisting of a short barrel and trigger mechanism. The NRS fired a silent SP-3 cartridge with a 7.62 mm caliber bullet, model 1943.

Special scout knife - 2 (NRS-2)

In 1986, the NRS was upgraded to the NRS-2. The blade of the knife became spear-shaped, the saw on the butt was almost halved, the SP-3 cartridge was replaced with the also silent SP-4 with an unusual cylindrical bullet, despite the “hemp-shaped” shape, piercing a standard helmet at a distance of twenty meters. The hammer is cocked using a special lever located on the handle, and the trigger is released using another lever located on its end part. Reloading occurs by removing the barrel, which takes an average of 1–2 minutes. Currently, the NRS-2 is in service with reconnaissance units of the Airborne Forces and Marine Corps, as well as special forces of internal affairs bodies and units internal troops Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Bayonet knives

However, the most famous Russian combat knife for every citizen of our country is the bayonet 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, the “bayonet-knife product “6X2” was adopted, which had the same blade as the bayonet for the SVT-40 self-loading rifle and differed only in the locking mechanism. According to experts, the “6X2 bayonet-knife” was an extremely successful design.

Experimental knife R.M. Todorov model 1956

The prototype of the bayonet 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 his belt like an ordinary HP.

Todorov’s experimental knife came to the attention of Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov’s employees, who were engaged in the creation of a promising bayonet knife, and was remade for the AKM with a number of nodes changed, maintaining the shape of the blade practically unchanged. And since that time, it has been copied in one form or another by designers from almost every country in the world that produces 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 with a lighter and more versatile one, created on the basis of an experimental knife designed by Lieutenant Colonel R.M. Todorov, mentioned above. But the new bayonet, “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 has become a kind of calling card Soviet Union together with the AK-74 assault rifle. There is an opinion 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 coats of arms Democratic Republic East Timor and the Republic of Zimbabwe.

To be honest, this is a completely different bayonet-knife, little similar to its predecessor. Perhaps the only similarity remains in the shape of the sheath and the presence of a characteristic hole on the blade. The shape of the blade and handle, the material from which the handle and sheath are made, as well as the form of fastening have changed - now the Russian bayonet-knife is placed in a 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 latest example of a standard bayonet-knife, believe that this method of fastening will help avoid the blade getting stuck between the enemy’s ribs. And perhaps there is a certain reason for this, because this 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 without hitting it.

Sling cutters

One cannot help but recall such an interesting weapon as a standard sling cutter Airborne troops THE USSR. Despite the purely practical purpose of this knife - to cut tangled parachute lines if the main canopy does not open when landing on a tree or water, it is still a military weapon. Moreover, the weapon is quite serious, given the ability of a double-sided saw to inflict lacerations. If, based on the principle that “in the Airborne Forces, any object is a weapon,” in addition to sharpening the dull leaf-shaped part of the blade to the proper sharpness, the sling cutter will become a fully-fledged hand-to-hand combat weapon.

Sling cutter of the Russian Airborne Forces

The modern Russian knife-strop cutter is an automatic knife with a frontal blade ejection, which has a double-sided sharpening and does not have a piercing edge.

Diving knives

Standard diving non-magnetic knife

Now 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, allowing you to securely hold the knife both in your 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 devices and screwdrivers. On the butt there is often a metal pommel that can be used as a hammer.

Standard diving knife with ring

The method of securing a knife in a sheath using a threaded connection was widely used in the armies of various countries, including Germany, Italy and the USA. This blade fixation was also used in the USSR in the standard Navy diving knife. The blade of this knife has a classic shape, made of corrosion-resistant steel, and the handle is made of treated wood.

The ring on the handle is used to secure the cord to prevent accidental loss of the knife. Despite its external elegance, the knife is quite heavy, its weight together with the sheath reaches one kilogram, and the dimensions of the handle allow it to be confidently used by a hand wearing a diving glove. The fastening of the sheath on the belt is rigid due to the metal bracket into which the diving belt is threaded. This is necessary so that you can make 3-4 half turns of the handle with one hand, without holding the sheath, releasing the knife fixed at the mouth of the sheath with a threaded connection.

The combat knife was with a standard knife light divers of the USSR Navy are still used by naval reconnaissance forces and anti-underwater sabotage forces (underwater sabotage forces and means) as bladed weapons and for carrying out work under water or on land.

The NVU blade is equipped with a serrator for sawing cables, ropes and steel nets. The sheath is made of plastic, with the possibility of two-point attachment to the shin or forearm. The NVU is attached to the sheath using a rubber pad on the handle. This fastening method reduces the time it takes to remove the knife, but also virtually eliminates the possibility of losing it. NVU has negative buoyancy, in simple terms, it sinks. But, having drowned and reached the bottom, it stands in a vertical position on the ground with the handle up, which greatly facilitates its search under water in case of loss. There is an antimagnetic modification of the NVU-AM knife, which does not have serrated sharpening.

Utility/combat knives

Sea Devil

The knife received the name “Sea Devil” from the light hands of combat swimmers who took part in testing new types of edged weapons. The creator of the knife is Igor Skrylev, the author of many developments in the field of creating combat knives adopted for service special units Russian army and navy. "Sea Devil" is a knife generalist, which can be successfully used by both combat swimmers and special forces of other military branches to solve a wide range of tasks.

An experimental model of a universal knife created for the Marine Corps. Designing utility knives has always attracted designers who create latest models edged weapons, but solving a wide range of problems using one tool is an almost impossible thing.

The Storm knife has a stainless steel blade and an impact-resistant, chemically inert handle, as a result of which it can be used for close combat by marine units, for which it was, in fact, created. The knife is purely a combat knife - due to the lack of a saw on the butt and a serrator on the blade, it can hardly be considered as a universal one.

The knife was made by order of the Moscow SOBR by the AiR company from the city of Zlatoust. It exists in three versions - a combat knife, a premium combat knife and a civilian modification. The award version differs in that it is made with gilding, but tactical and technical characteristics no different from combat.

DV-1 and DV-2

The DV-1 and DV-2 knives, differing only in blade length, were created on special order and in collaboration with Far Eastern special forces soldiers. Their names indicate this - DV means “Far Eastern”. These are massive camping knives that can withstand heavy loads and can be used for the toughest jobs.

The knife impresses with its large size. Its total length is 365 mm, and the blade length is 235 mm. To protect against corrosion and to eliminate unmasking glare, the blade is coated with a matte black coating. Half-click releases, 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 chopping 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 make it easier to pull 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 leather disks tightly fitted to each other, has an oval cross-section. The handle ends with a massive pommel, used for traumatic purposes. The pommel is put on a through shank and tightened on it with a flat nut. The knife sheath is of a classic design, made of two layers of thick leather, connected with rivets. The suspension is vertical, with a strap that securely fixes the handle.

Knives of the “Punisher” series were created specifically for the security forces of the FSB of Russia by the company Melita-K, which has been producing high-quality knives since 1994, including a wide range of combat knives and daggers.

“Punisher” is produced in two modifications - “VZMAKH-1” and “Maestro”. In addition, there are modifications that differ in the material of the handle (stacked leather, rubber or kraton). “VZMAKH-1” differs in the root part of the serrated sharpening, and “Maestro” differs in the serrated sharpening at the top, the type of sheath and the type of finishing of the blade (anti-reflective, 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 you 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 the arm, leg, belt and elements of combat or hiking equipment. The “VZMAKH-1” knife has been officially adopted for service.

The knives “Vityaz NSN”, “Vityaz NM”, “Vityaz” were created by order of the President of the Vityaz Design Bureau, Hero of Russia S.I. Lysyuk for arming detachments special purpose. The main feature of the design is a large, heavy blade with a narrow blade, which allows maintaining the inertia of movement upon impact, reducing weight and increasing penetrating abilities, an anatomically comfortable guard that allows you to securely fix the knife in your hand.

The Anti-Terror knife was created for the security forces of the Russian FSB. The knife blade has a petal shape, which allows maximum use of the working area of the blade and increases its cutting properties. The blade configuration has high penetrating abilities; the cutting part has a crescent-shaped cavity, which allows you to increase the length of the cutting edge while maintaining linear dimensions. The back of the blade has been strengthened. The standard ergonomic guard does not allow the hand to slip at the moment of striking.

Combat knives of the Katran series differ in the type of blade and handle material. 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 pommel. Handle material - leather, rubber or craton, depending on the modification.

- "Katran-1" - underwater combat knife. Blade with one and a half sharpening. The sharpening on the butt is made in the form of a wave-shaped saw. The root part has a hook for cutting nets and serrated sharpening. Rubber handle. Plastic sheath with straps for hanging on the leg. The coating of metal parts is black chrome.

- “Katran-1-S” is a land version of this knife. Differs in blade material: steel 50Х14 MF. Anti-glare treatment of metal parts. The handle is made of leather. Leather sheath with plastic insert.

- “Katran-2” is a hunting knife with one and a half sharpening. The sharpening point on the butt has an angle designed for chopping. Anti-glare treatment. The handle is made of leather. The scabbard is leather.

- "Katran-45" - a combat knife. An exclusive model created by order of the 45th Airborne Regiment. It is distinguished by the presence of a metal saw blade on the butt and an anti-reflective coating. The handle is made of leather. Leather scabbard. There is an option with camouflage coating of metal parts.

The combat dagger “Shaitan” was created in 2001 by order and together with employees of the law enforcement unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan (Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan). The combat dagger "Shaitan" is produced in two modifications: the handle is inlaid leather and the 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. The serrator is designed for use as a sling cutter and easily cuts 10-12 mm climbing rope. The shape of the blade is designed for inflicting deep cut wounds, as well as for maximum use of the working part of the blade. The guard and handle are made symmetrical. Also, “Shaitan-M” can be used as a throwing knife that can withstand up to 3000 throws. The handle is made of stacked leather, subjected to special treatment. All metal parts have anti-reflective treatment.

The Akela knife was created by order of SOBR as a “police” knife. Distinctive feature is its small size, which allows it to work in cramped urban conditions, crowded places, where the use of firearms is impossible. The knife is a dagger type, double-edged, the blade has an anti-reflective coating (black chrome). The handle is made of MBS rubber and fits comfortably in the hand. The pommel is metal and has a hole for a lanyard.

The Smersh-5 knife is a classic combat knife. The ancestor of this knife was used during the Second World War (HP-43). The knife blade has high penetrating ability. The ergonomic guard does not allow the hand to slip during a strike. The upper butt part of the guard is designed for additional pressure when cutting hard objects.

The Gyurza knife consists of two modifications and has a narrow blade with a one-and-a-half sharpening. On the butt part of the sharpening is made with a serrator. Serrator increases combat capabilities knife, and is also used for cutting ropes and cables and to a limited extent as a substitute for a saw.

The combat knife “Cobra” was created by order of the SOBR of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. This 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 firearms cannot be used. This dagger is designed not only for thrusting; the shape of its blade allows the use of cutting and chopping techniques, both with a direct and reverse grip.

This large and powerful knife with a blade 180 mm long was created by order of the FSB sapper units. "Vzryvotekhnik" was designed as utility knife, designed to perform the functions of a combat weapon, survival knife and engineering tool. Currently officially adopted. The blade is symmetrical, with differentiated sharpening - on one side of the blade there is a regular sharpening, on the other there is a fine serrated blade. The wooden handle has a steel pommel, which can be used both in combat and as a hammer.

The combat knife, manufactured by the A&R company (Zlatoust), retains all the features of a classic dagger - a double-edged blade, symmetrical guard and handle. This dagger is interesting because it is, apparently, the only one in modern Russia a case of revival of the tradition of departmental weapons, which, being a military model, at the same time indicates belonging to a strictly defined state structure.

A small and only batch of this combat knife was manufactured in 2008 by order of the Financial Monitoring Service specifically for its employees. The dagger is made of stainless steel, the handle is made of leather, the guard and butt are aluminum.

The abbreviation “OTs” stands for “Weapon TsKIB”. The OTs-04 knife was created 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 design, the thickness of the butt is 7 mm. The blade has a slight bevel in 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 sawing raw wood. The handle is symmetrical, with a double-sided guard, made of plastic and has large corrugations for better grip.

The scabbard is iron, riveted from two halves. In them, the blade is held by a spring-loaded plate, similar to AK bayonet knives. The sheath has a leather loop for the classic placement of the knife on the belt. Also included are leather adjustable straps that allow you to position the knife on your body and equipment in several ways.

There is an opinion among collectors that the term “Russian combat knife” has no right to exist. It turns out that there was a boot knife, there was a baguette, there was a bayonet, but there was no Russian combat knife. Although both “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” 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 a bayonet attack that the Russians simply terrified the enemy. By the way, an interesting historical fact - in the armies of Western Europe, the bayonet was a “weapon of last chance.”

Bayonet for S.I. rifle Mosin model 1891/1930

Based on the Berdan rifle bayonet of the 1870 model, the tetrahedral 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 us to assess on the spot the depth of penetration of the bayonet into the body and the severity of the wound, which could result in internal bleeding and infections leading to peritonitis and, as a consequence, death.

Almost unchanged, the bayonet for the Mosin rifle existed for half a century, surviving its peak during 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.