Bladed weapons usually consist of a blade, a handle (hilt) and a limiter (guard). Blade - extended metal warhead edged weapons with a point (sword, stiletto oval or round in cross section, etc.) and one (hunting, army knives, etc.) or two (dagger, swords, etc.) blades.

The blade is the sharpened part of the blade. The part of the blade opposite the blade is called the butt. The bevel of the butt is a part of the butt, sharpened towards the blade and forming with it the edge of the blade. The unsharpened part of the blade between the blade and the shank is called the fifth.

Blades in cross section are flat, multifaceted, round, oval. The side surfaces of flat blades may have notches (valleys) or stiffeners. The longitudinal line on the side surface of the blade, from which the sharpening of the blade begins, is called the sharpening line.

The handle is attached by a rider, riveted (plaque) methods or using a thread on the shank. The handle of a bladed weapon usually consists of a handle, a bushing (ring), and a pommel (tip). Cheren - the main part of the handle, directly captured by the hand. As a rule, the handle sleeve is a metal part covering the handle from one or two ends. The tip fixes the handle on the shank. The part installed between the handle and the base of the blade, with its parts protruding beyond the edge (edges) of the blade, which protects the hand from slipping onto the blade blade and serves to protect against blows, is called a limiter or cross (guard).

The ancestor of bladed weapons is the knife. The presence of a short blade with one blade along the longitudinal axis distinguishes it from other types of melee weapons. Knives are divided into clumsy, folding and collapsible (Fig. 1, 2).

Rice. 1.

1 - knife length; 2 - blade length; 3 - handle length; 4 - limiter; 5 - heel; 6 - blade; 7 - butt; 8 - combat tip; 9 - bevel butt; 10 - subdigital notches.


Rice. 2.

1 - blade; 2 - shank; 3 - rotary axis; 4 - latch.

Throughout its existence, the knife has not undergone significant changes in design features. Over time, all peoples developed their own forms of the blade and handle in their various constructive combinations. Hunting knives are widely used among them (Fig. 3). Hunting knives must comply with the requirements of GOST R 51500-99.

The features of hunting knives include the following.

The blade of a single-edged knife is formed by the meeting of a smooth rounding of the blade with a bevel of the butt or butt at an angle usually less than 45 °. In this case, the bevel of the butt can have a rectilinear or concave shape. Hunting knives must have a limiter (emphasis) or a one- or two-sided cross, or sub-finger recesses on the handle, ensuring a strong and safe hold of the knife when stabbing. The length of the blade is not less than 90 mm, the thickness of the butt is not less than 2.6 mm at the thickest point of the blade. The hardness of the blade must be at least 42 HRC, regardless of what steel. Factory hunting knives must have a registration number and a brand of the manufacturer.



Rice. 3.

The excess of the width of a one-sided or two-sided limiter over the width of the handle must be at least 5 mm. The depth of a single sub-finger recess on the front sleeve or handle shaft in the absence of a limiter is at least 5 mm. The depth of the sub-finger notch on the handle shaft, which has more than one sub-finger notch, is at least 4 mm.

Folding hunting knives related to cold piercing and cutting weapons must necessarily have a mechanism that locks the blade both in the open (combat) and in other positions. Collapsible hunting knives have a set of blades: knife and tool.

A bayonet-knife is a piercing and cutting edged weapon, it is an accessory of combat hand firearms (carbines, machine guns). The blades are flat, at least 150 mm long, 4 mm thick and have attachments for attaching to the weapon barrel. Army (military) knives are piercing and cutting edged weapons, the blade, as a rule, is formed by two-sided sharpening, the convergence of which with the butt at an angle of 30-40 ° forms a point. The blade length is more than 130 mm, the thickness is more than 3.5 mm, the handles can be wooden, metal, rubber, plastic.

A stylet also belongs to short-bladed weapons, a characteristic feature of which is a straight or slightly curved pointed blade of a round, oval, three or four-sided section without pronounced cutting properties. A handle that is comfortable to hold almost always has a limiter.

It should be emphasized that the dagger also refers to short-bladed melee weapons. The blade at the dagger is usually 200-250 mm long, the length of the handle is about 100-120 mm, there may also be a figured limiter between the blade and the handle.

Of particular note is the medium-bladed weapon, one of the types of which is the dagger. It has been known since Neolithic times as a hunting and combat weapon, later as a national weapon. The blade is straight or curved, with double-edged blades sharply tapering to the point.

Factory-made hunting daggers have a registration number and a manufacturer's mark, which are applied by stamping, engraving, etching, and burning. The main technical characteristics of the blades of hunting daggers are as follows:

Length not less than 150 mm;

Thickness not less than 4 mm (in the thickest place);

Width not less than 25 mm (at the widest point);

The ratio of the length of the blade to its width is not more than 6:1;

The excess of the width of a one-sided or two-sided limiter over the width of the handle handle is at least 5 mm;

The hardness of the blades is not lower than 42 HBC.

In addition to hunting knives and daggers, short-bladed civilian weapons include survival knives. They are intended for use both in the conditions of commercial or sports hunting as hunting knives, and in difficult (extreme) hiking conditions, travel and sports tourism, including its special types(mountaineering and water tourism).

Survival knives and their accessories are also used for household purposes as a set of tools and accessories.

Fig 4.

A survival knife must comply with the mandatory requirements of the current state standard. It also applies to imported products.

Design features and technical requirements for survival knives practically do not differ from the requirements for hunting knives and daggers.

Survival knives are divided into two types according to their design:

Non-separable (including transforming);

Collapsible.

Survival knife designs are based on corresponding military combat knives and clumsy hunting knives.

A survival knife must consist of a blade and a handle, have a limiter or under the finger recesses on the handle, which ensure a firm hold of the knife when delivering striking stabbing blows and the safety of using weapons. The connection of the blade of a survival knife with the handle, including the hinged one in the transforming one, must be tight and strong. For a collapsible (with removable, replaceable blades) knife, the strength of the fastening of the blade with the handle must be ensured by the appropriate connection.

The design of the blade (shape, weight, dimensions, etc.) of a survival knife, as well as the materials used for its manufacture, must have the strength and hardness necessary for cold bladed weapons, provide sufficient damaging properties, the possibility of using it when performing heavy chores and durability of operation .

The blade of a survival knife must be sharpened. Special types of sharpening are allowed both for the entire length of the blade and for its part, and additional sharpening on the bevel and part of the butt for a length of up to 2/3 of the blade (from its tip), which improves its damaging properties.

The handle of a survival knife must be carefully crafted to ensure safety when using the weapon.

The technical requirements for survival knives are as follows.

The length of the blade is not less than 90 mm (the length of the blade is determined by the size from the point to the limiter, and in its absence - to the front end of the sleeve or the shank of the handle), the thickness of the butt is not less than 2.6 mm (the thickness of the butt is measured in the thickest part of the blade, for example on his heel); hardness should not be lower than 42 HBC.

Factory survival knives have a registration number and a brand (logo) of the manufacturer, which are applied to the heel of the blade in various ways (stamping, engraving, etching, burning). The method of applying the registration number and the brand of the manufacturer must ensure their safety for the entire period of operation of the weapon.

In addition to the short-bladed, there are medium-bladed civil edged weapons (hunting cleavers) and medium-bladed household items structurally similar to them, which are not related to edged weapons. All of them must comply with the GOST project approved by TC 384 and the State Standard "Hunting cleavers, tourist machetes, cutting and tools for restoration and rescue work (IVSR)".

The standard applies to all hunting cleavers, tourist machetes, cutting and tools for restoration and rescue work (IVSR), including imported ones.

Hunting cleavers are divided into two types according to their design:

Non-folding (non-separable and collapsible with interchangeable additional items or tools (shovel, ax, etc.);

Folding with lock.

The designs of hunting cleavers can be based on the designs of military models of edged weapons. The general layout and design features of blades and handles, combined with strength characteristics, must ensure durability and safety of operation and sufficient damaging properties for civilian edged weapons. The connection between the blade and the handle must be tight and strong.

The blades of the blades can have one or two-sided sharpening. Special types of sharpening are allowed, but not more than 1/4 of the total length of the blade. Additional sharpening can be performed on the bevel or part of the butt for a length not exceeding 1/2 of the length of the blade (from its tip or working end).

Blade golomeni can be equipped with narrow or wide valleys. A single or double row saw for wood or bone can also be placed on the butt of the blade.

The handle of a hunting cleaver must be carefully processed and ensure safety when using and wearing it. Handle designs may vary. The handle must be equipped with a cross, a protective bow or other protective device. It is not allowed to equip the handle with a shock cone, characteristic of military weapons.

Hunting cleavers, which are civilian edged weapons, must meet the following technical requirements.

Limit dimensions for blades of hunting cleavers:

Length from 210 to 500 mm;

Blade thickness not less than 3 mm;

Width from 25 to 45 mm;

Point angle less than 70°;

Blade hardness not less than 40 HRC.

The blades must be strong, resilient and have a residual deformation during bending tests of not more than 1 mm. Hunting cleavers must be assembled with a safety handle (hilt).

The handle is considered safe if:

The excess of a one-sided or two-sided limiter (cross) over the shank of the handle is at least 5 mm;

The depth of a single sub-finger recess on the front sleeve or handle shaft is at least 5 mm;

The depth of the sub-finger recesses on the front sleeve or handle shaft, which has more than one sub-finger recess, is at least 4 mm;

The heel of the blade, which acts as a limiter, has a thickness of at least 3.5 mm (in the absence of a wedge-shaped bevel towards the blade);

The difference between the maximum diameter in the middle part of the barrel-shaped handle and the minimum diameter in the pommel area exceeds 8 mm;

The difference between the maximum diameter of the wedge-shaped handle limiter and the minimum diameter in the pommel area exceeds 8 mm;

The handle is equipped with another protective device (for example, a protective shackle) or is made of materials with increased adhesive properties (for example, grooved rubber).

It is mandatory to check hunting cleavers for safety and ease of intended use as a cold bladed weapon, for which it is checked the convenience of holding the weapon in the hand, the safety of applying blows of various strengths and directions (the effectiveness of the protective devices of the handle).

Travel and cutting machetes are household items and do not belong to edged weapons.

The main purpose of tourist machetes is to use them to perform a wide range of household work in field conditions when practicing health and sports tourism, as well as their use in everyday life as household items.

Chopping machetes are designed for cutting carcasses and skinning, as well as for other economic purposes in the conditions of commercial or sport hunting and in everyday life.

Tourist and cutting machetes in their design belong to two types:

Clumsy (non-separable and collapsible with interchangeable additional items or tools, such as a shovel, ax, etc.);

The striking properties of tourist and cutting machetes should be absent or reduced due to their design features and technical characteristics.

The connection of the machete blade with the handle must be tight and strong.

The length of the blade of folding machetes necessarily exceeds the length of the handle.

It is allowed to manufacture machete blades using thermal or mechanical processing technologies, applying special coatings that provide an anti-reflective effect on their surface.

Machete blades have one or two-sided sharpening. Special types of sharpening are allowed, for example, serrated, on a part of the blade from the side of the handle, but not more than 1/4 of the total length of the blade. It is possible to perform additional sharpening on the bevel or part of the butt to a length not exceeding 1/2 of the blade length.

On the blade of a machete, special shock grooves are not allowed, which are characteristic of cold combat medium-bladed weapons and are intended for inflicting lacerations.

For the manufacture of machete handles and their parts, various materials are used. The designs of the handles can be different (mounted, pressed, cast or with dies), with or without a lanyard attachment. Handles are made both with protective devices and without them.

Machetes must be equipped with protective sheaths or cases, including artistically designed, made of natural, synthetic materials or their combinations, ensuring safe transportation and storage of products.

GOST establishes the following technical requirements for tourist and cutting machetes.

Tourist and cutting machetes, which are household products, are equipped with a blade with a point that does not provide damaging properties when applying targeted piercing and cutting blows.

Limit dimensions for machete blades:

Length from 175 to 500 mm (determined by the size from the tip to the protruding part of the handle);

Thickness not less than 1.5 mm (measurement is made in the thickest part of the blade);

Width (maximum) not less than 35 mm;

Point angle over 70°.

It is allowed to reduce the angle of the point less than 70° in the presence of a safety handle in cases where:

The point is excessively removed from the middle line of the blade towards the butt or blade;

There is no wedge-shaped descent of the blade towards the point;

There is no additional sharpening or chamfer on the butt or its bevel;

The sharpening width directly at the point is not more than 15 mm;

The excessive thickness of the blade, etc., does not allow the use of a machete for delivering targeted piercing and cutting blows (assessed as a whole).

The hardness of the blades is not less than 25 HRC.

The blades can be straight or curved (along the butt), both with and without an extension from the point.

The blades must be sufficiently strong and resilient, however, the value of residual deformation during bending is not regulated and can exceed 1 mm.

The value of the angle of the point is not regulated in the presence of:

Safety handle and blade thickness no more than 2.4 mm;

Traumatic handle.

The handle is considered traumatic (in the absence of a lanyard) if:

The excess of a one-sided or two-sided limiter (cross) over the measure of the handle is less than 5 mm;

The depth of a single subfinger notch on the front sleeve or handle shaft is less than 5 mm;

The depth of the sub-finger recesses on the front sleeve or handle shaft, which has more than one sub-finger recess, is less than 4 mm;

The heel of the blade, acting as a limiter, has a thickness of less than 3.5 mm;

The difference between the maximum diameter of the wedge-shaped handle limiter and the minimum diameter in the pommel area does not exceed 8 mm;

The handle is not equipped with any other protective device (such as a safety bail).

A large group of bladed weapons is made up of long-bladed stabbing, slashing and cutting weapons. It includes a saber, a checker, a sword, a sword, a rapier, etc. The main feature of a long-bladed weapon - its relevance only to a weapon - was originally incorporated in the design, which distinguishes it from the short-bladed one, which was also used in everyday life. Currently, most of the long-bladed edged weapons are museum exhibits or exhibits from private collections.

The main technical characteristics of sabers, checkers:

Total length from 730 to 1150 mm;

The length of the blade is from 650 to 900 mm (the length of the blade is determined by the size from the combat end (point) to the guard, and in its absence to the cross (stop) of the hilt);

Blade thickness not less than 4 mm;

Blade width from 23 to 55 mm;

The height of the curvature of the blade is from 42 to 73 mm;

Total weight from 1,000 to 2,000 g.

Main technical characteristics of daggers:

Total length from 400 to 600 mm;

Blade length from 300 to 440 mm;

Blade thickness not less than 5 mm;

Blade width from 25 to 45 mm;

Total weight from 450 to 750 g.

The hardness of the blades of sabers, checkers and daggers made after 1994 must be at least 42 HRC. For blades made before 1994 and belonging to national costumes and Cossack uniforms, as well as their antique samples, the hardness must be at least 40 HNS. In cases where the hardness is less than 40 HPC, the hardness data of the submitted sample should be correlated with the indicators of cold steel samples of the same period of time.

In expert practice, very often there are objects that resemble melee weapons, but they are not. Among them are carving and skinning knives designed both for use in conditions of commercial or sport hunting (including underwater), and for household needs. Skinning and carving knives can have both original designs and be based on the designs of folding and non-folding hunting and survival knives, but they combat properties must be reduced due to design features and mechanical characteristics. Carving and skinning knives are clumsy, collapsible and folding. The blade of a folding knife in the open state can be rigidly fixed (i.e., a lock is allowed). On the blade, additional elements for household and special purposes (a saw for a bone, a tip in the form of a screwdriver, etc.) can be made, which are folded into a knife handle or placed in a sheath, case.

Technical characteristics of carving and skinning knives (GOST R 51644-2000):

1. The length of the blade is up to 90 mm, the thickness of the butt of the knife and its hardness can be similar to cold bladed weapons.

2. The thickness of the butt of the blade is less than 2.4 mm, the length of the blade is up to 150 mm if the design of the knife has a one-sided or two-sided limiter or sub-finger recesses on the handle.

3. The thickness of the butt of the blade is more than 2.6 mm and is independent of the length of the blade, if:

The knife handle is traumatic, i.e. there are no protective devices;

The excess of the width of a one-sided or two-sided limiter over the width of the handle shaft is less than 5 mm;

The depth of a single subfinger notch on the front sleeve or handle shaft in the absence of a limiter is less than 5 mm;

The depth of the sub-finger notch on the handle shaft, which has more than one sub-finger notch, is less than 4 mm;

The difference between the maximum diameter in the middle part of the barrel-shaped handle and the minimum diameter in the pommel area does not exceed 8 mm;

The length of the working part of the handle (from the limiter to the pommel) does not exceed 70 mm;

The magnitude of the deflection of the butt upwards from the conditional straight line connecting the tip of the blade and the lower end of the handle exceeds 15 mm;

The amount by which the tip of the blade protrudes above the line of the butt exceeds 5 mm;

On the oblique butt of the knife blade at a distance of not more than 1/3 from its tip, a special hook with a blade (hook) is made for cutting and skinning;

The blade of the folding carving knife and the skinning knife does not have a rigid fixation;

The design of the blade does not provide for the possibility of inflicting striking stabbing blows, characteristic of hunting knives;

Butchering and skinning knives, regardless of the thickness and length of the blade, include knives with blade hardness below 25 HHC and intended for skinning and butchering carcasses of wild and domestic animals, fish and birds;

The length of the blades of carving knives (for example, for cutting fish), regardless of their hardness, may exceed the above values ​​if the thickness of the blades is less than 2 mm;

The hardness of the blades of cutting and skinning knives has no restrictions.

Tourist knives and special sports knives are items of tourist equipment. They are designed for use in field conditions when practicing health and sports tourism, as well as its special types and in certain sports. They consist of a blade, a handle, have an emphasis or sub-finger recesses on the handle, which ensure a firm hold and safe use of the knife.

Specifications (GOST R 51501-99): 1. Maximum maximum dimensions for blades with a hardness above 25 HNS of tourist and special sports knives, which are household knives, structurally similar to cold short-bladed weapons:

Length up to 150 mm if the design of the knife has a one-sided or two-sided limiter or sub-finger recesses on the handle;

Length up to 220 mm in the absence of a one-sided or two-sided limiter in the design of the knife or sub-finger recesses on the handle;

The thickness of the butt is not more than 2.4 mm.

2. The thickness of the butt of blades with a hardness above 25 NPO of tourist and special sports knives can be more than 2.4 mm in cases where the length of their blades is less than 90 mm.

3. The length of the blades of special sports knives (for example, sling cutters) with an automatic spring or other design that provides quick removal of the blade with one hand and fixing it in the working position may be more than 90 mm if they do not have a blade edge.

4. Tourist and special sports, regardless of the thickness and length of the blades, include knives with a blade hardness below 25 HNS and intended for use in field conditions and when practicing special sports.

5. Tourist and special sports, regardless of the thickness and length of the blades, include folding knives that do not have a rigid fixation of the blades in the working position and are intended for use in field conditions and when practicing special sports.

6. Tourist knives, regardless of the hardness of the blades, also include folding knives (with the exception of the dagger and stiletto type) with a blade length of not more than 105 mm and a butt thickness of up to 3.5 mm, having handles, the design of which does not ensure the safety of using the knife as a weapon through:

The arc-shaped side concave for the entire length of the handle opposite the straight back (the so-called "pump-type" handle);

The width in the middle part of the “pump” type handle, which should be no more than 20 mm;

Absence of limiters and pronounced subdigital recesses;

Applications in the manufacture of materials and technologies for their processing, which reduce the frictional properties of the “pump” type handle (metal, wood, plastic, etc., subjected to grinding, polishing, etc.).

7. The length of the blades of special sports knives for climbers, regardless of their hardness, may exceed the values ​​specified in paragraph 1 if the thickness of the blades is less than 2 mm.

8. The length and thickness of the butt of the blades of special sports knives intended for scuba diving (scuba diver's knives) and water tourism, regardless of the hardness of the blade, may exceed the values ​​\u200b\u200bspecified in paragraph 1, if the design of the tip of their blades does not provide for the possibility of inflicting damaging stabbing blows, characteristic of hunting knives intended for spearfishing. In these cases, in place of the tip of the knife blade, the working parts of additional tools or devices, such as screwdrivers, chisels, spatulas, wrenches, etc., can be made.

9. The hardness of the blades of tourist and special sports knives has no restrictions.

Souvenirs similar in external structure with cold (blade, shock-crushing) weapons, are made according to certain models of cold weapons, correspond to the types of specific imitated samples, but do not fully possess their combat properties. Distinctive features of souvenir blade products:

The attachment of the shank of the blade with the handle is significantly weakened in various ways in order to destroy when trying to use it as a weapon;

Blade hardness must be below 25 HBC;

Long-bladed souvenir products should not withstand more than one or two impacts on a log with a diameter of more than 150-200 mm during strength tests.

Tools for restoration and rescue work (IVSR) are household items and do not belong to edged weapons.

The main purpose of the IVSR is to use it as a trenching and chopping tool in the aftermath natural Disasters, catastrophes.

According to their design, IVSRs are of two types:

Non-folding (non-separable and collapsible with interchangeable additional items or tools - a shovel, an ax, etc.);

Folding (with or without lock).

The connection of the IVSR cloths with the handles must be tight and strong.

Some types of medieval edged weapons were universal, as they combined individual properties of various categories of weapons. In particular, it should be noted piercing-cutting and piercing-chopping types, which are very widespread almost all over the world.

Piercing and cutting melee weapons

The general description of this variety of medieval weapons comes down to one word - knives. This type was the most common - it was owned, as they say, by both old and young - nobles and aristocrats, peasants and merchants, sailors and soldiers, and, of course, a wide variety of robbers, including sea pirates.

Among the brightest representatives of piercing and cutting weapons, it is necessary to note the boot knife. This versatile tool has primordially Russian origin. It was used both for domestic purposes and in combat, as a last resort.

Known are such types of piercing and cutting weapons as underarm knives with a short and wide blade, as well as field and belt knives. Again, it should be noted that the appearance, the subtleties of manufacture and the peculiarities of the use of certain representatives of this category of edged weapons directly depended on the state in which the gunsmith lived.

Besides, essential had a certain battle tactics, as well as national flavor, characteristic of various peoples of the world. For example, the Japanese tanto and the German scramasax, which belong to the piercing-cutting variety, had significant differences in appearance, although they performed the same functions.


Japanese tanto and German scramasax

The stabbing and chopping weapon of the Middle Ages

This category of medieval types of weapons, by analogy with the chopping type, can be divided into two subgroups - handle and pole. as the most bright representative the first type can be safely called a saber. Being a bladed weapon, it had a light curved blade of one-sided sharpening.

The saber came to Europe from the East and quickly gained a very wide popularity due to its exceptional combat qualities, replacing many obsolete types of weapons. This type of edged weapon has evolved into such varieties as the gross messer (Europe), broadsword, cleaver and saber (Russia), as well as the scimitar (Turkey), widely known far beyond the Middle East region.

Pole stabbing and chopping weapons were predominantly combined, that is, the combat tip of this variety was a combination various types melee weapons, for example, an ax or a hammer and a spear. Most famous representative a stabbing-chopping pole type is a halberd, which was something between an ax, a knife, a hook and a spear, and in the most incredible combinations.

Archaeologists are still finding prototypes of edged weapons that still served primitive people. Of course, they look primitive and far from the modern look, but in those distant times there was simply no other way. It was a means for hunting, butchering animal carcasses, as well as for protection against attacks from other tribes and wild animals. Over time, it improved, modern, familiar species appeared.

Before the development of firearms, cold was the main thing in defense, attack and just helping a person. Now melee weapons serve as an auxiliary, complementing the capabilities of small arms. Also, edged weapons can serve as equipment for a military uniform and national costume, or can be rewarded.

Russian edged weapons

How long has humanity existed for so many years and edged weapons. Each age is marked by a certain type of weapon, a club, a club, spears, daggers made of stone and bones. A huge breakthrough in the development of edged weapons occurred after the discovery of copper. Due to the hardness, toughness and lightness of the metal, swords arose, which became indispensable in hand-to-hand combat. And in the fight with the beast, the sword was not superfluous at all. The spears have metal tips.

Over time, the bow gained wide popularity, and the mace and club began to lose ground. Under the Roman Empire, the bow was replaced by a crossbow, but with the use of shells, chain mail, helmets, it also lost its effectiveness in use. Therefore, the main weapon for some time becomes an iron sword.

The emergence of small arms reduced its main role, and the primacy passed to sabers, as an addition to small arms. The encyclopedia of edged weapons describes in detail its varieties, starting with primitive clubs and ending with modern views.

I would like to pay special attention to Russian melee weapons.

From ancient times to the 14th century, they were armed with princely warriors and people's militias. In Rus', they used not only swords, spears, saber blades, but were widely used different kind axes, percussion instruments, such as:

  • clubs;
  • coinage;
  • six-feathers;
  • pernaci;
  • clubs;
  • flails.

The same Russian epics tell of heroes who were armed with heavy clubs. The work "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" tells about the battle, "how the sabers rattled against the helmets, the spears crackled."

In a battle with the Swedes in 1240 on the Neva River, the Novgorod warrior used only one ax. Also, konchars were used, boot thin sharp knives that easily penetrated chain mail. Over time, konchars were replaced by swords, and boot knives were replaced by daggers.

Even centuries later, interest in melee weapons has not been lost, it is still relevant to this day.

Each type of edged weapons has gone its own historical path in development. It was modified in conjunction with fighting techniques and the improvement of firearms.

Some weapons turned out to be more durable, others were no longer used. For example, the spears of the prehistoric era were an ordinary pointed stick, then a stick with a stone tip, later iron. They reached the beginning of the twentieth century in the form of peaks, which were used by uhlans and Cossacks. The swords that armed princely warriors eventually became broadswords and were used by heavy cavalry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The saber proved to be durable. In the Russian cavalry, she began to appear in the 10-12 centuries. Subsequently, the saber came to the fore in armament and, although it took on the form of a checker, is still in combat formation. Devices that strike in battle were eliminated from service in the 17th century. Russian melee weapons are:

  • sword, broadsword, konchar, sword, rapier, saber, semi-saber, saber, cleaver, dagger, knives, dagger - this is the so-called "white weapon";
  • a spear, a pike, a horn, an ax, a reed, a halberd, a protazan, an esponton are polearms;
  • club, donkey, shestoper, pernach, mace, bludgeon, puffins, klevtsy - these are shock weapons.

Since almost all of them went out of use, they naturally turned into antique edged weapons.

What is a melee weapon and what is not

The official definition of this type of weapon is given by legislation No. 150-FZ "On weapons" dated 13.12.1996. However, some citizens, consciously or not, confuse household items with edged weapons.

According to the law, a bladed weapon is a device that is designed to hit a target with the help of human muscular strength in direct contact with the target.

It includes:

  1. Knife, dagger, Finnish knife.
  2. Saber, dagger.
  3. Swords.
  4. Checkers.
  5. Swords.
  6. Brass knuckles.
  7. Stylet.

The standard features of edged weapons are indicators that are defined in special documents:

  • blade length not less than 90 mm;
  • butt with a thickness of 2.6 ... 6 mm;
  • blade with a hardness of more than 42 units according to the Rockwell method;
  • safety handle;
  • double-edged blade.

There is also a thrown melee weapon, but it should not be confused with a throwing device, which cannot be classified as a melee weapon.

Thrown objects are designed to hit the enemy at long, ultra-long distances and in hand-to-hand combat. The most common of them are:

  1. Sling.
  2. Chakra.
  3. Boomerang.
  4. Shureken.
  5. Dart.
  6. Tomahawk.

According to the definition of the legislation, the type of edged weapons does not include household appliances, such as pen, garden, kitchen knives, but they can also injure a person.

Classification

Bladed weapons have a varied classification, and there is no generally accepted order in this.

In wide use, definitions are more often used that apply law enforcement in their activities:

  • by appointment. It is divided into combat and civilian. In the first version, these weapons are used in military, combat, operational and service operations by state paramilitary organizations. In the second version, it is used by some subjects for self-defense, hunting, and playing sports. Serves as an addition to the national costume of some nationalities of the Russian Federation;
  • manufacturing method. It can be produced in several ways: at the factory - the product meets the technical requirements, standards, the product is applied marking designation, by the artisanal method - gunsmiths make it according to a certain standard, sample, the manufacturer can put his own brand, home-made - people without special professional skills are engaged in manufacturing, or they remake the weapon, supplementing it with elements or eliminating existing ones;
  • by location of production. These weapons are produced by domestic and foreign manufacturers;
  • according to the established standard. There are standard and non-standard products;
  • by destructive effect. There are chopping edged weapons, piercing-chopping, piercing, piercing-cutting, shock-crushing, throwing weapons, combined action;
  • according to the features of the constructive device. It happens not with bladed and bladed melee weapons;
  • according to the design features of the blade. Weapons come with one blade or two blades.

Scientific literature uses other classifications of edged weapons. For example, well-known weapons experts E. L. Smolin, A. I. Ustinov, K. V. Asmolov, the founder of Israeli hand-to-hand combat I. Likhtenfeld proposed their own classifications of edged weapons. Most likely, future generations will have to deal with the creation of a unified classification in this area.

Video

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The main detail of any bladed weapon with a handle is a specially processed strip of metal, in which the blade and shank stand out. The blade is the combat part of a cold weapon and is designed to hit a target - causing damage. The shank serves to attach the handle, hilt.

The general shape of the blades can be straight, arcuate and sinuous. The cross section of the blades has the form of a triangle, oval, circle, polygon, etc.

In the design of the blades, there are the following elements(Fig. 1):

1. Blade - a sharpened edge of the warhead of a cold weapon, which is a rib with acute angle surface mating. The blade can have one or two blades with one-sided or two-sided sharpening.

2. Butt - the unsharpened edge of a single-edged blade. The shape of the butt can be straight, concave, convex. Additional functional elements can be located on the butt - a section with teeth (saw), a recess under the emphasis of the thumb, etc.

3. Heel - the non-sharpenable part of the blade located between the blade and the handle.

4. Bevel of the butt - part of the butt, inclined towards the blade and forming with it the edge of the blade. The shape of the bevel of the butt can be straight, concave and convex. To increase the striking properties of the blade, the bevel of the butt can be sharpened.

5. Point - the end of the warhead of a cold weapon, contracting to a point, a short blade or edge with a maximum size of up to 3 mm.

6. Golomen - the side of the blade, limited by a blade and a butt or two blades.

7. Stiffening rib - the rib of the warhead of a cold weapon, which significantly increases the strength of the blade to break.

8. Dol - a longitudinal notch on the bare blade.

Rice. 1. Knife details: 1-top; 2-black; 3-handle; 4-cross; 5 saw; 6-blade; 7-bevel butt; 8-point; 9-hollow; 10-blade; 11-dol; 12-heel; 13-handle limiter; 14-subfinger notches; 15-lanyard

The handle of a blade cold weapon is designed to hold and control weapons.

Handle parts are made of metals and their alloys, wood of various species, animal horns and bones, stone, plastic, rubber, other natural and synthetic materials, as well as their combinations.

The elements of the handle are:

1. Cheren - the main part of the handle, directly gripped by hand. Its material is wood, metal, polymeric materials, etc.

2. Handle limiter - the front extended part of the handle adjacent to the handle.

3. Top - the back of the handle, adjacent to the handle and different from it in shape.

4. Handle dies - details of the handle in the form of overlays.

5. Back of the handle - the side of the handle that is in line with the butt of the blade.

6. Handle sleeve - a metal part covering the handle from one or more ends.

7. Cross - a protective device located at the front of the handle and protruding above the butt and blade.

8. Crosshair - a protective device located at the front of the handle and protruding above the bare blade.

9. Garda - a protective device of a complex three-dimensional shape with annular, cup-shaped and spiral elements (bowl, half-cup, bow, basket, half-basket).

10. Hilt - a handle with a protective device (Fig. 2).

11. Subfinger recess (recesses) - a protective element (elements) in the form of a recess (recesses) of an arcuate contour on the shaft.

12. Handle button - a metal part of the handle at the end of the shank, fastening the parts of the hilt.

Rice. 2. Hilts of long-bladed edged weapons

In bladed cold steel weapons with a clumsy blade design, the blade and handle can be fastened using a mounted or cloaked method.

With a mounted connection, the blade shank is fixed in the handle cavity by a tight fit or fixed with a tip.

The cloaked method of connecting the blade and the handle involves attaching special handle linings (dice) with screws, rivets, and glue to the blade shank.

In edged weapons with a removable blade, the blade and handle are connected by special swivel nuts located in front of the handle.

Blades of folding knives blades from traveling to combat position are moved by:

Turning the blade on an axis rigidly fixed in front of the handle;

Longitudinally sliding movement of the blade along the cavity inside the handle;

Through the hinged fastening of the blade and handle (bolisongs - better known as "butterfly knives").

Stylet- contact blade stabbing weapon with a short or medium straight faceted or rounded blade. The tip is formed by the convergence of the faces or a smooth decrease in the diameter of its section (Fig. 3).

In the overwhelming majority, stiletto handles have a limiter or a separate protective device - a cross, a cup, etc., which prevents the hand from slipping onto the blade. At the same time, such a function of these protective devices as a tight fixation of the hand on the handle is of particular importance, which provides the necessary concentration of impact.

The total length of stylets is in the range of 260-430 mm. The length of the blade, as a rule, is from 90 to 200 mm.

Rice. 3. Stilettos

Dirk- contact blade piercing weapons with a straight short or medium narrow blade, mostly rhombic in section (Fig. 4). It appeared at the end of the 16th century as a boarding weapon. At the turn of the XVIII - XIX centuries. the dagger was finally defined as a ceremonial weapon. The first statutory samples appeared. By the beginning of the nineteenth century. in a number of European countries, it has become a mandatory part of the naval uniform. In the second half of the nineteenth century. the dagger ceases to be an exclusively maritime symbol. In a number of countries, army officers and even a number of civilian officials receive daggers. At the beginning of the twentieth century, daggers began to be issued to aviation officers, police officers, diplomats, etc. At present, the dagger has been left as an accessory of an officer dress uniform. The length of the dagger blade, as a rule, is up to 300 mm. A distinctive feature of the blade design is the presence of two unsharpened blades (edges). A mandatory structural element is a cross and a sleeve.


Rice. 4. Daggers

The most common in expert practice is the domestic dagger arr. 1945 (Fig. 5). Its total length is 320 mm, blade length is 215 mm.


Rice. 5. Domestic dagger arr. 1945

Dagger- contact blade piercing-cutting and chopping-cutting weapons with a short or medium straight or curved two-edged blade (blades). The convergence of the blades forms a point.

Constructions national oriental daggers have considerable diversity. For example, Caucasian daggers "kama" are known with a direct click in the form of an elongated triangle with a pronounced narrowed hilt. The length of the dagger could vary from 30 to 90 cm (Fig. 10). The Daga dagger with a straight narrow blade was often used as a dagger for the left hand in fencing. The guard was made in the form of a cup or a system of arches (Fig. 6). The Arabian dagger "jambiya" is characterized by a wide blade that begins to bend directly from the hilt (Fig. 8). One of the varieties of the Indian dagger "Kris" has a wave-shaped blade expanding towards the base (Fig. 9). The blade of the "bebut" dagger has a slight bend in the area of ​​the front third of the blade. The length of the dagger could vary from 30 to 50 cm (Fig. 11). Bebut daggers were adopted by the Russian army in 1907 to equip artillerymen and machine-gun teams with them.


Rice. 6. Dagger "Daga"


Rice. 7. Eastern dagger


Rice. 8. Dagger Arabian "Jambia"


Rice. 9. Dagger "Chris"

Rice. 10. Dagger Caucasian "Kama".

Rice. 11. Dagger "bebut"

GOST R 51895-2002 provides design requirements for daggers belonging to the Cossack uniform and national costumes peoples Russian Federation:

Total length from 400 to 600 mm;

Blade length from 300 to 400 mm;

Blade thickness not less than 5 mm;

Blade width from 25 to 45 mm;

The blade is straight, made according to the type of daggers "Kama" (GOST R 51215) or curved, made according to the type of daggers "Bebut" (GOST R 51215);

The ratio of the length of the blade to its width must be at least 7:1;

The mass of the dagger is from 450 gr to 750 gr;

The hardness of the blades of daggers made after 1994 must be at least 40 HRC;

The hardness of blades of daggers made before 1994, as well as antique samples, can be less than 40 HRC.

The European type of dagger has certain features (Fig. 12). Its generalized design features are objectified by the following data - a symmetrical, exceptionally straight blade, up to 350-400 mm long, the blade has the form of an elongated triangle, the tip is placed on the longitudinal axial. Stiffening ribs or valleys can be located on the golomen. Safety elements on the handle - a crosspiece of a straight or curly shape, a bowl, etc.


Rice. 12. European style dagger

In special army units, widespread military daggers.(Fig. 13). Their typical characteristics are the total length in the range of 300-350 mm, the length of the blade is 170-200 mm.


Rice. 13. Combat (military) daggers

The most widespread in expert practice are hunting daggers(Fig. 14).

In the Russian Federation, GOST R 51500-99 provides for design features and technical requirements for hunting daggers:

By design, they must be awkward (collapsible and non-collapsible);

Blade length not less than 150 mm;

Blade thickness not less than 4 mm;

Blade width not less than 25 mm;

The ratio of the length of the blade to its width - no more than 6:1;

The hardness of the blades must be at least 42 HRC;

The shape should be symmetrical, the point should be on the middle line of the blade;

Handles can have a one- or two-sided limiter;

Exceeding the width of a one-sided or two-sided (in total) limiter on a black handle must be at least 5 mm;

Handles can be made from natural (wood, birch bark, horn, etc.) and synthetic materials or a combination of them:

The blade should not be of the stylet type (length to width ratio of the blade from 7:1);

The blade must have one-sided or two-sided sharpening of the blades;

Hunting daggers are allowed to be made as artistic edged bladed weapons intended for use in conditions of commercial or sport hunting and for collecting.

Hunting daggers are civilian hunting cold steel and are subject to mandatory certification.

Rice. 14. Hunting daggers

Closely adjoins hunting daggers and spearfishing daggers(Fig. 15-16). They differ mainly in that their metal parts are made of stainless metals, and the handles are made of plastic, rubber or other materials that are not subject to corrosion. Structures can have positive or negative buoyancy.

Fig.15. Spearfishing dagger by Becker

Rice. 16. Dagger for spearfishing with scabbard

Hunter knives– the most common in expert practice (Fig. 17). Their main purpose is to defeat and finish off the beast, including the sea beast and big fish. Hunting knives can also be used when cutting carcasses and skinning in conditions of commercial or sport hunting. Hunting knives are civilian melee weapons.





Rice. 17. Hunting knives.

Design features and technical requirements for hunting knives are provided by GOST R 51500-99:

By design, they can be clumsy (collapsible or non-collapsible), folding (with fixed blades, the length of which in the stowed position exceeds the length of the safety handle), with removable (replaceable) blades and objects;

Blade length over 90 mm;

Blade thickness more than 2.6 mm;

The blades must be strong, resilient and have a permanent bending deformation not exceeding 1 mm;

The blade of folding hunting knives in the open position must be rigidly fixed (have a lock);

The blade is not allowed to have special protrusions and grooves intended for inflicting lacerations;

The design of folding hunting knives should not allow the removal of the blade with an accelerated movement (automatic spring knives, inertial ones, such as "butterfly", etc.);

Handles can be with one or two-sided limiter, with one or more sub-finger recesses on the shaft and sleeve;

Hunting knives are allowed to be made as artistic edged weapons intended for use in conditions of commercial or sport hunting and for collecting.

Spearfishing knives(Fig. 18-19) belong to hunting knives and are made of non-corrosive materials (metal parts are made of stainless metals, and handles are made of plastic, rubber or other materials). They can have positive or negative buoyancy. The scabbard is usually attached to the shoulder or hip.

Rice. 18. Spearfishing knives with positive buoyancy

Rice. 19. Spearfishing knife with negative buoyancy

By design and functional characteristics adjoin hunting knives survival knives(Rice . 20).

Survival knives are civilian melee weapons.

Their purpose is to be used in conditions of commercial or sports hunting as hunting knives, as well as for use in difficult (extreme) hiking conditions, travel and sports tourism. Many survival knives have a cavity in the handle that contains household or special-purpose items that help to survive in extreme conditions (Fig. 21).

Rice. 20. Survival knives

Rice. 21. Survival knives with household items located in the handle cavity

In accordance with GOST R 51548-2000, survival knives

By design, they can be non-separable (including transforming) and collapsible (including those with removable, interchangeable blades and objects);

Blade length not less than 90 mm;

Blade thickness not less than 2.6 mm;

The hardness of the blades must be at least 42 HRC;

The blades must be strong, resilient and have a permanent bending deformation not exceeding 1 mm;

Knives must have a limiter or sub-finger notches on the handle;

The excess of the width of a one-sided or two-sided limiter or cross over the width of the handle must be more than 5 mm;

The depth of a single subdigital notch should be more than 5 mm;

The depth of the sub-finger notches on the handle shaft, which has more than one sub-finger notch, must be more than 4 mm;

The thickness of the heel of the blade, used as a limiter or sub-finger notch, must be more than 3.5 mm

For the manufacture of blades, various metals and alloys are used (carbon steels, alloy steels, Damascus or damask steels, etc.), ceramics (zircon-zirconium dioxide, etc.), stone (obsidian, etc.), composite materials (steel with a layer of titanium nitrate, etc.);

The design of transforming knives can provide for both rotation around the axis of a plate fixed in the handle, at one end of which a blade is fixed, and at the other (shank) - either a blade, or some object or device (for example, a saw), or otherwise (for example, frame structure);

It is allowed to sharpen the bevel of the butt and part of the butt for a length of up to 2/3 of the blade (from its tip);

It is allowed to manufacture knives for survival with blades, like hunting daggers according to GOST R 51500;

Survival knives should have additional household items and devices (awl, can opener, compass, first aid kit, matches, strong cord, etc.) and special purposes (extractor, saw for wood and bone, which can be made either on on the butt of the blade or in separate form, a skinning knife, fishing tackle, a slingshot, a bow string, etc., which are placed in the cavity of the handle and on its pommel, on the blade and shank of the plate (for transforming knives), in the sheath;

On the blade, it is allowed to make special protrusions and grooves intended for inflicting lacerations;

The designs of survival knives can be with a handle or dies fixed in various ways with the blade shank, with handles of the "butterfly" type, frame, etc., have a one- or two-sided limiter or one or more sub-finger recesses on the handle and bushings;

Handles can be made from natural (wood, birch bark, horn, etc.) and synthetic materials or a combination thereof;

Survival knives are allowed to be made as artistic cold bladed weapons intended for use in commercial or sport hunting and for collecting.

Military (combat) knives they are piercing and cutting weapons with a flat blade having one or one and a half blades (Fig. 22). Knife designs are mostly clumsy.

Rice. 22. Military knife (Ceremonial knife of the period of the 1930s (based on a short bayonet, model 1898), made by Karl Eickhorn, Solingen (Germany)

Before the Great Patriotic War, the NR-40 reconnaissance knife with a straight single-edged blade and an “S”-shaped cross was adopted by the Soviet army (Fig. 23). Later, improved versions are being developed - HP-1. and then HP-2 (Fig. 24). Currently, the special forces are armed with a reconnaissance knife shooting NRS-2 - a firing device is mounted in the handle that allows firing at a distance of up to 25 m with silent SP-4 cartridges.

Rice. 23. Scout's knife arr. 1940

Rice. 24. Knife scout NR-2

IN last years developed a number of modern combat knives, many of which have advanced features. These knives are in service with special forces.

The combat knife "Katran-1", which entered service with the special forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations "Leader" and some units of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, has a blade length of 180 mm and a wavy sharpening on the butt (Fig. 25). It was originally made for special forces combat swimmers, and as a result began to be used ground forces. Now the knife is produced in several modifications (Fig. 26). The total length of the knives is 280 mm with a blade 160 mm long and a butt thickness of 6 mm. Later models are used not only by the law enforcement agencies of Russia, but also adopted by some neighboring countries.

Rice. 25. Combat knife "Katran-1"

Rice. 26. Modifications of the knife "Katran"

Knife "Antiterror" (Fig. 27) was designed and manufactured for the power units of the FSB of Russia. This is a heavy combat knife with a total length of 280 mm with a blade length of 160 mm and a butt thickness of 6 mm. Blade hardness 52-56 HRC.

Rice. 27. Knife "Antiterror"

Knife "Smersh" (Fig. 28) with a blade thickness of up to 6 mm is available in four versions. So, "Smersh-6" with a blade length of 150 mm has a thickness of 4 mm and a long sharpened bevel of the butt. Blade hardness 52-56 HRC. The knife is successfully used by law enforcement agencies in the Caucasus.

Rice. 28. Knives Smersh "

The Punisher knife has a somewhat wavy blade 160 mm long and a butt thickness of 6 mm. Blade hardness 52-56 HRC. It is available in several modifications, which differ in blade width and handle material (Fig. 29).

Rice. 29. Modifications of the knife "Punisher"

The knife "Werewolf" with a handle thrown over 180 0 was adopted by the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. (Fig. 30). When throwing the handle in one direction, a combat blade is exposed, in the other, a tool blade with 2 saws, a screwdriver, a can opener, a nail puller and wire cutters is exposed.

Rice. 30. Knife "Werewolf"

A significant amount of objects of modern practice of forensic examination of edged weapons are household knives, certified as cutting knives, skinning knives, knives for sports tourism, etc. (Fig. 31-32).

Some difficulties in the expert typing of these products are determined by the fact that a number of knives for sports tourism, cutting knives, etc. are produced on the model base of specific models of cold steel blades - hunting knives, survival knives.

In terms of their design parameters, as well as most of the functional properties, these bladed products are close to the technical characteristics and properties of certain types of civilian edged weapons (hunting knives, survival knives). However, they do not belong to melee weapons, since they do not correspond to the signs of purpose and suitability for hitting a target.

This is achieved by understating (in some cases, the complete absence) of the damaging properties of products, insufficient dimensional data, low strength values, the presence of a traumatic handle in the design, etc.

The limiting dimensions and parameters of structural elements of household products that are structurally similar to edged weapons are determined by specific GOSTs for these types of products.

Rice. 31. Special tourist and sports knives



Rice. 32. Cutting and skinning knives.

So, in accordance with GOST R 51644-2000, cutting and skinning knives must comply with the following design features and technical requirements:

By design, they can be clumsy non-separable (including transforming), clumsy collapsible (including those with removable, interchangeable blades and objects), folding;

With a blade hardness above 25 HRC, the blade length is up to 90 mm inclusive, regardless of the thickness of the butt and the design of the knife;

With a blade length of up to 150 mm inclusive and the presence in the design of the knife of a one-sided or two-sided limiter or sub-finger recesses on the handle, the thickness of the butt of the blade is not more than 2.4 mm inclusive;

In the presence of a traumatic handle, the thickness of the butt of the blade can be more than 2.6 mm, regardless of the length of the blade;

The handle is recognized as safety:

a) when the width of a one-sided or two-sided limiter or cross exceeds the width of the handle shaft by more than 5 mm;

b) with a depth of a single subfinger notch on the front sleeve or handle shaft of more than 5 mm;

c) with a depth of sub-finger recesses on the shank of the handle, which has more than one sub-finger recess, more than 4 mm;

d) with a thickness of the heel of the blade used as a limiter or sub-finger recess of more than 3.5 mm;

e) the length of the handle shaft is more than 70 mm;

f) if the difference between the maximum diameter in the middle part of the barrel-shaped handle and the minimum diameter in the pommel area is more than 8 mm (Fig. 33);

Rice. 33. Measuring barrel handle diameters

The deflection of the butt and the upper part of the handle of the knife, which has the shape of an arc in the form of a "rocker", upward from the conditional straight line connecting the blade tip and the upper end of the handle, must be more than 15 mm (Fig. 34);

Rice. 34. Measurement of the deflection of the butt and the upper part of the handle

The deflection by which the tip of the blade protrudes above the butt line must exceed 5 mm (Fig. 35);

Rice. 35. Measurement of the protrusion of the tip of the blade above the line of the butt

On the oblique butt of the knife blade, a special hook with a blade (hook) is made at a distance of no more than 1/3 from its tip (Fig. 36);

Rice. 36. Measuring the distance of the location of the hook of the blade from its tip

With a butt thickness of more than 2.6 mm and a blade length of up to 180 mm, the value of the maximum deflection of the butt should be more than 5 mm and more than 10 mm if the blade length is more than 180 mm (Fig. 37);

Rice. 37. Measuring the deflection of the butt of the blade

The length of the blades of carving knives, regardless of their hardness, may exceed the specified ones if the thickness of the blades is less than 2 mm;

Carving and skinning knives, regardless of the thickness of the butt, include folding knives various designs(with the exception of blades of a dagger or stylet type), the length of which is not more than 150 mm and does not exceed the length of the handle;

The blades must be strong enough, resilient, but may have permanent bending deformation in excess of 1 mm;

Knives may have a limiter or sub-finger recesses on the handle;

For the manufacture of blades, it is allowed to use various metals and alloys (carbon steels, alloy steels, Damascus or damask steels, etc.), ceramics (zircon-zirconium dioxide, etc.), stone (obsidian, etc.), composite materials (coated steel a layer of titanium nitrate, etc.);

It is allowed to sharpen the bevel of the butt and part of the butt to a length of not more than 2/3 of the blade (from its tip.

The design of transforming carving and skinning knives can be provided as a rotation around the axis of a plate fixed in the handle, at one end of which a skinning or skinning blade is made, and at the other (shank), respectively, a skinning or skinning blade, a saw or other device for skinning and butchering carcasses animals;

In the design of transforming carving and skinning knives, it is allowed to make handles similar to the handle of a butterfly-type knife, and other designs are also allowed (for example, a frame structure).

Quite often in expert practice there are tourist knives and special sports knives, which are items of tourist equipment, intended for use in field conditions when engaged in tourism, as well as certain sports (scuba diving, parachuting and so on.).

In accordance with GOST R 51501-99, tourist and special sports knives must comply with the following design features and technical requirements:

By design, they can be clumsy non-separable (including transforming), clumsy collapsible (including those with removable, interchangeable blades and objects, folding);

In knives with a blade having a hardness above 25 HRC, in the presence of a safety handle, the maximum length of the blade must be up to 150 mm inclusive, with a safety handle - up to 220 mm inclusive;

The thickness of the butt of the blade is up to 2.4 mm;

The length of the blades of special sports knives for climbers, regardless of their hardness, may exceed the indicated ones, if the thickness of the blades does not exceed 2 mm;

The length and thickness of the butt of the blades of special sports knives intended for scuba diving and water tourism, regardless of the hardness of the blade, may exceed the specified ones, if the design of the blade tip does not provide for stabbing. Instead of a point, it is allowed to place the working parts of tools or devices (screwdrivers, chisels, blades, etc.);

A knife handle is considered safe if:

a) exceeding the width of a one-sided or two-sided limiter or cross over the width of the handle shaft by more than 5 mm;

b) the depth of a single sub-finger recess on the front sleeve or handle shaft is more than 5 mm;

c) the depth of the sub-finger recesses on the handle shaft, which has more than one sub-finger recess, is more than 4 mm;

d) the thickness of the heel of the blade, used as a limiter or sub-finger recess, more than 3.5 mm;

e) the difference between the maximum diameter in the middle part of the barrel-shaped handle and the minimum diameter in the pommel area is more than 8 mm;

E) the difference between the maximum diameter of the limiter and the minimum diameter in the pommel area of ​​the wedge-shaped handle is more than 8 mm;

f) the length of the handle shaft is more than 70 mm;

In knives with a blade having a hardness above 25 HRC and a butt thickness of more than 2.4 mm, the length of the blade must be less than 90 mm;

For special sports knives (for example, a sling cutter) with an automatic spring or other design that provides quick removal of the blade with an accelerated movement with one hand and fixing it in the working position, a blade length of more than 90 mm is allowed if they do not have a blade edge;

Regardless of the thickness and length of the blades, tourist and special sports knives include knives with a blade hardness below 25 HRC, designed for use in field conditions and when practicing special sports;

Regardless of the thickness of the butt of the blades, these knives include folding knives of various designs (with the exception of blades of a dagger or stylet type), the length of which is not more than 105 mm and does not exceed the length of the handle;

Permissible permanent deformation when bending more than 1 mm;

For the manufacture of blades, it is allowed to use various metals and alloys (carbon steels, alloy steels, Damascus or damask steels, etc.), ceramics (zircon-zirconium dioxide, etc.), stone (obsidian, etc.), composite materials (coated steel a layer of titanium nitrate, etc.);

Additional sharpening of the bevel of the butt and part of the butt is allowed for a length of not more than 1/3 of the blade;

It is not allowed to make special protrusions and grooves intended for inflicting lacerations;

Saber- contact blade chopping-cutting and piercing-cutting weapons with a long curved single-edged blade. (Fig. 38). Varieties of sabers differ in size, the radius of curvature of the blade, the device of the hilt (handle). The greater the curvature of the blade of the saber, the more effective the chopping blow, but the effectiveness of the piercing was reduced. Some blades expanded towards the point, which also increased the chopping blow. A characteristic difference in the design of the saber is the location of the center of gravity, as a rule, at the level of the border of the first and second thirds from the edge of the blade. The saber appeared in the East and became widespread among the nomads of Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the 7th-8th centuries. In Rus', the saber has been known since the 9th century, and since the 14th century it has become one of the main types of weapons. In 1881, it was replaced by a sword, and was preserved only in the guards as a parade weapon. IN foreign armies the saber was in service until World War II.

Getting Started blade cold weapon, we note that the main element of any of its varieties, regardless of its direct purpose and design features, is the presence of a blade that acts as a striking element, as well as a handle with a limiter or other device that ensures safety for the person using it.

Bladed melee weapons- edged weapons with a warhead in the form of a blade (blades), firmly and motionlessly connected to the handle (GOST R 51215-98, clause 3.3).

In practice, edged bladed weapons quite often act as an object of inspection in the production of various investigative actions. It is blade cold weapons that are most often used by criminals to achieve their intentions. For the qualified performance of future work investigators must have knowledge of the design and purpose of the main parts of such weapons. Varieties of such weapons have similar design elements. We present a schematic representation of a typical military knife (Fig. 2.2) - one of the most common types of edged weapons.

Rice. 2.2.

A- blade: 1 - point, 2 - bevel butt, 3 - butt; 4 - blade; 5 - blade sharpening line, 6 - valleys, 7 - blade heel; IN- limiter (stop, crosshairs): 8 - the end of the limiter; C - handle: 9 - rivet (with a cloaked handle), 10 - subdigital recesses (recesses),

  • 11 - pommel, 12 - lanyard hole 13 - the back of the handle
  • 14 - die (with a cloaked handle), 15 - handle ring

The most common ways to connect a blade to a handle in blade cold weapons are: cloaked and mounted(Fig. 2.3).

Dies can be made of bone, wood, ebonite, plastic and other materials. As a rule, they are attached to the shirt of the blade with rivets, bolts with nuts or glue. Usually limited to two dies - one on each side of the shirt. In most of these connections between the dies, the material of the blade shirt is visible.


Fig 2.3.

  • 1 - cloaked - dies are attached to the shirt with glue or rivets;
  • 2 - rider - the handle is mounted on the shirt: A- simple, b- with the help of threads on the shirt and inside the handle, V- with the help of threads on the shirt and in the head of the handle

With a mounted connection, the shirt of the blade is completely immersed under the material of the handle. Just like with a cloaked, with a set-in connection, the handles can be made from different materials.

One of the most simple ways such a connection is the usual fitting of a handle (usually wooden) on the shirt of the blade. Also, a thread can be cut in the handle and on the shirt, and then it is wound onto the shirt. Such handles can be stacked from several connecting parts of wood, plastic, ebonite, etc. In recent years, the technology of making handles from special plastic has become widespread, while the blade is immersed in molten plastic as a shirt.

Hand, blade cold weapons can be classified according to the length of the blade and the damaging effect. The length and design features of the blade often determined the purpose of edged weapons. By damaging effect bladed melee weapons can be classified: stabbing, cutting, cutting, and combined action, as a rule: piercing-chopping, cutting-chopping, piercing-cutting-chopping, or another combination of the specified impact.

A stabbing edged weapon is a weapon, the warhead of which forms stab injuries with its tip; chopping - edged weapons, the warhead of which forms chopped damage; cutting - incised damage. Many varieties of edged bladed weapons are capable of forming combined injuries - stabbed, etc. We will consider the damaging effect of weapons in the context of other classifications.

depending from blade length blade cold weapons are: long bladed, medium bladed And short bladed.

Long-bladedsteel arms, as a rule, has a blade length of more than 500 mm.

Saber- long-bladed, contact edged weapons, thorn-cutting-chopping action. Mainly used as a cutting weapon. It has a long, curved single-edged blade. The combination of the curvature of the blade with a significant distance of the center of gravity from the hilt increased the damaging effect due to the chopping-cutting action. The hilts of sabers, as a rule, were simple, with a cross and a front bow (Fig. 2.4). Sabers can be straight and have an extension towards the butt (elman).


Fig 2.4.

A- blade; IN- limiter (cross); C - handle; 1 - the end of the cross; 2 - sealing ring (sleeve); 3 - crosshair; 4 - shield; 5 - rivets; 6 - handle bar; 7 - head (top); 8 - shackle

The sizes of the sabers varied. So, for example, a hussar officer's saber of the second half of the 18th century. had a total length of 1010 mm, with a blade length of 885 mm and a width of 35. At the same time, the Cossack saber of the court teams of the same period had a total length of 835 mm, a blade length of 685 mm, and a width of 54 mm.

checker(long knife) - a contact piercing-cutting edged weapon with a single-edged blade of slight curvature and a double-edged end, the hilt is usually without a guard. Although some samples have a bow. Russian army samples of checkers (for example, the dragoon sample of 1881) differed from the checkers of the Caucasian type in the design of the hilt and scabbard. The blades of the first army checkers had an average curvature and were close to saber blades in shape. Checker length - 900-110 mm. With proper possession of the saber, very deep chopping-cutting wounds were inflicted. From the middle of the XIX century. in the army and the Cossack troops, checkers replaced sabers.

Sword- contact edged weapons of piercing-chopping-cutting action with a straight long single-edged blade. The hilt of the broadsword consists of a handle with a head and a guard. Guards of hilts, as a rule, consisted of a cup and several protective arches: front and side. As a separate type of cavalry edged weapons, broadswords appeared in the first half of the 17th century. They were armed with dragoon and cuirassier units. They had powerful wide double-edged blades, as a rule, without fullers, elliptical or rhombic section, i.e. blades are typically slashing weapons. Subsequently, the blades began to be produced single-edged with one or more valleys. For example, we give the dimensions of a cuirassier soldier's broadsword, which had a length of 1070 mm, a blade length of 900 mm, a width of 40 mm, and a mass of about 2100 g.

Sword- contact piercing (less often piercing-chopping) melee weapons with a straight narrow single-, double-edged blade, flat (with valleys) or faceted, up to 1 m long. Hilts are equipped with a guard (cross) and a shackle. Russian swords, as a rule, had double-edged blades. Due to the weak fighting qualities, they were more used as civilian weapons and belonging of the uniform for wearing outside the ranks.

Rapier- contact long-bladed piercing weapon, has a long springy blade and a guard in the form of a cup, with a shackle, and more often without a shackle. The rapier blade could be flat and even single-edged, however, there are round sections and tetrahedral ones.

Medium bladed weapons, as a rule, the length of the blade is from 300 to 500 mm.

Half saber- are a shortened version of sabers, are piercing and chopping melee weapons. The design is similar to that of sabers, the length of the blade is 450-550 mm.

Scimitars- (tur. yatagan) - piercing-cutting and chopping-cutting melee weapons with a long single-edged blade with a reverse bend (concave, sometimes double) towards the blade. The reverse bending of the blade simultaneously allows you to deliver chopping blows away from yourself and cutting towards yourself, increasing the effectiveness of both chopping and cutting blows. For the safety of such a strike, a limiter is not needed, but a large handle head of a special design is required, which does not allow the scimitar to escape from the hand. For its manufacture, large animal bones were often used. According to legend, the appearance of the scimitar is associated with the ban on the Janissaries to carry sabers in peacetime. They circumvented this ban by ordering hand-length combat knives.

Cleavers- chopping and piercing edged weapons, a military knife of especially large sizes. The blade of the cleaver is massive, it could be both straight and curved. Most often had one blade. The butt could be both smooth and in the form of saw notches. Its length was usually 64-72 cm, and its width 4 -5 cm. The cleaver, as a rule, had a limiter in the form of a cross or guard with a shackle. It was in service with the infantry, artillery and engineering troops and was used not only as a weapon, but also as a tool. The dagger “bebut” came to replace the cleavers in the Russian army, which in common parlance was often called a cleaver.

Short bladed weapons(blade length up to 300 mm). In the norms of the criminal law, which refer to edged weapons, a peculiar approach is used. They indicate responsibility for the manufacture, repair or sale of edged weapons. Without going into details, we note that earlier in the criminal codes of the republics of the former USSR regarding Finnish knives, daggers and brass knuckles, the legislator directly indicated that they were melee weapons. Today, a similar approach has been preserved in the Criminal Code of Ukraine, during the drafting of which the norm regarding edged weapons was transferred without significant changes.

In the context of our work, we propose to start the consideration of short-bladed weapons with the consideration of daggers and Finnish knives. Brass knuckles will be discussed further in paragraph 2.3.

Contact edged weapons of piercing-cutting action, which has a short or medium length, straight or curved double-edged blade (Fig. 2.5). According to historians, it was the dagger (Arab, kanjar kan - blood and heat - to rip open), most likely, that was the first type of weapon. The first daggers that are found at the sites of ancient people were made of wood and bone. Most daggers are weapons with a straight double-edged blade, sharply tapering to the point, and a short handle. As a rule, their blades have two symmetrical blades, starting from the heel, first running parallel, and then sharply tapering to the point. To give strength to the blade, it is forged with a protruding middle part in the form of a face or stiffeners, and to lighten the mass, valleys are made.

The shirt of the dagger handle, as a rule, is forged from one blank together with the blade, which makes the design quite durable. Dagger handles, with rare exceptions, are cloaked. Dies are made of bone or wood (modern - ebonite, plastic, etc.), attached to the shirt with rivets. A curved dagger differs from a straight one only in that the end of its blade is curved.


Rice. 2.5.

A- blade: 1 - point, 2 - blades, 3 - valley, 4 - blade heel;

IN- limiter (emphasis); C - handle.

For many centuries, the dagger played the role of an auxiliary military weapon, as well as an accessory to military or civilian clothing due to its ease of wearing and ease of use. He did not require training, such as handling a sword. Back in the first half of the 17th century. remained in Europe widespread edged weapons among both the military and civilians. However, with the creation of regular armies, the dagger as a weapon was not widely used. In Russia in the XVIII - the first third of the XIX century. the dagger was in service with the Cossack units. There were no firmly established samples during this period, so weapons (including the dagger) basically repeated traditional forms and were distinguished by a great variety in decoration.

« Bebut"- one of the main types of Caucasian daggers, which was in service with the Russian army. It was characterized as "a curved soldier's dagger of the 1907 model." The blade is steel, slightly curved, with two narrow valleys on each side. The handle is figured, narrow in the middle part. Installation of the invoice handle: wooden dies, painted black, riveted with two brass rivets. The top rivet also holds the brass bushing. The scabbard is wooden, covered with leather, with a metal device. The number of the military unit was affixed to the scabbard and the forging of the handle.

The adoption of the “bebut” by the lower ranks of artillery, machine gunners, reconnaissance and armored train crews was caused by the arrival of new rapid-fire weapons in the army. The intensity of the work of the personnel serving the instrument increased significantly, and the checker did not allow quick actions. The length of the "bebut" made it possible to confidently use it in hand-to-hand combat. Small curvature did not prevent piercing actions. The double-edged blade and the symmetry of the handle made it possible to apply cutting and chopping blows with different grips. Officially, it was in service from 1907 to 1917, but in fact it was used much longer.

Today, daggers have practically lost their combat mission, in the army they were replaced by military knives and bayonet-knives, adapted for solving various service tasks, including close combat. However, many peoples have left them as an attribute of national clothes. They are legally made, as in the old days, by master gunsmiths and, accordingly, are widely represented in a number of countries as national souvenirs. And today, in investigative practice, there are cases of using daggers as weapons, which remained from wartime, as well as those made in a home-made way. In conclusion, we can say that daggers, in comparison with other types of edged weapons, and even more so with household knives, are extremely rare in investigative practice.

Finnish knives("puukko") represent enough large group national knives, and not all of them meet the criteria for edged weapons. The characteristic features of Finnish knives are the absence of a limiter, a single-edged blade and, as a rule, a wooden handle with a minimum number of metal parts. Traditionally, the length of the Finnish knife did not exceed the width of two palms of the owner. The handle is barrel-shaped or elliptical. If there is something unusual about this knife, it is the shape of the blade and its thickness. For "puukko" a rather thick strip of steel is used. The thickest part of the blade is at the heel, which narrows as it approaches the point. Thus, the blade in longitudinal section, as a rule, has a wedge-shaped shape. The limiter, or front stop, is absent in the Finnish knife. In its place, there is a casing metal ring that protects the handle from destruction and provides a smooth transition between it and the blade. Rear end the handle is made in the form of a ledge, with a small bevel or a small inclined groove. This bevel serves as a stop for the thumb and provides security to the striker, preventing the hand from slipping onto the blade (Fig. 2.6).


Rice. 2.6.

A- blade: 1 - point, 2 - blade, 3 - blade sharpening line, 4 - butt,

  • 5 - valleys, b - blade heel; IN- casing ring of the handle; C - handle:
  • 7 - bevel for thumb stop when stabbing

Like most national knives, it has been and is used in hunting and fishing, in cooking and in solving other tasks of a domestic and economic nature as a household knife, and in recent years - a tourist one. In Finland, this knife is called “puukko”, the literal translation of which sounds like “knife with a wooden handle”. Today, a significant number of such knives are produced with a handle made of various plastics, successfully replacing wood. Like most national knives, the Finn is covered in legends.

In the criminal codes of the republics of the former USSR in 1961, the Finnish knife was directly indicated as a cold weapon. What then caused this Special attention legislator specifically to Finnish knives?

After the revolution, the implementation of the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of December 10, 1918 "On the surrender of weapons" led to a significant disarmament of the population, while carrying and storing weapons entailed severe punishment. This situation pushed the underworld to arm itself with knives that were easy to manufacture, and in terms of combat qualities close to edged weapons and convenient to hide and carry. The most widespread in the criminal environment were "Finks", made according to the type of Finnish "puukko". During Soviet-Finnish war 1939-1940 "puukko" were used by Finnish fighters and were a formidable and "quiet" weapon of successfully operating Finnish saboteurs. The Red Army adopted the experience of its enemy, and in 1940 the HP-40 "scout knife" was hastily developed and put into service, which unofficially became known as the "Finnish knife" (Fig. 2.7). After the war, a huge number of such knives remained on the battlefields, which were used, and in some cases even today, are used by the population, including when committing crimes. In addition, this well-deserved weapon has become a prototype for the manufacture of homemade knives, often in a criminal environment, including in correctional facilities.


Rice. 2.7.

Apparently, this situation gave the Soviet legislator at one time a reason to unconditionally classify Finnish knives as edged weapons.

In recent years, these knives, with various names, have been available in retail stores, where they are presented as outdoor knives. Some have the traditional names "NR-40" or "NR-43", others, similar in design and materials, have the names "Shtrafbat", "Finca NKVD", etc. Each copy of such a product is supplied with an appropriate certificate indicating that , what he is not a melee weapon. In the context of the considered, we note that for the manufacture of the blade of these specimens of knives, modern grades of very high quality steel are used (bulat, Damascus, 95x18, EI 107, etc.), and for other structural elements - no less high-quality materials that are significantly superior to the materials used for the manufacture of military knives, in terms of structural strength, they are also not inferior to the original knives produced during the Great Patriotic War (WWII), in particular, HP-40. Thus, in terms of damaging effect and safety for the striker, the modern “replica-models” of the HP-40 are not only not inferior, but often even surpass the originals. In the mid 1980s. the author, working as a forensic expert, repeatedly made examinations of "NR-40" made during the Second World War (they were made not only in Zlatoust, but at other enterprises that switched to the production of military products). The quality of the investigated knives in terms of materials, structural strength and other parameters, in our opinion, was inferior to their modern "replicas".

Along with copies (replicas) of military knives, there is also a significant number of Finnish and other national knives in the trade. As a rule, they do not have restraints and are not intended to injure a person. At the same time, safety for the striker is ensured only if they are held correctly - when the thumb rests on the pommel (bevel) of the handle. Quite often, Finnish, like other knives of the peoples of the Scandinavian Peninsula, are made for household needs or as souvenirs.

Stylet- contact edged weapons of piercing action, with a narrow, often straight blade, short or medium length. The cross section of the blade can be round, oval, two-, three-, four-sided, with valleys and stiffeners. Blades are missing. Historically, stilettos owe their appearance to the protective armor worn by medieval knights. For their defeat, the dagger was of little use; a special knife was needed with a sufficiently strong, long and thin blade that allowed it to pass through the cracks in the defense. Thus, the stiletto was born.

Dirk- contact piercing weapons, the blade is usually straight and narrow rhombic or hexagonal section up to 300 mm long, with two blunt blades. There are also single-edged daggers, and with needle blades. At the beginning of the XX century. in the USSR, needle bayonets served as blades for making daggers. The dagger handle usually has a limiter and a tip. The dimensions of the blades, especially in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries. hesitated. Daggers appeared in late XVI in., as a weapon for boarding combat. Subsequently, they became an accessory first to the naval officer uniform, and in the 20th century. - uniforms of aviation officers and some other army units, replacing the sword. In the USSR, the dagger was an accessory of the naval uniform and was awarded to graduates of naval schools when they were awarded the rank of officer. The decorations on the hilt and other details could be different, often they were images on a marine theme, and also had symbols of the type of troops to which they belonged.

military knife- contact blade edged weapons, piercing action, which has a short single-edged blade. The knife has been used as a weapon since ancient times. Combat knife- contact blade piercing-cutting edged weapons, consisting of a short blade, a handle with a limiter or stop, designed to kill people. The combat knives that are in service with the armies are commonly called military knives (see Fig. 2.2).

The most common were and remain combat knives made in the form of bayonet-knives. For its time, it was a fairly progressive design, which made it possible to use the knife not only in bayonet and hand-to-hand combat, but also as a universal tool, indispensable in field conditions. The need for an effective piercing blow largely determined the design of military knives. Note that in history, knives have never acted as the main weapon. At the same time, they were and continue to be weapons of attack and active defense, when other types of weapons, even much more powerful ones, are not effective enough: in hand-to-hand combat, when fighting in tight quarters and trenches, for surprise attacks when performing special operations. A variety of military knives that appeared during the First World War were "trench" knives. Their appearance was caused by the need to have weapons for fighting in the "trench" in a limited space, when long detachable bayonets of rifles were quite difficult to use. Initially, the soldiers shortened the blades of the bayonets, but over time, almost all the armies of the world came to the need for the industrial production of this type of knife. Germany and France were among the first to launch them. A variety of such knives produced in the USSR was the scout knife described above. Often, such knives, along with the blade, in their design had devices for applying crushing blows, i.e. were combined. Today, various military knives are produced for weapons in different countries. Military knives of the USA, Russia and Austria (Clock) have become quite widespread. If necessary, students can familiarize themselves with their design and performance characteristics on their own, using the appropriate reference manuals.

Bayonet- short-bladed piercing or prickly-cutting edged weapons designed for use with long-barreled or medium-barreled firearms. It is attached to its muzzle part of the trunk. By the nature of the attachment, bayonets are removable and non-removable (folding). The length of the bayonet is usually from 200 to 400 mm. He owes his appearance firearms. Initially, the bayonet was a blade on a round handle, with which it was inserted into the barrel of a gun. At the beginning of the XVIII century. the socketed bayonet, consisting of a blade and a sleeve with a lock, which is put on and fixed on the gun barrel by means of axial movement and rotation, receives distribution. This method of fastening was called "bayonet" (derived from the word "bagnet" - bayonet), and today it is often used in various technical devices, in particular, in photographic equipment. The blades of the bayonets have a needle and knife shape (bayonet-knife). Of course, the needle is used for applying only stab wounds, bayonet-knife - for inflicting stab and cut wounds. The length of the bayonet tubes of various designs is 65-75 mm; outer diameter - 20-25 mm; the distance from the rear cut of the tube to the neck of the bayonet does not exceed 70 mm, which does not provide a reliable, convenient and safe hold of the bayonet by hand. In the expert practice of edged weapons, the most typical representative of bayonets with tubes are Russian needle bayonets for Mosin rifles. It should be borne in mind that if the bayonet submitted for examination did not have a conversion of the tube (various options for its lengthening), then the conclusion of the expert opinion indicates that the bayonet in the presented form (in an unattached position and without altering the tube) does not applies.

The first bayonets were quite long. So, the bayonet for the Mauser rifle of the 1889 model, made in Belgium, had a blade length of 545 mm, and the non-commissioned officer bayonet for the Manlicher rifle (Austria) of the 1885 model had a blade length of 468 mm. It should be noted that different manufacturers produced bayonets, structural elements and dimensions of which, even intended for the same system of rifles or carbines, could differ significantly. First World War showed the low effectiveness of long bayonets for combat in cramped conditions, precisely in those when hand-to-hand fights most often occur. Long blades were everywhere shortened by the soldiers themselves. This led to the emergence of a new type of bayonet - the bayonet-knife.

The blades of modern bayonet knives, as a rule, have a length of up to 250 mm. So, for example, the bayonet-knife for AKM and AK-74 assault rifles (USSR) has a blade length of 150 mm, and the blade of the MB bayonet-knife for the M14 rifle (USA) has a blade length of 169 mm.

Today, bayonet-knives are in service with the armies of most countries. Nowadays, the bayonet-knife is not only the most common type of bayonet and a multifunctional household tool for a soldier, but, as a rule, the only type of edged weapon that is officially in service. Modern bayonet-knives often have structural elements necessary to perform various auxiliary tasks - a saw on a butt, etc. Some, in conjunction with a sheath, form scissors for cutting barbed wire (a bayonet-knife for an AKM assault rifle).