Combat Engineer's Knife with original rubber sheath and frog, by the Trud Factory, early 1940s.
Sharpened 165-mm-long blade is maker marked З-д ТРУД ВАЧА ("Trud Factory, Vacha"). The blade is 4.5 mm thick near the hilt which is standard for the Trud Factory combat knives of the period. The grip is in hardwood, polished very smooth and stained brown, wrapped in an optional rubber sleeve which was designed to provide better grip. The scabbard and integral frog are in black rubber.
(PLEASE NOTE: the sleeve is currently mounted on the handle. Although the rubber still appears to be pliable, we cannot guarantee if it can be removed safely without getting ripped. Please note that if you purchase the knife and attempt to remove the sleeve, you will accept full responsibility for the risk of damaging the sleeve; in case it is damaged, we will not accept the return.)
The knife is in very good to excellent condition, very lightly used. The blade is free of notches or significant wear, and shows only a very minimal surface pitting - no significant rust or other serious damage. (Note that the blade was covered in protective Cosmoline while in storage and the residue will appear on it again after it's sheathed - very easy to clean off with soft cloth). The rubber scabbard shows only storage age, completely sound and pliable, free of cracks, with fairly uniform color. The steel button attachment of the frog belt loop is intact. The grip is sound and appears to be perfect, although we haven't removed the rubber sleeve to examine the wood.
This weapon first appeared around 1940, probably as a result of experience of the Finnish War, and was manufactured exclusively by the small Trud workshop in the Village of Vacha. Officially designated a combat engineer's ("sapper's") knife, in reality it became a part of standard kit of Soviet NKVD Spetsnaz.
Among collectors in Russia, it is generally known as "Saboteur's Knife". Later during the war, it was apparently phased out in favor of the NR-40 "Scout's Knife", and original examples are very hard to find - especially in premium condition such as this example.
Item# 42147
$950.00 Add to cart
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