Famous blades, knives and cleavers of cult characters. Blade shapes Army knives of the Russian army

Knife, cutting tool with a short straight blade and handle, survived all the epochs of the formation of Civilization and still remains an indispensable device, without which in other situations "as if without hands." How to choose a knife and what its working properties depend on will be discussed in this article.

The author does not claim to be the ultimate truth and does not set himself the task of telling about all the possible intricacies of the device and methods of using knives. However, you will learn from this article about different forms and types of knives, their purpose, sharpening products and other important nuances.

Before you start choosing a knife, you should get acquainted with it. design features. Let's learn about the main types of blades (blades) of knives.

What are the types of knives, and what each of them is intended for, the video below will tell:

The main types of blades

In the genus of knives there is a special family that has a double-edged blade. These are daggers. Their tip is on the axis of symmetry. In any case, these are weapons and they have no other purpose. There are only five types of other types of blades with one cutting edge.

normal blade- a straight line of the butt from the heel to the tip. It has another definition - "Scandinavian", and knives of this kind are usually called "Finnish". The blades have excellent penetrating abilities, its tip (sting) is thick enough not to break when hitting wood, bone, sheet iron. Some others are considered an example of this product.
drop point- the butt line has a slight decrease, due to which the tip is below the level of the back of the handle, approximately on the axis of the shank. The penetrating ability of this type of blade is even higher, since the point of application of force (the sting) is in line with it. However, the angle of convergence of the tip is less than that of the Finca. Therefore, its strength is less. These include, for example, .
clip point- the decrease in the butt towards the tip begins from half the length or even after its first third. The knife has a shape close to an awl, it has excellent penetrating properties, but the strength of the tip is low compared to a fin (ex., from Kizlyar).
Bowie- almost the same as the clip point, but the tip is slightly upturned. Without losing its penetrating properties, the knife has become more deadly, because with stabbing blows it tends to go up, expanding the wound channel. The upturned point is some obstacle to penetration into objects harder than living flesh (ex.,).
Tanto. Invention American company cold steel. Its feature is the second straight cutting edge, beveled at an angle of 45 0, because of which the knife looks like a worker - a shoemaker or for cutting linoleum. In terms of penetrating properties, the tanto is significantly inferior to the finca, but the roughness of the point allows the blade to pierce the most stubborn materials. The advantage of the design is that the cutting edges can be sharpened at different angles and get a universal tool. An example of such a knife can be considered,.

We will talk about what types of cutting edges are on knives below.

Geometry of the cutting edge of the knife

Cutting edges and slopes

The cutting edge (RK) can begin to rise to the point immediately from the heel of the blade, in which case it looks like an awl and is used mainly for cutting fish and separating fillets.
However, the design is more common when the straight line RK begins to rise to the point after the second third of the length. The steeper slope, at about 45°, with a well-defined rounding, makes the knife suitable for skinning. Specialized skinners may have a convex cutting edge, rounded from the heel to the tip almost along the radius.

Descents are a change in the thickness of the blade from the butt to the cutting edge. By and large, there are only two types of them: wedge-shaped and concave.

Wedge-shaped can begin from the butt or from the middle of the holome.
The latter have a larger convergence angle, so these knives are more convenient for chopping.

Concave slopes make it easier to cut on the first pass, they are convenient for notching. Cutting thick pieces with such knives is not very convenient.

Additional elements of the blade

If notches in the form of a saw are made on the blade, then this is a serrator, which can be used to saw or roughly cut dense materials.
On clip point blades, there is an additional cutting edge on the butt, then sharpening the knife is called one and a half.
The most interesting additional element of the blade is the choil - a hole or recess on the heel of the blade. When using it, the knife can be taken close to the center of gravity and perform delicate work with it.

How to choose a knife according to the characteristics of the handle, we will describe below.

handles

They are made of two dies riveted to the shank or mounted on it. The latter can be collapsible (fasteners on the shank with a nut or wedge) or planted tightly, for which glue or a rivet is used.

The main difference between the knife, which is considered a melee weapon, is the stop (guard, bolster) between the handle and the fifth of the blade, which does not allow the hand to move onto the cutting edge during a stabbing blow.
The handles are made of wood, birch bark, elastron (rubber plastic), textolite and other materials, including horns or tusks of mammoths, walruses, if these are national knives.

Now let's find out what steel to choose for a knife.

The video below will tell you about the types of locks and openings for folding knives:

Steel

The vast majority of knives are made of stainless steel. The most commonly used are 65X13 and AUS-8.

65X13- a domestic brand used in the manufacture of surgical instruments. The letter "X" denotes the presence of chromium in the alloy. Good cutting properties and ease of manual sharpening are noted. With prolonged use in the field, it may fade (ex. knife, from Kizlyar, from Nozhemir).
AUS-8- steel, classified as Japanese, used for manufacturing samurai swords. It has good corrosion resistance. Tough, thanks to which the cutting edge does not crumble upon impact. High aggressiveness of the cut, sharpening is moderate, but easily corrected with manual abrasive whetstones. Such steel, for example, in knives, from Kizlyar,.

You will learn about the types of knives and the names of popular products in each category below.

Examples of "correct" products

Now that you have a general idea about the design of the knife, you can start choosing it. So, let's talk about the types of knives (folding, cutting, hunting, throwing, combat), and how to choose them correctly.

hunting

There are many opinions on how to choose a good hunting knife. On the hunt, you may need to finish off (pick up) a wounded animal, skin and skin the carcass.

The first thing to remember when hunting is that we are not barbarians and it would be nice to keep up appearances. Therefore, serrated and other elements that can cause additional suffering to the animal are unacceptable on a hunting knife. From the same consideration, the length of the blade hunting knife cannot be less than 14 cm.

Daggers have the best penetrating properties (eg,), so they are more “humane”. However, skinning and butchering the carcass with them is not very convenient.
The handle of the knife must be made of a material with good frictional properties and must be equipped with a guard.

An example of a good hunting knife can be "" Kizlyar. Blade type "Bowie" with a well-defined rounding of the cutting edge has a length of 160 mm. The thickness of the butt is 4.7 mm. The slopes are concave, the handle is made of elastron, mounted, assembly on the thread. The guard is metal, with a well-developed lower ledge.

Having dealt with knives for hunting, we will learn how to choose a product for tourism purposes.

Tourist

This knife has wide application. It should be convenient for them to carry out work on the arrangement of a bivouac in the forest.

The first requirement for him is to be strong so that, if necessary, he can play the role of a lever or replace an ax.
The length is not too important, but it is better if the blade is at least ten centimeters. Thick butt, wedge-shaped descents, a handle with well-defined finger rests.
It is better if the assembly of the handle is non-separable, since a variety of work is necessarily accompanied by vibration, which weakens the threaded fasteners.
Solid wood stock handles are the worst choice, as they can fall apart if hit hard or dropped on rocks.
It's nice to have a set of additional devices - a serrator, a choil, an additional cutting edge.

A good example of tourist knives are the Burbot (Vityaz), Field Tactician (Master K) and Strix (Kizlyar) models.

"" - a clip point blade 125 mm long with an additional RK (one and a half sharpening). The thickness of the butt is 3.8 mm. The handle is elastron, attached, with a percussion spike on the pommel.
"Burbot" - a normal blade blade 115 mm long, butt thickness 3.5 mm. The cutting edge with a wide rounding, this knife is convenient to skin. On the butt there is a notch for the stop of the finger, and on the lower edge of the heel there is a deep choil. The handle is elastron, with a shock spike on the pommel.
"Field Tactician" - clip point blade 143 mm long. There is an additional RK, a recess-emphasis for a finger on the butt and a choil. The thickness of the butt is 4 mm. Drops are straight. The handle is elastron, mounted, fixed with a hollow rivet. There is a percussion spike on the pommel.

We will tell you below about how and what kind of cutting folding and awkward knives to choose.

Chopping

For the most part, these are household knives that should cut well and keep sharpening, and the ability to do anything else is not necessary for them. In camping equipment, an ax is complemented.

The slopes are straight or concave, the sharpening is wedge-shaped.
The handle can be made from a solid workpiece and mounted on a shank; it does not require well-defined finger stops.

A good option for a carving knife - the Rybak model - is offered by Kizlyar PP LLC. A wide blade with a concave butt line and a point pulled up, 155 mm long. The thickness of the butt is 2.5 mm, the cutting edge with a well-defined rounding, there is a choil on the lower edge of the heel and a hollow-stop for the toe on the butt. The descents are concave, the handle is made of wooden dies riveted to the handle. There is a percussion protrusion of the shank on the pommel.

When choosing a knife, do not give in to emotions. The elegance of lines, brutality and other "chips" in field conditions do not matter. The knife should be sharp, durable, fit well in the hand and easy to carry.

This video will show you how to choose a knife:

The variety of forms of handles and blades of knives is historically determined by the conditions in which all edged weapons were created. Often the outlines of a knife arose under the influence of national cultures. Europe has always been distinguished by its desire for straight classical lines, the East was attracted by smooth curves, therefore their sabers were also curved. Functionality also played a significant role for the inventors of knives. A wide cleaver cannot gut a fish, and a kitchen knife cannot clear a path through the forest. Therefore, a knife that is indispensable in one situation is completely inapplicable in another.

Most knife blade shapes have names, and for some reason most of the terms are based on basic English definitions. Let's start with the fact that the simple word "point", translated into Russian, sounds like a "point", but when applied to a knife it means "point". In the phrase "knife point" ( English- knife edge) omit the word “knife” and add words to the word “point” that one way or another characterize the shape of the blade.

The Russian language also has almost official historically established and slang names for various outlines of knives, so we will look for Russian terminology and introduce it into everyday life.

finca

For some reason, in the minds of the Russian layman, this knife is firmly tied to the criminal world, although the outlines of this knife clearly fit into the everyday traditions of the Scandinavian peoples, where the “Finnish” knife was just an everyday tool, and it was never considered a weapon. By and large, the "Finnish" can rightfully be considered a Russian knife, since in Russia this form of the blade was used everywhere, and was considered one of the most convenient and versatile.

The main difference between the "Finnish" and other knives: a straight butt without sharpening and a smooth rise of the blade, which occupies at least a quarter of the length of the blade. Such a blade is capable of piercing with a point, but the raised point of the point and a thick butt lead the puncture towards the sharpening or blade. There is no English name for this type of blade, apparently the British prefer knives with a point offset from the axis of the knife, or refer to this blade as a “trailing-point” type.

H2, H3, H4, H14, H16, H55 - classic "Finnish".

Tanto

A Japanese knife for non-traditional or ceremonial uses, including hara-kiri. A real tanto has never been used as a simple knife, besides, it has a removable handle and guard, so modern knives, bearing the proud name "tanto" just repeat the shape of the blade, all other characteristic features of this knife that are mandatory for the Japanese are ignored. By the way, the famous short Japanese wakizashi sword and the katana long sword have similar outlines of the piercing part of the blade.

It cannot be said that the tanto knife is convenient for stabbing, but the blade has the same thickness along the entire length, which means that the rigidity does not change along the entire length. For military weapons this is an important factor. There is no Russian name for this type of blade.

The Zlatoust Plant of Specialized Weapon Steels produces knives H10 and H20, the first of which has an almost perfect tanto shape, and the second is very similar to a tanto with slight distortions of the classic shape.

Sax or Scramasax

This knife came from the north, from the British Isles or Scandinavia, in Russia, he also met. It is believed that the name of the people "Saxons" comes from the name of the knife. Although that ancient “scramasax” can be called a knife with a big stretch. The sax (scramasax) is rather a sword, the specimens found dating back to the 10th century, and earlier finds, were more than 30 centimeters long.

Characteristic features of the Saks knife: a straight blade, a straight butt and a rounded bevel of the butt. Today, a similar blade shape is used only for technical, kitchen or folding knives. In Russian, the name "cleaver" is reserved for such knives.

Clip-point or Bowie

There are many legends about the creation of a prototype of a modern bowie knife, but none of them can be trusted, they are too plausible. It is only known that the adventurer, smuggler and slave trader James Bowie ordered a knife of a special form for himself, which suddenly became popular in the United States, and later spread around the world, bearing the name of the creator with it. Although a similar shape of the knife was known before Bowie, he (according to legend) made a minor but functional change - he sharpened the bevel of the blade. They also try to attribute the shape of the bevel to Bowie, but historical evidence suggests that knives of this shape were made in Damascus thousands of years before Bowie.

Characteristic features: a straight butt with a concave bevel and a straight blade with a smooth rise. The British call such a blade "clip-point", which means "beveled point". In Russian, the blade is called "pike" because of its resemblance to a predatory fish. Now most knives with a beveled butt, regardless of the presence of sharpening on the bevel or its shape, are called "bowies". In principle, if you cut off the details, the bowie knife belongs to the category of knives with a "falling edge" or "drop-point".

The Zlatoust Plant of Specialized Weapon Steels produces many bowie-type knives, but knives H83, H7 and H19 are most suitable for the description.

Dagger form or spear-point

Actually, “spear” in English is “spear”, that is, the name of the form sounds like “spear-shaped”, however, all over the world and in Russia, such blades are called “dagger blades”, since they resemble a dagger in shape. In addition, both sides of the blade must be sharpened at a spear or dagger, and modern knives with a spear-point blade can have a complete sharpening of the working side or blade (lower part) and partial sharpening of the upper half of the plane, for example, sharpened only the bevel of the butt, while the butt itself retains its thickness.

Characteristic features: The bevel of the butt and the rise of the blade are symmetrical, that is, they are the same in length and depth. The longitudinal axis of the blade passes through the point. The knife is great for stabbing. It is not applicable for some types of work, since a sharpened butt is a very dangerous device. As a combat knife - irreplaceable. In Russia, this shape of the blade is often called "fish".

The Zlatoust Plant of Specialized Weapon Steels produces several spear-point models, these are H9, H21, H82.

Flying tip or trailing-point

Most likely, this knife came to us from national cultures directly related to livestock breeding or hunting. Among the nomadic peoples Central Asia still in use are knives with a point raised up, which helps to easily cut and remove the skin of an animal without cutting blood vessels, and then butcher the carcass.

In the English name of the blade "trailing-point" there is some joke. The direct translation of the expression "trailing-point" is "end point". The full name of the blade sounds like “trailing knife point”, in Russian it will be “an elongated edge of the blade”. And you can “pull” it in any direction, so you only have to guess what the British had in mind.

Characteristic features: a straight butt, slightly raised closer to the point, a straight blade with a smooth rise. The point of the tip is above the butt line.

One of the brightest examples of this family, produced at the Zlatoust Specialized Weapons Steel Plant, is the H5 knife.

Falling point or drop-point

One of the most common blade shapes. Similar knives can be found in everyday life and in the army, among hunters and tourists. The tip does not coincide with the longitudinal axis of the blade, but this does not prevent stabbing. The long, straight blade allows you to confidently set the point of application of force when cutting “push”, and the smooth rise of the blade is great for choosing the depth of the cut in the hide or skin.

In this case, the English name suits the shape of the blade very well. The term "drop-point" literally means "falling point". In Russian, this form is again called "fish", since it does not matter where the "fish" has its nose turned up.

Characteristic features of the drop-point: a straight butt with a shallow rounded bevel and a straight blade with a smooth rise.

The Zlatoust Plant of Specialized Weapon Steels produces a lot of drop-point models, these are H1, H15, H17.

Sheared point or spay-point

Spay-point blade shape ( English. - “control point”) can be attributed to technical or working knives special purpose, however, such blades are often used as a hunting tool. The shortened blade creates more leverage at the point, and the lowered thrust point allows you to achieve a large depth of cut in one movement.

There is an age-old debate about the spay-point shape, they say, it is not easy to distinguish it from some modification of a knife with a “falling edge”. It's easy to distinguish: spay-point blades always have a point lower than the longitudinal axis of the blade, while drop-point blades are higher.

Hook or gut-hook

This seemingly exotic blade shape finds practical use from their admirers. Let's take a “drop-point” blade and on the bevel of the butt with a milling cutter we will make an oblique sharpened cut in the direction of the tip - “gut-hook” or just a “hook” is ready for use. Hunters and anglers use the "gut-hook" to gut a fish or make a precise cut in an animal's hide. Otherwise, this is a regular knife with a drop-point blade. Do not forget that the hook for inexperienced users is quite dangerous, like a knife with a dagger-type blade.

The Zlatoust Plant of Specialized Weapon Steels produces knives with gut-hook blades, for example, HP21.

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Judging by past selections, people like exotic knives with tanto-shaped blades.

Well, if so, let's talk about this in more detail.

In fact, traditional Japanese knives and short swords usually look like this.

On Ali, I found a couple of shops selling traditional Japanese swords and knives.

Delivery in both stores is quite expensive, there is a feeling that they ship from Japan - $40 for EMS. But if you take more than one item or cooperate with someone, then it is quite tolerable. Some expensive items have free shipping.

Although knives and swords in these stores are not cheap, I advise you to at least go and see, there are a lot of beautiful specimens.

Well, it’s not in vain that I showed a blade with a profile at the beginning of the selection - the traditional “Japanese tanto”. The fact is that the “American tanto” profile is now popular in the world, more reminiscent of chisels than ordinary knives. Things got to the point that the fashion reached Japan and they began to make blades with an “American tanto” profile in the traditional Japanese style.

A friend of mine gave me a review of his tanto-style knife, bought on Ali, and then took out the original, which was inspired by the Chinese. It's called Kanetsune Seki KAGE KB.

Pictured below is the original.

The knives differ significantly in size, but are very similar in style: a kind of deliberately rough rustic tool. A forged blade, a handle made from a shovel handle and all that ...

Knife with Ali closer.

The total length of the knife is 300 mm. Blade length 158 mm, butt thickness 5 mm. Convergence 0.8-0.9 mm.

At first, the knife seemed to me completely useless, a clean shelf, but in reality this is not entirely true. The products are slowly cutting, wood planing.

It costs $30.66 there, which is about 6 bucks cheaper than in other places.

While there are discounts in the store, let's see what else is interesting.

For example, at a fabulously low price, you can grab such a handsome man.

Total length 24 cm, blade length: 9.8 cm, blade thickness: 4.5 mm

The blade is made of excellent steel 9Cr18MoV. Hardness 59 HRC.

Imported sandalwood handle.

The knife costs only $17.78. With these settings, it's really cool! 37% discount valid for two more days

Well, one more option. Much more expensive, but very nice.

Overall length: 228 mm, blade length 98 mm, blade thickness 4 mm.

Blade steel: VG10 forged Damascus steel, 108 layers

Hardness: 58-60 HRC (vacuum hardened).

Handle and scabbard ebony

After such beauties, I want to show a practical working knife.

Overall length 210 mm, blade length 98 mm, blade thickness 5 mm. According to the manufacturer, the knife is forged by hand and hardened to a hardness of 64 HRC.

Now another one beautiful knife in the spirit of minimalism.

It looks very cool, I advise you to look at the pictures on the store page.

Overall length 235 mm, blade length 98 mm.

Blade made of steel D2 hardness 58-60 HRC.

Ebony wood handle.

A lot of militaristic knives have a tanto-shaped blade.

For example, this one.

Knife total length 235 mm, blade length 100 mm, blade thickness 5 mm

Made from D2 steel with a hardness of 58HRC. ABC plastic sheath. Kraton handle.

Now let's talk about folding knives

Extremely powerful folding LDT BF2RCT reminiscent of the products of an Italian company.

The sword has a fairly simple design: a long blade with a handle, while swords have many forms and uses. The sword is more convenient than the ax, which is one of its predecessors. The sword is adapted for inflicting chopping and stabbing blows, as well as for parrying enemy blows. Being longer than a dagger and not easily concealed in clothing, the sword is seen in many cultures. noble weapon, a status symbol. He had a special significance, being at the same time a work of art, a family jewel, a symbol of war, justice, honor, and of course glory.

The structure of the sword

The sword usually consists of the following elements:

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f. Blade (sharpened part of the blade)
g. Point (stabbing part)

There are many options for the shape of the sections of the blade. Usually the shape of the blade depends on the purpose of the weapon, as well as on the desire to combine stiffness and lightness in the blade. The figure shows some double-edged (positions 1, 2) and single-edged (positions 3, 4) variants of blade shapes.

There are three basic forms of sword blades. Each of them has its own advantages:

The straight blade (a) is intended primarily for thrusting.
The blade, curved back towards the butt (b), inflicts a deep cut wound upon impact.
A blade curved forward towards the edge (c) is effective for cutting, especially when it has a wide and heavy top.

It is important to understand that the specialization of the sword in one type of strike did not make other types impossible - a thrust can be delivered with a saber, and a cutting blow with a sword.

When choosing a sword, civilians were guided mainly by fashion trends. The military, on the other hand, tried to find the perfect blade, combining the same efficiency in both chopping and stabbing.

Africa and Middle East

In most of these regions the sword is a very common weapon, but in Africa it is rare and difficult to date. Most of the swords shown here ended up in Western museums and collectors thanks to travelers from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Double-edged sword, Gabon, West Africa. The thin blade is made of steel, the hilt of the sword is wrapped with brass and copper wire.
Takouba, sword of the Tuareg tribe of the Sahara.
Flissa, sword of the Kabyle tribe, Morocco. Single-edged blade, engraved and inlaid with brass.
Cascara, straight double-edged sword of the Bagirmi people, Sahara. In style, this sword is close to Sudanese swords.
Double-edged sword of the East African Maasai. The rhombic section of the blade, the guard is missing.
Shotel, a double-edged sword with a double curved blade, Ethiopia. The crescent shape of the sword is designed to strike the enemy behind his shield.
A Sudanese sword with a characteristic straight double-edged blade and cross guard.
Arabic sword, 18th century The blade is probably of European origin. The silver hilt of the sword is gilded.
Arabic sword, Longola, Sudan. The double-edged steel blade is decorated with geometric patterns and a crocodile. The hilt of the sword is made of ebony and ivory.

Near East

Kilich (key), Turkey. The example shown in the figure has a blade of the 15th century, and the hilt of the 18th century. Often, at the top, the kilij blade has an elman - an expanded part with a straight blade.
Scimitar, classical form, Turkey. A sword with a forward-curved, single-edged blade. The bone hilt has a large pommel, there is no guard.
Scimitar with a silver handle. The blade is decorated with corals. Turkey.
Saif, a curved saber with a characteristic pommel. It is found everywhere where the Arabs lived.
Checker, Caucasus. Circassian origin, widely used by Russian cavalry. the blade of this specimen is dated 1819, Persia.
Dagger, Caucasus. The dagger could reach the size of a short sword, one of such specimens is presented here.
Shamshir, a typical form. Persian with a curved blade and a characteristic handle.
Shamshir with a wavy blade, Persia. The steel handle is adorned with gold inlay.
18. Quadara. Big dagger. The handle is made of horn. The blade is decorated with etching and gold notch.

Indian subcontinent

The region of India and adjacent areas is rich in various types of swords. India produced the best steel blades in the world with luxurious decorations. In some cases, it is difficult to give the correct name to certain types of blades, to determine the time and place of their manufacture, so that a thorough study of them is still ahead. The dates indicated refer only to the examples depicted.

Chora (Khyber), a heavy single-edged sword of the Afghan and Pashtun tribes. Afghan-Pakistan border.
. Sword with a curved blade and disc-shaped hilt, India. This copy was found in Northern India, XVII century.
Tulvar (talwar) with a wide blade. Was the executioner's weapon. This copy is of Northern India origin, XVIII-XIX centuries.
Tulwar (talwar). Steel handle in the Punjabi style with a safety shackle. Indore, India. End of the 18th century
, steel handle with gilding in the "Old Indian" style. Double-edged straight blade. Nepal. 18th century
Khanda. The handle is made in the style of "Indian basket" with a process for gripping with both hands. Marathi people. 18th century
Sosun pattah. The handle is made in the style of "Indian basket". Forward-curved single edge reinforced blade. Central India. 18th century
South Indian sword. Steel handle, square wooden pommel. The blade is curved forward. Madras. 16th century
Sword from the temple of the Nayar people. Brass handle, double-edged steel blade. Thanjavur, South India. 18th century
South Indian sword. Steel handle, double-edged wavy blade. Madras. 18th century
. An Indian sword with a gauntlet - a steel guard that protected the hand to the forearm. Decorated with engraving and gilding. Oudh (now Uttar Pradesh). 18th century
Adyar katti typical shape. A short heavy blade curved forward. The handle is made of silver. Coorg, Southwest India.
Zafar Takeh, India. Attribute of the ruler at audiences. The top of the handle is made in the form of an armrest.
("stranger"). This name was used by the Indians for European blades with Indian handles. Here is a Maratha sword with a German blade from the 17th century.
Double-edged two-handed sword with hollow iron pommel. Central India. 17th century
Bark. The blade is curved forward, has a single blade with a "pulled" top. Nepal. 18th century
. Long narrow blade. It was widespread in the 19th century. Nepal, circa 1850
Kukri. Iron handle, elegant blade. Nepal, circa 19th century
Kukri. Was in service with the Indian Army in World War II. Manufactured by a contractor in North India. 1943
Ram Dao. Sword used for animal sacrifice in Nepal and Northern India.

Far East

Tao. Sword of the Kachin tribe, Assam. The example shown here shows the most common blade shape among many known in the region.
Tao (noklang). Two-handed sword, Khasi people, Assam. The handle of the sword is iron, the finish is made of brass.
Dha. Single-edged sword, Myanmar. The cylindrical hilt of the sword is covered with white metal. Blade inlaid with silver and copper.
Castane. The sword has a carved wooden handle and a protective steel shackle. Decorated with silver and brass inlay. Sri Lanka.
Single-edged Chinese an iron sword. The handle is a blade petiole wrapped with a cord.
Talibon. Short sword of Philippine Christians. The hilt of the sword is made of wood and braided with reed.
Barong. Short sword of the Moro people, Philippines.
Mandau (parang ihlang). Sword of the Dayak tribe - bounty hunters, Kalimantan.
Parang Pandit. Sword of the Sea Dayak tribe, Southeast Asia. The sword has a single-edged, forward-curved blade.
Campilan. Single-edged sword of the Moro and Sea Dayak tribes. The handle is made of wood and decorated with carvings.
Klewang. Sword from the island of Sula Vesi, Indonesia. The sword has a single-edged blade. The handle is made of wood and decorated with carvings.

Europe of the Bronze and Early Iron Ages

The history of the European sword is not so much a process of improving the functionality of the blade, but of changing it under the influence of fashion trends. Swords made of bronze and iron were replaced by steel ones, the design was adapted to new combat theories, but no innovations led to a complete rejection of the old forms.

Short sword. Central Europe, Early Bronze Age. The blade and hilt of the sword are connected by riveting.
Curved single-edged short sword, Sweden. 1600-1350 BC. The sword is made from a single piece of bronze.
Bronze sword of Homeric times, Greece. OK. 1300 BC This copy was found in Mycenae.
Long solid bronze sword, one of the Baltic islands. 1200-1000 BC.
Late Bronze Age sword, Central Europe. 850-650 AD BC.
Iron sword, Hallstatt culture, Austria. 650-500 AD BC. The hilt of the sword is made of ivory and amber.
- the iron sword of the Greek hoplites (heavily armed infantry). Greece. Approximately VI century. BC.
Falcata - an iron single-edged sword, Spain, around the 5th-6th centuries. BC. This type of sword was also used in classical Greece.
Iron blade of the sword, La Tène culture. Around the 6th century BC. This copy was found in Switzerland.
An iron sword. Aquileia, Italy. The hilt of the sword is made of bronze. Around the 3rd century BC.
Gallic iron sword. Department of Aube, France. Anthropomorphic bronze handle. Around the 2nd century BC.
Iron sword, Cumbria, England. The handle of the sword is made of bronze and decorated with enamel. Around the 1st century
Gladius. Iron Roman short sword. Beginning of the 1st century
Late Roman gladius. Pompeii. The edges of the blade are parallel, the tip is shortened. End of the 1st century

Europe of the Middle Ages

Throughout the early Middle Ages, the sword was a very valuable weapon, especially in Northern Europe. Many scandinavian swords have richly decorated handles, and their X-ray examination made it possible to establish a very high quality of their blades. However, the late medieval sword, despite its significant status knightly arms, often has the usual cruciform shape and a simple iron blade; only the pommel of the sword gave the masters some room for imagination.

Early medieval swords were forged with wide blades designed for slashing. From the 13th century began to spread narrow blades, designed for stabbing. It is assumed that this trend was caused by the increased use of armor, which was easier to pierce with a piercing blow at the joints.

To improve the balance of the sword, a heavy pommel was attached to the end of the hilt, as a counterweight to the blade. Tops had a variety of forms, the most common of them:

mushroom
In the shape of a teapot
American walnut
discoid
in the form of a wheel
triangular
Fishtail
pear-shaped

Viking sword (right), 10th century. The handle is wrapped in silver foil with an embossed "wicker" ornament, which is tinted with copper and niello. The double-edged steel blade is wide and shallow. This sword was found in one of the Swedish lakes. Currently stored in the State historical museum in Stockholm.

Middle Ages

Knife- the most ancient of man-made human tools, which played the most important role in the formation of man as a species. It has gone through a long history, during which it has changed only aesthetically - many craftsmen have made and are making blades. amazing beauty... well, it became sharper than the stone and metal tools of primitive people.

It is not surprising that various kinds of blades remain companions of many real and fictional heroes, whose "exploits" we learn from books, movies and other media sources. Italian multimedia designer Federico Mauro created several graphic series showing household items of cult characters (for example:,), including all kinds of knives and blades of many famous media heroes:

01. Ghostface (Ghostface) - the character of the film series "Scream"

02. Chevalier Charles-Henri Sanson de Lonval (Charles-Henri Sanson) - hereditary executioner from the Sanson dynasty

03. Frank Dodd - deputy sheriff of Castle Rock, character in Stephen King's book "The Dead Zone" and the film of the same name

04. Eastern Promises - a feature film directed by David Cronenberg

05. Sweeney Todd is a character in a series of short stories, musicals and films.

06. Joker (Joker) - a character in comics and films about Batman.

07. John "Ace" Merrill (Ace Merrill) - the character of several works of Stephen King ("Stay with me", "Necessary things" and others)

08. Secret Agent MacGyver - main character American television series of the same name

09. Riddick (Riddick) - the character of a series of feature and animated films

10. Jack Burton (Jack Burton) - the character of the movie "Big Trouble in Little China"

11. Knight Slasher's knife - the character of the movie "Cobra" (Cobra)

12. Jason Voorhees - character from the Friday the 13th film series

13. Bilbo Baggins - a character in a series of works by J. R. R. Tolkien

14. Beatrix Kiddo (Beatrix Kiddo) - a character from the series of films "Kill Bill"

15. Goemon Ishikawa XIII is a character from the Lupin III manga comic series

16. The sword of the characters from the Star Wars film series (Star Wars)

17. The weapon of the main character of the film "Ultraviolet" (Ultraviolet)

18. Weapons of the characters from the Machete movie series

19. Computer game and the movie "Prince of Persia" (Prince of Persia)

20. Computer game and TV series "Game of Thrones" (Game of Thrones)

21. Uruk-hai (Uruk-Hai) - a character in the series of novels and films "Lord of the Rings"

22. He-Man (He Man) - the main character of several animated series and the feature film "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe"

23. "The Legend of Zelda" - a video game series and an animated series

24. Excalibur - the legendary sword of King Arthur

25. "300 Spartans" (300) - a feature film based on the comic book of the same name

26. D "Artagnan - a character in the cycle of works by Alexandre Dumas

27. "Highlander" (Highlander) - cycle feature films

28. Zorro (Zorro) - the character of a series of comics, cartoons and feature films

29. "War of the Gods: Immortals" (Immortals) - a feature film based on ancient Greek myths

30. Jack Sparrow is the protagonist of the Pirates of the Caribbean feature film series.

31. Blade (Blade) - the main character of the film and comic book series of the same name

32. William Wallace - the legendary Scottish knight and military leader, the protagonist of the feature film "Braveheart"

33. Final Fantasy VII - computer game

34. Conan (Conan) - the main character of a series of comics and feature films of the same name

35. Jack Torrance is the protagonist of Stephen King's novel The Shining and films of the same name.

36. Blood Red (Profondo Rosso) - a feature film directed by Dario Argento

37. "Old Boy" (Old Boy) - a feature film directed by Park Chang-wook, the second part of the "trilogy of revenge"

38. Captain Hook (Hook) - the character of the book "Peter Pan", as well as a series of feature and animated films

39. "Children of the Corn" - a story by Stephen King, which became the basis for a series of feature films

40. The Grim Reaper

41. "V for Vendetta" (V for Vendetta) - a feature film based on the comic book of the same name

42. "Elektra" (Elektra) - a feature film based on the comic book of the same name

43. "The Expendables" - a series of feature films

44. "Crocodile" Dundee (Crocodile Dundee) - the protagonist of a series of feature films of the same name

45. Norman Bates (Norman Bates) - the character of the thriller Alfred Hitchcock "Psycho" and its sequels

46. Gordon Ramsay - British chef, known as the first Scot to be awarded three Michelin stars; culinary TV show host

47. Michael Myers (Michael Myers) - the character of the series of feature films "Halloween"

48. "Predator" (Predator) - a series of feature films

49. John Rambo (John Rambo) - the character of a series of feature films of the same name

50. Gustavo "Gus" Fring (Gus Fring) - the character of the television series Breaking Bad (Breaking Bad)