Mystery solved: why do sailors wear daggers? White weapon The ceremonial weapon of a naval officer.
Amendments to the Law on Weapons, allowing Navy officers to keep their ceremonial weapons after retirement, have been developed and are undergoing the necessary voting stages.
SIMFEROPOL, May 19, 2016, 18:20 - REGNUM The issue of preserving ceremonial weapons (daggers) for naval officers retiring is being resolved, but this will take time. The corresponding amendments to the law “On Weapons” have already been prepared, a REGNUM correspondent was told in the press service and information department of the Russian President.
“The issue is being studied - both by the Ministry of Defense and the Government Russian Federation. However, it takes time to resolve this request, since the provision on naval dirks is regulated by Federal Law No. 150 “On Weapons.” At the moment, amendments to the law allowing Navy officers to keep their ceremonial weapons after retirement have been developed and are undergoing the necessary voting stages,” the press service of the President of the Russian Federation reported in response to a request from the REGNUM news agency.
Let us recall that Vladimir Putin supported the proposal of Sevastopol retired officer Sergei Gorbachev to restore the right to wear dirks to naval officers in reserve. Sergei Gorbachev addressed the president with such a request during his big press conference on December 17, 2015. Then he informed Putin that officers’ daggers had begun to be confiscated from officers who had retired with the right to wear a uniform.
“The Navy is a conservative organization, based largely on traditions. There is such a tradition, this is a privilege, a reward system, when an officer transferred to the reserve was discharged with the right to wear a uniform, and at the same time, the naval uniform included a naval dagger. Over the last two years or so, naval daggers have been confiscated from officers. So I served 36 years in the navy, I don’t quite understand who needs my dagger with the image of the coat of arms Soviet Union? - asked the officer.
“The officers’ dirks need to be returned,” Vladimir Putin replied.
However, six months after the press conference, Sergei Gorbachev told a REGNUM correspondent that nothing had changed: officers Cherno navy they do not calculate financial and other types of allowances upon transfer to the reserve until they “hand over their daggers to the warehouse.”
Details
It is unlikely that I will be able to clearly explain my more than respectful attitude towards this outdated type of personal weapons of officers. Of course, there is also the notorious magic of the blade, and a harmonious combination of simplicity and beauty, the laconic grace of the forms and lines of the object itself.
But it is much more important that for me this is like the embodiment of the spirit and letter of those times when the aviation of our country was in unconditional honor. And although the period when aviation officers of the USSR Air Force were entitled to a dagger as a personal weapon was short-lived - from 1949 to 1957, this time remained in the history of our aviation as a reminder of traditions dating back to the first aviators of the Russian Imperial Air Fleet. Traditions, the successors of which you and I are by definition, as graduates of an aviation school - professionals who have chosen serving aviation as their life’s work.
Therefore, if you want, for me this is an expression of the quintessence of aviation romance in a specific object that you can pick up.
And, of course, the dirk is a symbol of officer valor and honor. It is not for nothing that this was a mandatory attribute of the dress uniform of officers of both the Tsarist and Soviet armies and navies, and continues to remain so in the Russian one. To officers Russian fleet daggers continue to be issued as personal weapons to officers Russian army may be issued upon special instructions for participation in parades.
A little history of the dagger in the Russian army and navy.
The first samples of dirks came to Russia in Peter's times. The fashion for daggers among officers of the Russian Navy was started by foreign specialists invited by Peter. The new kind weapons was noticed and appreciated, and now at the Olonets factories they began to manufacture domestically produced daggers. At the same time, the dagger ceased to be a weapon exclusively for naval officers and came into use in the army. In 1803, the wearing of a dirk was officially assigned to naval officers. Wearing a dagger with any form of clothing - except for the ceremonial uniform, the obligatory accessory of which was a naval saber or broadsword - in some periods was considered absolutely mandatory, and at times it was required only when performing official duties. For example, for more than a hundred years in a row, until 1917, when a naval officer left the ship ashore he was required to be with a dagger. Service in coastal naval institutions - headquarters, educational institutions, etc. - also demanded that naval officers serving there always wear a dirk. Only on a ship was wearing a dirk mandatory only for the watch commander.
Naval officer's dagger, model 1803-1914, Russia.
The then “Russian naval dagger” was so beautiful and elegant in its shape and decoration that the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, bypassing the formation of the crew of the newest Russian cruiser “Varyag” in 1902, was delighted with it and ordered it to be introduced for the officers of his “Fleet” open sea» dirks according to a slightly modified Russian model.
In addition to the Germans, back in the 80s of the XIX century. The Russian dagger was borrowed by the Japanese, who made it look like a small samurai saber. By the beginning of the 20th century. The Russian dagger became part of the uniform of officers of many navies around the world.
Naval officer's dirk, model 1914, with Nicholas's monogram.
During the First World War, dirks were in service in Russia not only in the navy, but also in the army - in the aviation, aeronautical, and automobile forces. It was also practiced for junior infantry officers to wear dirks, instead of sabers, which were inconvenient in the trenches.
Ensign of the Russian Imperial Army
Future People's Commissar of State Security of the USSR V.N. Merkulov with the rank of ensign, World War I.
After 1917, some commanders of the newly created Red Army from among the former officers continued to wear daggers, and in 1919 the first example of a Soviet dagger appeared. It differed from the pre-revolutionary one only in the presence Soviet symbols, instead of the imperial monogram.
Red commanders with revolvers and daggers.
In the army environment, among the commanders of the Red Army - mostly from workers and peasants, the dagger did not take root, but the command staff of the RKKF wore daggers from 1922 to 1927. Then it was canceled and went out of use among Soviet sailors for 13 years. It was again revived in the fleet after the adoption of the 1940 model dirk, largely thanks to the new commander of the Fleet N.G. Kuznetsov, who sought to revive the old traditions of the Russian fleet.
Externally, this dagger largely repeats the shape of Russian pre-revolutionary daggers - almost the same outlines of the blade and hilt, a wooden scabbard covered with black leather, and a gilded metal device. Dirks were produced at the former Zlatoust Arms Factory, renamed the Zlatoust Tool Factory.
Naval officer's dirk, 1945.
In 1945, some changes were made, the main one being the presence of a lock with a button to prevent the blade from falling out of the sheath. It was this sample that served as the prototype for daggers of other branches of the military, which have survived to this day and are still worn by officers under special instructions during parades.
Dirk in aviation.
The tradition of wearing daggers is typical for the air forces of many countries around the world. This type of bladed weapon was very popular in pre-revolutionary Russia among aviation officers. This was partly due to the fact that among the first Russian aviators there were many naval officers. In addition, a short blade looked much more appropriate than a long saber in an airplane cockpit. Red military pilots of the Workers 'and Peasants' air fleet in some places they unofficially preserved this tradition in the early years of the civil war.
In 1949, by order of the Minister of the Armed Forces, the dirk returned to the already Soviet Air Force, and until 1957 it was worn with the dress and everyday uniform of aviation officers and generals - just as it was before 1917. Aviation school cadets received daggers along with their first officer's shoulder straps and college diplomas.
Since 1958, the dirk ceased to be the personal weapon of Air Force officers and generals, and was issued upon special instructions for participation in parades.
Soviet-style daggers were produced until 1993. However, they successfully survived the wave of changes military uniform clothes of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and continue to be used today as ceremonial edged weapons for army and navy officers. Graduates of naval schools are given daggers along with their first lieutenant's shoulder straps. 
Officers of the Russian army wear daggers according to special instructions during parades - combined arms and aviation, depending on the type of troops. In fact, modern daggers completely replicate the daggers of the Soviet era, with the only difference in symbolism: instead of the coat of arms of the USSR, an image of a double-headed eagle is placed on the head of the handle, and there is no hammer and sickle on the image of a star. Meanwhile, Soviet models continue to be in service with the army and navy along with modern ones.
(When preparing the article, materials from the Internet and the book by D.R. Ilyasov “Dirks of the USSR” were used)(jcomments on)
So, summing up the results of the first, introductory part at the beginning of the second part of the historical excursion, let us recall that to XVIII century In Russia, knives were divided into a number of types according to their purpose, the main of which were: kitchen, hunting, table (food knives), various craft and special knives, as well as combat knives. The Russian combat knives themselves were of four types: underside, belt, boot and field. But we didn’t say a word about long-bladed products, so in the framework of this article we’ll talk about them.
Halberd and berdysh
Speaking about the cold long-bladed weapons of Russia in the 17th–19th centuries, we should first of all remember halberds and reeds. A halberd is a “cross between” a spear and an axe, a piercing-cutting weapon. Halberds came to Russia from Europe at the beginning of the 17th century. Until the very end of the 17th century, such weapons were used by the royal guards. In the 18th century (under Peter I), sergeants (as a weapon - a distinctive sign) and artillerymen were armed with halberds. In the 19th century, the Russian army abandoned halberds, they began to arm the lower ranks of the police, and since 1856, halberds were completely abolished.
Berdysh (from the Polish berdysz) appeared in Russia in the 15th century and were used until the 18th century. True, over the last century they have been used only as weapons for police watchmen and ceremonial weapons for palace guards. The berdysh itself is an ax with a long curved blade on a shaft. Berdysh could have small shafts (from 1 meter) and long ones - 2–2.5 meters long.
An interesting moment: in the popular film comedy by Leonid Gaidai “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession,” one of the palace guards threw a halberd, which, piercing the time machine, closed the time transition. There is a double film blunder at this point. Firstly, Shurik calls this weapon a reed, and this is a completely classic halberd. Secondly, in Russia in the 16th century there were no halberds (they appeared later, during the period of False Dmitry the First). The berdysh themselves are also used in Gaidai’s comedy; the royal archers were armed with them.
Saber
The most venerable long-liver in the history of Russian blades is the saber. Sabers first appeared in Rus' in the 9th century and by the 14th century they had become the most popular and widespread army edged weapon, completely replacing swords. Let us note that in the south of Rus' sabers appeared earlier and took root faster than in the north, closer to Novgorod. From the 15th to the 17th centuries, sabers served as the main weapon of archers, Cossacks, and cavalry warriors. In the 18th century, the saber became the personal weapon of light cavalry and officers in almost all branches of the military. At the end of 1881, the saber was replaced by a saber in the Russian army. It was preserved only in the guard as a ceremonial weapon, and also as a weapon carried outside the formation by officers of some branches of the military.
Infantry and cavalry sabers
The word "saber" comes from the Hungarian szabni - "to cut". A saber consists of a blade and a hilt. The blade is curved, with a smooth cutting edge on the convex side. The handle could be wood, bone, tin, leather, and so on. The saber first appeared in the countries of the East (VI–VII centuries). Eastern sabers had a hilt with a crosshair, European sabers had a guard of various shapes. The sabers were equipped with a scabbard: wooden (covered in leather, velvet, morocco) or metal. The latter appeared only in the 19th–20th centuries. The metal scabbards were blued, chrome-plated or plated with silver or gold (expensive ceremonial sabers).
Eastern saber
Eastern sabers have a greater curvature of the blade, weight up to 1 kg and a blade length of up to 75–85 cm. European (including Russian) sabers have less curvature, blades up to 90 cm in length and a weight of up to 1.1 kg without sheath. European-type sabers are equipped with large, if not bulky, cup-shaped hilts or in the form of several bows (from one to three).
Russian sabers were widely used in cavalry and infantry. Cavalry sabers were longer and heavier than infantry ones. The sabers of the hussars and light cavalry had an average blade curvature. The blades of the sabers of the hussar regiments had a statutory form, but were still often decorated in any order, had individual details and characteristics, since they were ordered by the hussars at their own expense (at that time, receiving government weapons among the hussars was considered bad manners).
Officer's saber
Until 1874, Russian sailors used a special naval subtype of a shortened saber - a half-saber with a blade up to 60 cm. Later, the half-saber was replaced by naval sabers (they reached 82 cm in length) and daggers. IN various armies Peace sabers were in service until the end of World War II. Later, they began to be used almost everywhere exclusively as ceremonial weapons.
Half saber
When talking about sabers, one cannot ignore such a phenomenon as “saber etiquette” - saluting with weapons. It is generally accepted that the saber salute originated in the East. The junior in rank salutes the senior with a saber, while simultaneously covering his eyes with his hand raised to his face (acting out a kind of “blinding” by the sun-faced superiors). There is a version that raising the saber blade to the face comes from the ritual of knights during the Crusades. On the hilts of swords and sabers a crucifix or cross was often depicted, which Christian warriors kissed before battle. Currently, the rite of saber salutation is divided into two stages: raising the saber with the hilt to the face (“raise up”) - a modern interpretation of the rite of kissing the cross; lowering the saber blade with the tip downwards - a sign of recognition of submission to a superior.
Checker
Checkers (from the Kabardian-Circassian “sashkho” - “big knife”), as stated above, came to replace sabers in Russia. Externally, the checker is very similar to the saber, but it also has a number of differences. The blade of the checker is only slightly curved; it can both stab and chop. The blade of the checker has a one-sided sharpening, the tip is double-edged. The hilt of the checker does not have a guard (with rare exceptions).
Cossack officer's saber
The checkers were equipped with wooden sheaths covered with leather, which were suspended from the belt belts by rings (two or one) placed on the convex side of the sheath. The saber is worn in the Caucasian manner, with the cutting edge facing up. This is also a difference from the saber (the saber is always worn with the butt up and the suspension rings are placed on the concave side of the scabbard). A saber is usually worn on a shoulder belt, and a saber on a belt.
There are Caucasian and Central Asian checkers. Caucasian checkers have a very weak blade curvature. It was the Caucasian checkers that became the prototypes for the Cossack checkers of the Terek and Kuban Cossacks. The checkers of the peoples of the Caucasus have minor differences in the details and ornamentation of the decorations. The blades of mountain sabers are hidden in sheaths up to the head of the hilt, while for Cossack sabers the hilt is not retracted into the sheath at all.
Caucasian checker
Central Asian checkers are equipped with almost straight blades with a very slight curvature and a very sharp tip. The handles of such checkers have a noticeable thickening at the top. The scabbard is usually wooden, covered with leather, with a steel device. There are Tajik, Turkmen, Bukhara, Kokand and Khiva checkers. These types of Central Asian checkers differ in the material of the handle, decorations, finishing, and details of the sword belt.
Bukhara checkers
In the Russian army, checkers have been used since the 18th century by the Cossacks, and since the 19th century, checkers have been adopted by cavalry and horse artillery soldiers. A statutory decree in 1834 approved the uniform of the military checker. The basis was an Asian type saber with a solid black horn handle. In 1839, the exterior of the Cossack charter saber was approved. It had a handle with a brass frame on the back and head (handle). A brass fitting was connected to the lower ring. In 1881, the saber was adopted as a combined arms bladed weapon for cavalry units of all types, artillerymen, officers and officer corps of the army, gendarmes and police. For various branches of the military, draft standards were adopted, but the differences were insignificant.
Dragoon soldier's saber
Dragoon checkers had one fuller, a bow-shaped guard, a wooden scabbard, and a brass device. The scabbards of dragoon sabers had additional clips for a bayonet. Officer sabers were 9–10 cm shorter than dragoon sabers. The blade of an officer saber had three fullers. The device was brass, gilded, with certain adaptations under the belts of the sword belt. Artillery checkers were of similar sizes and shapes, but with one fuller. Cossack sabers (since 1881) had a handle without a bow, a blade with one fuller and a scabbard similar to the sheath of officer sabers.
Dragoon saber 1881
The Russian army also used checkers of other types. In 1903, in parallel with checkers of the 1881 model, Asian checkers of the 1834 model began to be used again. In 1904, a Caucasian type saber was approved for Caucasian national units and units, with a handle of two linings secured to the shank with three rivets. The blade of this checker was sheathed along with the handle to the very top.
Artillery saber 1868
After the 1917 revolution, Cossack sabers of the 1881 model began to be used in the Red Army. Along with them, checkers of the Caucasian type were used in the Caucasus. The command staff of the Red Army used the dragoon saber. In 1927, a new saber was adopted for the cavalry, created according to the Cossack type and practically no different from it. In 1940, a special saber was adopted for ceremonial use by senior command personnel, which was replaced in 1949 by a dagger. Since the 50s of the twentieth century in the USSR, the saber began to be used exclusively as a ceremonial weapon.
Officer's saber 1940
Dirk
A dirk (a bladed weapon of the piercing type) first appeared in Russia during the time of Peter I. Dirks have a straight, not very long, most often double-edged narrow blade. The handle is bone with a pommel, the cross-shaped guard is small. In cross-section, daggers are triangular, tetrahedral and diamond-shaped. Dirks have been known since the 16th century; they were used as boarding weapons, and later as the personal weapons of naval officers. In Russia, starting from the 18th century, officers of some ground forces began to use daggers. In 1730, non-combatant ranks of the army began to wear a dagger instead of a sword. In 1777, non-commissioned officers of the Jaeger Regiment were armed with daggers instead of swords. These dirks could be installed on muzzle-loading fittings for bayonet fighting. Since 1803, rules for wearing dirks as personal weapons were determined for officers and midshipmen of the Russian Navy. These rules delimited the wearing of forestays, naval sabers and dirks. A little later, a special dirk was created, which was adopted by the couriers of the Maritime Ministry. In 1903, naval engine conductors were allowed to wear daggers, and since 1909 this right extended to all naval conductors.
19th century naval dirk handle
A Russian naval dagger from the 19th century had a square blade 30 cm long with a double-edged tip. The handle was made of ivory, the guard was made of steel. The scabbard was made of wood and covered with black leather. The holders with rings and the tip were made of bronze and gilded. Half a century later, double-edged dirks with diamond-shaped blades became widespread, and at the end of the 19th century, dirks with tetrahedral needle-type blades began to be used. Dimensions of the blades of dirks used in different times, differed significantly. We also note the presence of decorations - most often images of a marine theme.
For Russian naval officers, wearing a dagger outside their ship was mandatory, with the exception of appearing in full dress uniform, in which case they had to carry a naval saber or broadsword. Naval officers serving on shore were also required to wear a dagger. On a ship, only the officer on watch was required to wear a dagger.
Since 1914, dirks began to be used by aviators, military aeronautical troops, officers of automobile units and mine companies. Army aviator daggers had black handles. In 1916, daggers replaced the checkers of military officials, military doctors and chief officers. Since the spring of 1917, daggers began to be worn by the highest ranks of officers, officers and all military officials with the exception of those on horseback (when on horseback, a saber had to be worn). In the same year, 1917, daggers began to be awarded to officers who graduated from military institutions.
Naval dirk 1917
After the October Revolution of 1917, the wearing of dirks was abolished for all officers. Subsequently, wearing a dagger was returned to the command staff of military sailors (from 1924 to 1926, and from 1940 - finally approved).
At the end of World War II, the uniform of the dagger in the USSR army was changed. The new dagger has a flat blade with a diamond-shaped cross-section, 21.5 cm long. The total length of the new dagger is 320 mm. The plastic handle (under the bone) was equipped with a latch to prevent it from falling out of the leather-covered wooden sheath. The dagger received decorations with symbols of the USSR and nautical themes. The presentation of daggers to graduates of naval academies has been preserved.
Dirk 1940
Let us also note that in Russia civilians also used daggers. At the beginning of the 19th century, daggers were allowed to be worn by former naval officers serving in the merchant marine. And from the middle of the 19th century, the command staff of the courts also received this right. In the 19th century, daggers were also worn for some time by certain ranks of telegraph repair guards and postmen.
In 1904, an officer's dagger marine type(distinguished by a wooden black handle) were allowed to be worn by supervisory officials of shipping, fishing and fur farming. The dagger was worn on a belt belt. In 1911, the dirk was allowed to be worn by port officials and maritime inspectors.
During the First World War, daggers were also worn by members of the Sogor and Zemgor unions (organizations created in 1914-1915 to help supply the army, provide medical assistance to the military, help refugees, etc.). But this use of dirks was sporadic and short-lived.
Soviet naval dirks
Naval officers' daggers are a Russian custom and tradition, polished over centuries. It was Russia that became a kind of trendsetter in the fashion of wearing daggers. At the end of the 19th century, the wearing of a dagger by naval officers was borrowed from the Russians by the Japanese, and at the beginning of the 20th century by the Germans. In just a few decades, the dirk was adopted as a personal weapon of a naval officer and part of the uniform in the navies of almost all countries of the world.
Sword
Broadsword (from Polish Palasz and German Pallasch - sword, dagger) is a piercing and chopping weapon, something between an epee and a sword. The broadsword is equipped with a long, straight, narrow blade (length up to 85 cm) with a double-edged, one-sided or one-and-a-half sharpening. The broadsword handle is massive, with a protective cup and arches. The broadsword appeared in Western Europe at the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th centuries as a weapon for heavy cavalry. The first broadswords were brought to Russia from Europe, and under Peter I their mass production and widespread use was established. Early broadswords had a slightly inclined handle for ease of slashing from a horse. In the first half of the 18th century, dragoons were armed with broadswords. Except broadswords Russian production Products from Germany (masters from the city of Solingen) were also used to arm the dragoon regiments. In 1730, broadswords were adopted by Russian cuirassier regiments. Horse artillerymen were also armed with broadswords. Under Catherine the Second, a crown and the monogram “E II” were engraved on the broadswords of her loyal dragoons.
Dragoon broadswords, 1700–1732
In the 18th century, dragoon, cuirassier, carabinieri, army, guards, officer and soldier broadswords were adopted by the Russian army. They all had a long, heavy blade of approximately the same shape and similar dimensions. The differences were in the shape of the sheath and hilt. The handles had the greatest variety: they could have a protective cup of various sizes and shapes, various arches, even weaves, meshes and shields. The tops of the handles could be round, oval, flat, or in the form of the heads of animals or birds. The scabbard was covered with leather and bound with metal, or mounted in holders of various appearances. In the 19th century, hilts became much simpler, as did scabbards. Broadswords remained in the Russian army until the end of the 19th century, after which they were abolished, remaining only in some units as ceremonial weapons.
Broadsword, 1763
Cuirassier officer's broadswords, 1810
The naval broadsword should be considered separately. It looks similar to the cavalry, but also has some character traits. A naval broadsword may have a slightly curved blade (or straight), quite wide and without fullers. The length of the blade is less than that of a cavalry broadsword. The last third of the blade of a sea broadsword (at the tip) has side ribs located asymmetrically relative to the axis of the blade. They are a continuation of the butt and reach the tip. Naval broadswords for the needs of the Russian Navy in large quantities were manufactured in the city of Zlatoust since 1852. They were used until 1905 (in recent years, naval broadswords were worn by sailors of the guards naval crews), after which they were replaced by cutlasses. Until 1917, broadswords were worn by midshipmen of the Naval Corps, the Naval School and cadets of special midshipman classes. Since 1958, naval broadswords have been used only as ceremonial weapons.
Naval broadsword, 1855
Sword
A sword (from the Spanish spada) is a piercing (less commonly piercing-cutting) type of bladed weapon that is atypical for Russia. The sword is equipped with a narrow and long blade, which can be flat or faceted, double-edged or sharpened on one side, with or without fullers. The hilt of the sword is symmetrical, with good protection for the hand in the form of a bowl, crosses and bows of various shapes. In Western European countries, the sword gained enormous popularity among nobles in the 16th century.
In Russia, swords appeared in the 17th century, first among spearmen and reiters, and by 1708 among all infantrymen. Later, by 1741, swords were replaced by sabers and half-sabers, and remained only with officers and guards musketeers. In the 17th–18th centuries, Russian swords had double-edged blades, and in the 19th century the blade received a sharpening on one side and a wide fuller. The sword hilts were made of copper (for officers - with gilding). Swords were worn on a belt, in a sword sheath.
Officer's infantry sword, 1798
In the 19th century, swords acquired the significance of a ceremonial, non-combatant weapon. By the middle of the 19th century, the sword became the prerogative of the high command and was gradually mastered by civilian officials. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the sword was completely removed from the military and civilian departments.
Sword of a military official, 1870
Dagger
The dagger (from the Arabic “khanjar”) has been known since ancient times. Dagger - bladed weapon piercing or piercing-cutting action with a double-edged blade. The blade of a dagger can be straight or curved. The length of the dagger blade can reach 40–50 cm, but more often it does not exceed 30–35 cm. The dagger is worn in a sheath. Daggers were not used in the Russian army for a long time, with the exception of military units that took part in the Caucasian campaign. It was in the Caucasus that daggers were extremely popular and widespread. In the Caucasus, daggers of various shapes and sizes were used. It is known about the existence of Caucasian daggers with blades up to 80 cm long.
Caucasian dagger of the 19th century
In the 19th century, mass production of daggers was established in the city of Zlatoust. The leadership of the Russian army appreciated the effectiveness of daggers in hand-to-hand combat, and in 1908, the Bebut dagger, equipped with a short curved blade, adapted for piercing, cutting and secant blows, was adopted into service with machine gun crews, artillerymen and reconnaissance officers. Bebut was also actively used during the First World War in trench battles.
Bebout, 1815
If we turn to the first part of the article, we can easily draw a parallel between the dagger and the Russian combat belt knife. Therefore, it is worth noting that there were dagger-like weapons in Russia.
In the next part we will talk about rare Russian blade products, follow the development of the bayonet, describe peaceful knives of the 17th–19th centuries and get closer to Russian knives of the First World War.
N Let's start, perhaps, with the famous cutlass. Who doesn't know this very distinctive appearance?
What led to its creation was the need to have a weapon that would allow one to fight in tight quarters during boarding, when longer sabers, broadswords or swords are not particularly useful, but one must have in one’s hand something longer than an ordinary knife. Dirks originally appeared in the English and French navies, which had a close relationship with piracy :) And it was also very convenient for them to pierce the armor of Spanish sailors, and who of them carried the most gold on their galleons?
By the way, I have repeatedly heard that a Soviet dirk, thrown vertically from chest level, pierced right through a Soviet nickel. But I didn’t dare check it myself. You never know...
It was the French one that was distinguished by the straight shape of the double-edged blade; it could be used to chop, cut, stab - whatever the client wanted. It was, of course, brought to Russia by Peter I. The dirk was modernized several times until it took on its final form in 1945.
Here in the picture is my dagger with two types of equipment - formal and everyday, which one is which, I think anyone can guess:
The scabbard depicts an anchor on one side, and a sailboat under full sail on the other. The scabbard is made of wood covered with leather. Metal parts are anodized. Once upon a time the handle was made of ivory. But then they began to make it from ivory-colored plastic, but over time it darkened; by the degree of darkening one can judge the age of the weapon. Mine is from 1971:
Here is the hook on the chain so that the cutlass can be attached vertical position and it did not interfere with walking through the ship’s narrows. I have now tried to hook it to the top ring on the scabbard, but this does not fundamentally solve the problem. But if you pick it up by this curl on the guard, then it’s just right. The blade is 21 centimeters long, nickel-plated, the weight of the dirk is 270 grams. By the way, they write everywhere that the length is 215 mm, but I measured it specifically now - 215 is obtained with the guard, but otherwise it is exactly 210.
When they were introduced for wearing in the Workers' and Peasants' Red Fleet in 1940, People's Commissar N.G. Kuznetsov established that it should be worn like this:
But then the rules changed several times, and here are just the graduates of my time:
Let's move on to the broadsword.
The 1940 model broadsword was ordered to be worn by cadets of naval schools outside the school premises in all cases. Since 1952, broadswords began to be relied upon only by those on duty in the company. In 1974, the wearing of broadswords was also abolished for them. From 1940 to the mid-1990s, broadswords were also carried by assistant flag bearers in parades.
I managed to vilify him several times as a company duty officer. Somehow I didn’t like it, especially the metal, which was quite nondescript. We had fun driving it into the barracks floorboards.
Broadswords, if necessary, were used by cadets in fights, although in sheaths, like a club. There were stories that they even took them out of their sheaths, but something is doubtful; chopping someone up is a 100% prison sentence.
It’s funny that such personal belongings were introduced specifically for sailors, and not army guys, although it would seem that who else but them should wear this symbol. This, as I understand it, is a sketch for the film “Khrustalev, the car!” I wonder what shishi a cadet could visit a restaurant for? Most likely it will pass by :)
Well, an army knife. We were not given bayonets for machine guns, so on duty or on patrol we armed ourselves with this knife:
It’s impossible to think of anything more primitive. The metal is of low quality, which can be seen even in the photo.
And this is the entrance to our barracks at the school. On the left is the orderly, with this knife on his belt, in a light, worn out robe next to him is me.
I have always been thin, and to this day I have never acquired a belly. But I tried on the equipment for the dagger now, and last time the senior lieutenant put it on over his jacket. And here is the result:
But it could be worse :)
March 4th, 2013
A dagger is a cold piercing weapon with a straight, short, two-edged (less often single-edged) narrow blade and a bone handle with a cross and a head. There are faceted daggers: triangular, tetrahedral and diamond-shaped.
The dagger appeared at the end of the 16th century as a boarding weapon. In the first half of the 16th century, the leading maritime powers - Spain and Portugal - armed their sailors with long, thin rapiers, perfectly suited for operations on the upper deck against the main opponents of European sailors - Ottoman pirates. The Turks, armed with relatively short curved sabers and even shorter scimitars, could not resist the Spaniards with long rapiers. Following the Spaniards, the famous privateers, the “sea wolves” of Elizabeth I, armed themselves with rapiers, usually captured ones. From the middle of the 16th century, the British began to push back the “hated papists” from the sea routes. The sea robbers of the time of Elizabeth fell in love with the rapier because this weapon, like no other, was suitable for fighting against the iron-clad Spaniards. A straight thin blade passed well through the joint of the armor, which was difficult to do with a curved saber. Sailors did not like metal armor - in case of falling overboard, they preferred to have less weight on themselves.
The British were the first to notice the shortcomings of this weapon. If a long-bladed weapon was excellent for the upper open deck, then near masts, shrouds, and especially in cramped ship spaces, the excessive length of the blade was a hindrance. In addition, during boarding, in order to climb aboard an enemy ship, two free hands were required, and then it was necessary to instantly draw a weapon to defend against enemy attacks. The large length of the blade did not allow it to be quickly removed from the sheath. In addition, the thin blade did not have the necessary strength. There were very few high-quality Toledo blades and they were incredibly expensive. If the blades were made thicker, then due to the increased heaviness it would be difficult to fencing with them. The British, in cramped quarters during boarding, tried to use daggers and knives, but they, on the contrary, were too short, and therefore almost useless against sabers and scimitars. The dagger is good as an auxiliary weapon to the rapier and sword, but fighting only with it against an armed enemy was suicidal.
At the end of the 16th century, a weapon called a hunting cleaver, deer knife, or dirk became widespread among European aristocrats. From the beginning of the 16th century, the boar sword was also used, but by the end of the century it was almost never used. In the 17th century, they began to distinguish between a hunting cleaver, which is longer, and a deer knife, or dirk, which is shorter; There were no exact parameters, and therefore the same weapon was often called both a cleaver and a dirk. The length of these weapons ranged from 50 to 80 cm. The blades were straight and curved, suitable for both piercing and chopping blows. The most remarkable thing about these weapons were the figured cast or chased, often silver, hilts. Only wealthy people allowed themselves to spend time hunting. They ordered entire scenes from carvers and jewelers on the handles of these weapons. Among them are figures of dogs gnawing a lion, a rearing horse, and nymphs dancing in an embrace. The scabbard was also richly decorated.
From the beginning of the 17th century, daggers became very popular. Swords, sabers, rapiers and rapiers remained only with the military. In everyday life, the nobles, instead of a long and heavy combat sword, preferred to wear and use a rather short, relatively light, comfortable and beautiful dagger. They protected themselves on the streets and while traveling from robbers, mostly armed with axes and knives. In addition, with a long sword it is more convenient to move on horseback, while with a cutlass you can sit comfortably in a carriage or pleasure boat. It was also more convenient to move on foot with short-bladed weapons.
dagger "St. Andrew the First-Called"
In Spain, and especially in France, dirks did not become widespread, because men often sorted things out in duels, where the rapier and sword were still preferable. In war, long-bladed weapons were more lethal in the field. For battles in narrow ship spaces, the dagger turned out to be the most suitable weapon.
The first sailors to arm themselves with daggers were the British and the Dutch. In the Netherlands, especially many such weapons were made. The daggers themselves got onto the ships thanks to the buccaneers. For cutting up the carcasses of killed animals and preparing smoked meat (bukan), hunting cleavers were the most suitable weapon. Dirks also became popular in other European countries.
In England, dirks were used not only by sailors and officers directly involved in naval battles. Until the second half of the 18th century, even the highest command personnel preferred this weapon. Heroes died from wounds in naval battles, but did not part with the dagger, which made this weapon popular among senior officers. Baroque swords, introduced in the 18th century for naval commanders, were not successful. Unlike the old rapiers, they were too short to hold back the enemy on the upper deck, and were somewhat long for interior use. In addition, unlike dirks, they had a thin blade that could not be used to cut. The Baroque sword is almost useless in combat conditions, and whenever possible it was replaced with a dirk. Junior officers, who did not have sufficient funds to purchase such weapons, converted ordinary broken cavalry sabers and broadswords into daggers. Only in Spain, in the second half of the 17th century, a shortened, heavy piercing-cutting sword was created for the navy, quite suitable for battles in ship conditions.
From the second half of the 18th century, boardings and fights on decks and in ship premises almost ceased. After artillery duel ships dispersed, sank or lowered their flag. But it was then that European countries began to produce special weapons for sailors - boarding sabers with curved blades and broadswords with straight blades, similar in damaging properties and methods of action to hunting weapon. Their handles, unlike dirks, were simple, usually wooden. Sometimes the guard was made in the form of a shell. Similar cutlasses were used in the 16th-19th centuries, and they were called duzeggi or scallops. Unlike carelessly made boarding weapons, they were forged very carefully. For officers in some countries, sabers were installed, in others - swords, for admirals - only swords. Edged weapons were made with nautical symbols. Most often, an anchor was depicted, somewhat less often - ships, sometimes - Neptune, Triton, Nereids.
With the introduction of statutory weapons, senior officers preferred to wear what they were supposed to wear. The junior officers, who had to run around the ship's premises especially a lot, did not want to part with their daggers. Relatively long swords and sabers somewhat hampered the movements of their owners in cabins, cockpits, corridors, and even when descending ladders - steep ship stairs. Therefore, officers ordered dirks, which were not mandatory weapons, and therefore had no regulations. Boarding battles are a thing of the past; dirks began to be made shorter, within 50 cm, and therefore more comfortable to wear. Moreover, the officer was recommended to have a bladed weapon along with his uniform.
Around 1800, the dirk was first officially recognized in Great Britain and began to be made for naval officers according to established patterns by the company Tatham and Egg. Its length was 41 cm, the handle was covered with shark skin, and since 1810 the pommel was made in the form of a lion's head, holding a lanyard ring in its mouth. At the ends of the crosspiece there were acorn-shaped thickenings, and the shield in the middle of the guard was decorated with an anchor crowned with a royal crown. The scabbard was covered with black leather. The tips and mouth of the sheath with rings for attaching to the belt were made, like the metal parts of the hilt, from gilded silver.
Over the years, daggers became even shorter and were used only as costume weapons - an attribute of the officers’ uniform. And for hand-to-hand combat, sabers were intended for officers and boarding broadswords and sabers for sailors. Due to the short size of dirks, a legend arose that they were invented and used as a left-handed weapon, paired with the long blades of daggers and rapiers in the 16th century.
In Yugoslavia, the length of the dagger blade was 290 mm, and the handle was black with a metal tip.
Dirk "Admiral"
In the German Navy until 1919, the tip of the handle had the shape of an imperial crown and the spiral shape of the handle, wrapped in wire, with a spherical tip. In the former German army, the air force adopted a dagger of the 1934 model with a flat cross, the ends of which are curved towards the blade; for non-commissioned officers and officers of the army - a dagger of the 1935 model with a cross in the form of an eagle with outstretched wings and The tip of the handle is in the form of a crown, decorated with oak leaves. The handle is plastic, from white to dark orange, wrapped in wire. It was replaced by the 1937 Air Force dagger, the handle was covered with light blue leather, had a spiral shape and was wrapped in silver wire. The tip of the handle was disc-shaped. In 1937 it appeared new model dirk: the crosspiece had the shape of an eagle with a swastika in its paws, the shape of the tip of the handle was spherical, the handle was plastic, entwined with wire, on the lower part of the scabbard there was an oak branch with leaves.
Customs officials had a similar dagger, but its handle and scabbard were covered with green leather. Almost identical daggers were worn by members of the diplomatic corps and government officials. In the last type of dagger, the direction of the eagle's head distinguished the type of service of its owner. So, if the eagle's head was turned to the left, then the dirk belonged to an official.
The dirk of the 1938 model differs from it only in the tip of the handle in the form of an eagle carrying a swastika in its paws. In Russia, the dagger became widespread at the end of the 16th century, and later became a traditional weapon for officers of the navy. For the first time, historians mention a dagger as a personal edged weapon for officers of the Russian fleet in the biography of Peter I. The Tsar himself loved to wear a naval dagger in a sling. In Budapest national museum a dagger that belonged to Peter the Great was kept. The length of its double-edged blade with a handle was about 63 cm, and the handle of the blade ended with a cross in the form of a horizontal Latin letter S. The wooden sheath, about 54 cm long, was covered with black leather. In the upper part they had bronze holders with rings for a sword belt, each 6 cm long and about 4 cm wide, and in the lower part there were the same holders about 12 cm long and 3.5 cm wide. The dagger blade on both sides and the surface of the bronze The scabbards were richly ornamented. On the lower metal tip of the scabbard there is a carved double-headed eagle topped with a crown, and on the blade there are decorations symbolizing the victory of Russia over Sweden. The inscriptions framing these images, as well as the words placed on the handle and blade of the dagger, are like a hymn of praise to Peter I: “Vivat to our monarch.”
As a personal weapon for naval officers, the dagger repeatedly changed its shape and size.
In the post-European period, the Russian fleet fell into decline and the dagger, as an integral part of the naval officer's uniform, ceased to be the prerogative of this type of troops. In addition to naval officers, in the 18th century it was also worn by some ranks of the ground forces. In 1730, the dagger replaced the sword among non-combatant army ranks. In 1777, non-commissioned officers of the Jaeger battalions (a type of light infantry and cavalry) were given a new type of dirk instead of a sword, which before hand-to-hand combat could be mounted on a shortened muzzle-loading rifled gun - a fitting. In 1803, the wearing of daggers as personal weapons for officers and midshipmen of the Russian Navy was regulated. Cases were identified when a dagger could replace a sword or a naval officer's saber. Later, a special dirk was introduced for couriers of the Naval Ministry. The presence of a dirk among persons not included in military formations was not uncommon at all. In the 19th century, civilian-type daggers were part of the uniform of some ranks of the telegraph repair guard: department manager, assistant manager, mechanic and auditor.
Fireman's Dirk
In the 19th century, the dirk also appeared in the Russian merchant fleet. At first, former naval officers had the right to wear it. In 1851 and 1858, when the uniform of employees on the ships of the Russian-American Company and the Caucasus and Mercury Society was approved, the right to wear a dagger by the command staff of naval officer ships was finally secured.
In 1903, not officers—naval engine conductors—received the right to wear daggers, but in 1909, the rest of the naval conductors did as well. In 1904, a naval officer's dagger, but not with a white bone, but with a black wooden handle, was assigned to the class ranks of state shipping, fishing and animal control. The civilian naval dagger was worn on a black lacquered belt belt. At the beginning of the 19th century, the blade of a Russian naval cutlass had a square cross-section and an ivory handle with a metal cross. The end of the thirty-centimeter blade was double-edged. The total length of the dagger was 39 cm.
On a wooden scabbard covered with black leather, in the upper part there were two gilded bronze holders with rings for attaching to a sword belt, and in the lower part there was a tip for the strength of the scabbard. The sword belt made of black multi-layered silk was decorated with bronze gilded lion heads. Instead of a badge, there was a clasp in the form of a snake, curved like the Latin letter S. Symbols in the form of lion heads were borrowed from the coat of arms of the Russian tsars of the Romanov dynasty.
The Russian naval dagger was so beautiful and elegant in its shape that the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, walking around the formation of the crew of the newest Russian cruiser "Varyag" in 1902, was delighted with it and ordered the introduction of a slightly modified Russian dagger for the officers of his "High Sea Fleet" sample. In addition to the Germans, back in the 80s of the 19th century, the Russian dagger was borrowed by the Japanese, who made it look like a small samurai sword.
Chinese dirk
In the middle of the 19th century, double-edged blades with a diamond-shaped cross-section became widespread, and from the end of the 19th century, tetrahedral needle-type blades became widespread. The sizes of blades, especially in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries, varied greatly. The decorations of the blades could be different, often they were images related to marine themes.
Over time, the length of the blade of the dirk decreased slightly. The Russian naval dagger of the 1913 model had a blade 240 mm long and a metal handle. Somewhat later, the handle was changed, and the metal on it remained only in the form of the lower ring and tip.
On January 3, 1914, by order of the military department, dirks were assigned to officers of aviation, mine companies and automobile units. These were naval daggers, but not with a tetrahedral blade, but a double-edged one. The wearing of daggers in the Russian Navy in any form of clothing, except for the ceremonial uniform, the obligatory accessories of which were a naval saber and broadsword, was considered mandatory in some periods, sometimes it was required only when performing official duties. For example, for more than a hundred years in a row, until 1917, when a naval officer left the ship ashore he was required to be with a dagger. Service in coastal naval institutions - headquarters, educational institutions - also required naval officers serving there to always wear a dagger. On a ship, wearing a dagger was mandatory only for the watch commander.
Since 1911, such a dagger was allowed to be worn with an everyday uniform (frock coat) by the ranks of port institutions; when visiting ports - to officials of the commercial ports department and merchant shipping inspectors of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. During normal official activities, officials of the Main Directorate of Merchant Shipping and Ports were allowed to be unarmed.
Personal dagger of a Navy officer
In the 19th century, the dagger was even part of the uniform of Russian postmen. During the First World War, daggers were worn by members of the Union of Cities (Sogor) and the United Committee of Unions of Zemstvos and Cities (Zemgor), all-Russian organizations of liberal landowners and the bourgeoisie created in 1914-1915. on the initiative of the Cadet Party with the aim of helping the government in the First World War in the areas of medical care, assistance to refugees, supplying the army, and the work of small and handicraft industries.
Army aviation dirks differed from naval ones with black handles. In August 1916, dirks were introduced instead of checkers for all chief officers, except cavalry and artillery officers, and in November of the same year, for military doctors. Since March 1917, all officers and military officials began to wear daggers.
In November 1917, the dirk was canceled and returned for the first time to the command staff of the RKKF until 1924, but two years later it was abolished again, and only 14 years later, in 1940, it was finally approved as a personal weapon command staff Navy. Since the beginning of the 20th century, officers of some army units also wore daggers. Later, daggers again became part of exclusively naval officer uniforms.
After Germany's defeat in World War I, the German state was prohibited from having a significant navy and army. The entire existing fleet was interned at the English naval base of Scapa Flow, where it was scuttled by German sailors in 1919. Not long ago, united Germany experienced such shame and humiliation very painfully. Thousands of naval officers found themselves out of work. But for the non-commissioned officers and officers of the “temporary” fleet who remained in the service, a new dagger without imperial symbols was required. The economy was in ruins, the country was experiencing rampant inflation, and most likely there was simply no money to create a new model. They continued to wear the old dirk for some time, and then a simple solution was found. They took a Brazilian naval dagger from the reign of Emperor Pedro II (1831-1889). The head of the handle is from the first German naval dagger mod. 1848 was screwed onto a Brazilian model. The result is a stylish and elegant “new” dagger mod. 1919, which preserved both “continuity” and the memory of the great sinking of the fleet - the mourning black color of the handle.
In 1921, the scabbard from the naval officer's dagger of 1901 was returned to this dagger. And in 1929, the color of the handle was changed to white - as a sign of hope for the creation of a new navy and the revival of the former naval power of Germany. However, Brazilian gunsmiths, when creating a naval dirk for Emperor Pedro II, almost completely copied it from a Dutch model, very popular in the 1820s. Then in Holland, and in other European fleets, fashion changed, and this model remained in the 19th century. only in Brazil. With the end of World War II, in the defeated states they tried to destroy all manifestations and signs of fascism. First of all, this concerned Nazi symbols, including the dagger, as the personification of belligerence and the prestige of the militaristic aspirations of the nation. Japan and Germany completely abandoned the use of dirks in their armed forces and navies. Italy left the dagger only for cadets of its numerous military schools. Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Poland and Czechoslovakia, having fallen into the zone of socialist pressure, adopted daggers created under the strong influence of the Soviet naval officer's dagger mod. 1945
Only East Germany, which also joined the socialist bloc of the Warsaw Pact, created a dagger of a completely unusual modern design for its armed forces, but in German weapons traditions.
With the end of World War II, the “golden era” for Solingen gunsmiths ended. Germany was demilitarized, and weapons factories lost their main government contracts from military and paramilitary organizations. Many industries went bankrupt, but large firms found a way out by focusing on the foreign market.
In Latin American countries, rapid restructuring of statehood took place. Ambitious juntas regularly coming to power ordered new uniforms for the reformed armed forces as an indispensable sign of the new power and an attribute of their prestige. The presence of very expensive tooling, stamps and injection molds used in the production of edged weapons was taken into account when developing experimental Latin American samples.
Thus, the Venezuelan naval cadet dagger appeared, very similar to the German naval model of 1921, the dirks of students of the military and police academies of Venezuela and Colombia, practically indistinguishable from the German naval model. 1929 And on the basis of the German air force dagger mod. In 1937, a whole family of almost identical dirks was created for officers of the air forces of Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Naturally, the Nazi symbols disappeared from them and the symbols of these states appeared. Great help in keeping Solingen arms firms afloat was provided by orders from countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, which were actively liberated in the 1950-1960s. from colonial dependence.
New uniforms were introduced for the newly created armed forces of these countries. And along with it, a dagger pattern was often developed as an integral symbol of independence. The ubiquitous German gunsmiths here either used ready-made equipment for weapon parts, or the entire design of the dagger was developed in recognizable outlines.
Thus, the vast majority of dirks used in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East after World War II, was of German production, which, of course, had a very strong influence on the style of dagger design in these countries. Only in some countries, such as Argentina, Mexico, China and Uruguay, the appearance of naval dirks was influenced by the style of the English naval cadet dagger mod. 1901
After the war of 1941-1945. was accepted new form dirk - with a flat chrome-plated steel blade of diamond-shaped cross-section, 215 mm long (the length of the entire dirk is 320 mm). On the right side of its handle there was a latch that protected the blade from falling out of its sheath. The tetrahedral handle is made of ivory-like plastic. The lower frame, head and cross of the handle are made of non-ferrous gilded metal. A five-pointed star was placed on the head of the handle, and an image of the coat of arms was applied to the side. The wooden scabbard was covered with black leather and varnished. The scabbard device (two clips and a tip) are made of non-ferrous gold-plated metal. On the upper frame, an anchor is depicted on the right side, and a sailing ship is depicted on the left. The upper and lower holders had belt rings. The sword belt and belt were made of gilded threads. An oval clasp made of non-ferrous metal with an anchor was attached to the belt. Buckles for adjusting the length of the sword belt were also made of non-ferrous metal and decorated with anchors. A belt with a sword belt was worn over the dress uniform so that the dagger was on the left side. Persons on duty and watch service (officers and midshipmen) wore a dagger over a blue jacket or overcoat.
Now naval daggers are allowed to be worn only in full dress uniform and on duty. And therefore, the wonderful expression of the officers of the Imperial Navy disappeared: “I felt out of place all day,” which in the land language meant: “I was not at ease.”
The traditions have been preserved to this day. Currently in Russia there are naval daggers and daggers of other military branches, which differ only in their emblems. Now the dirk is worn in a sheath on a sword belt by admirals, generals and officers naval forces, as well as midshipmen of long-term service in full dress and during duty and watch duty.
A dirk, like a personal weapon, and lieutenant shoulder straps are solemnly presented to graduates of higher naval schools along with a diploma of completion of higher education. educational institution and the assignment of the first officer rank.
The Zlatoust masters of creating damask steel also did not ignore the dagger. They created the famous naval dirk "Volna", released for the 300th anniversary of the Russian fleet. In its manufacture, 999.9 gold and silver were used, and 52 dark blue topazes, 68 small rubies, garnets and alexandrites were used to decorate the scabbard and handle. The blade of the dirk itself is painted with gold patterns. The “Admiralsky” and “Generalsky” daggers were made to match it in terms of the level of finishing craftsmanship, but without precious stones. Artists D. Khomutsky, I. Shcherbina, M. Finaev and master A. Balakin can rightfully be proud of these real works of art.
The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -
