AK 47 Combat Knife

G

Greg Walker

Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
590
Anyone other than me using an AK47 or AK74 bayonet as a CQB knife?

Although initially difficult to sharpen due to how these come from their different sources of manufacture, once edged they become a dandy close quarters fighter.

Sheath or scabbard wise one can go with the issue scabbard, or have a Kydex concealled carry or belt carry sheath made.

Carried an AK blade during Iraqi Freedom and then again last August while in-country. Tough, you can pry, dig, cut wire, and all manner of other extreme utility use options, AND rely upon as close protection knife.

GW
 
No. Standard finish. Very clean grip (AK 74 model). No serration topside like on so many others.

Having sharpened by Andy Prisco at ATC since we're neighbors now:)

Mine has well defined point. A fair number of AK bayonets seem to have rounded or blunt points. Manufacturing laziness is my guess.

Not sexy but certainly lethal in trained hands and once sharpened properly they stay sharp and will hone up nicely when necessary. This is my 4th one in 20+ years:D

GW
 
This is my 4th one in 20+ years
Click to expand...
Greg, are all four were made by the same company? If not, then which one has better quality, I mean the one from East Germany, Chech or Russia ?
 
I gotta write Spark about posting pictures...can't get 'em to post. Will check it out:)

Romanian AK bayonets are very good as are the Czech. Hungarian are perhaps the best. Only way to know, it seems, is when you find either a credible source or a rifle with bayonet with it (rifles are marked).

The AK47 bayonet has hooked grip (pommel). The AK74 is not hooked and appears much more sleek. It also has a different hanger system for carry ref: the scabbard. I like the 74 model over the 47 just because it is a bit more compact carry-wise...at least that's my take on it.

While in Iraq we once found a cache of about 2000 of these in crates. Quite the grab fest:D There are different color scabbards (black, brown, and so on) and variations in grip color with most being a baked brown or a dark brown or black (black was rare).

The key, in my book, is to find one with pronounced point (not rounded) and have the primary edge professionally sharpened (cost all but a few bucks and a few minutes on the grinder). A custom sheath will perk up the overall package although the issue scabbard is fine. The AK bayonet is a great close in fighter once properly tuned up, costs little to nothing (in Baghdad today you can buy them in the shops for roughly $20.00 US), and they are rugged beyond belief.

Perhaps not as nifty as a $300 fightin' bowie or $400 tactical folder but man, they sure cost less and they still cut right well whether as a utility companion or CQB "silent partner".

GW
 
I have one like this -


rubay102.JPG



except that the handle is black and the leather straps are gray. There are no markings, but told me it was East German.


It dose seem like it would make a good survival knife if you put an edge on it, although I don’t much care for the chisel grind.


BTW, here’s an excellent site on the AK bayonets -


http://tantal.kalashnikov.guns.ru/bayoindex.html





- Frank
 
Frank, I have one like yours and it is definitely a Hungarian one.

IMHO these wouldn't make good survival knives.

The blade is just too thick for slicing and too short for chopping, the saw is poor too. As a wire cutting tool they are adequate, but very uncomfortable.

The scabbard of the type you posted, used to have a rubber cover on the proximal part of the scabbard to provide insulation if used to cut wires of electric fences. These rubber rings are too narrow to provide safety IMHO.

The AK-47 bayonets are good for light digging and prying, and are definitely appropriate as CQB weapons, but would make poor survival tools.
 
Good recommendation on the website.

As noted, the AK bayonet was never designed to be a survival knife in terms of how we in the US consider such knives. It is first and foremost a bayonet for the AK series of assault rifles and as such it works pretty darned good given bayonet use these days. I sometimes carried my AK in Baghdad (2nd tour) with the bayonet attached. Great for psychological impact in certain areas we traveled to, and great for probing in and around things that are suspect for whatever reason.

The wire cutting thing is old, old stuff and the introduction of pocket tools like the Leatherman and SOG lines (Okay, Gerber, too) have done away with the design feature that tries to make a bayonet a wire cutter.

The serration on some AK models is a light serration and meant for ripping through very light flexible materials if necessary. Again, it is a thought and not overdone as we see with other such blades. I was pleased to find mine without the serration, which is - I agree - fairly "whatever".

The scabbards are great. Tough, durable, tight, and reliable under any conditions or mounting.

The chisel grind is okay as long as you bring the edge up either professionally to start, or with some careful and hard work on your own (have done both ways).

This is a very fast knife in trained hands. I appreciate the compact size and toughness of the overall design. Manufacture wise it is stout, sound, and solid regardless of manufacture. The VALMET AKs are exceptional when it comes the bayonets that come with their rifles. First class.

I saw an AK bladed folding knife a few weeks ago but forget who makes/offers it. Fairly new product. Interesting.

More insight and experience from other AK advocates, please!

GW
 
I believe it is Boker who is marketing the AK47 folder. There are a couple of combinations available, I believe.

Bill
 
Littleknife, the blade on mine isn’t all that thick, the blade stock is only a little over 1/8” (0.135”) and the edge is 0.040” thick behind the bevel.


I agree that it isn’t the greatest survival knife (although it is a very good bayonet), but sharpened up I would pick it over many other “survival” knives including the traditional Camillus or Ontario Pilot’s Survival knife.


The saw back on this bayonet actually works, sort of reminds me of the SAK saws. It is not intended for heavy use, but it is great for the small stuff. The wire cutter is kind of passé but it dose work. The sheath is very secure, quiet, and near bomb proof. I really like the balance and feel of the handle.







- Frank
 
Originally posted by frank k
I really like the balance and feel of the handle.
Click to expand...

Yes, it has a much better designed handle than the Camillus/KaBar.
By the way, it feels better in my hands than many of the AK-47 bayonets with squared off handle butts.
 
Interesting. But "hands on" tells us so much more:)

No use for the knife/pen gun action. Clever but a knife is a knife and a gun is a gun. Combos like this require excellent design and very specific and intense training to learn how to safely and efficiently operate.

The new AK74 / SVD bayonet shown on the earlier website noted on this thread looks VERY interesting and I sent off an email regarding availability and price. Check that one out:D

GW
 
Interesting but pretty much Jungle King thought process and I have really beat up, well used Jungle King from Pesh Merga in Kurdistan (they LOVE Jungle King there).

Waitin' for the other AK folks to respond on the new 74/SVD bayonet.

That looks sweet:D

GW
 
I sad about your problem on first russian forum (how to buy this bayonet) - this is answer I got. He can not register here, he asked me to copy/paste, which I do without changes:
---------------------------------------
(26.01.2004, 10:39:25)

Alexey B. Moscow:

Greg! Traditional AK47 or AK74 bayonet is not a knife anyway, but a piece of ****, manifactured by the old soviet massive war mashine. I`ve broked 2 bayonets, testing them in Grozny on resisting to my 104 kg. body. Difficult to sharp, but easy to brake the blade surface when You are opening 5-7 meat canes, ammo boxes. A new CQB knife (black crayton) is a very different item - very famous in russian army now, especially at marines.

About... how to find it for your collection... You`re in Bagdad now, I suppose. You know Karrada avenue, where located russian ambassy - at the little street. At the other side of the street You can find a block with a 7-8 little shops. Find one of them, where russians buy vodka and arak. Talk to the owner of the shop. I can`t remember his name... Mahammad, may be? I think, he knew the irakees soldgies, garding the ambassy before the war, so they have it.
Second way. Go to the cupper market, and talk to the owners of little silver shops (in front of the old islamic university, if You cross the Togris river from the center). They are greeks, old contrabandists, they can find anything with no poblems. They are practicing with the old knifes from Mossul, made from the parts of the old sables from kurdes kurgans of 9-14 centures. One of them speaks russian good. Tell him "Hi" from russian journalists. He was payd good last time, so he will remember. Ask him what You wanna, but he needs a week to find the item. Good luck!
-------------------------------------
This is original thread I started on First Russian Forum: http://gb.lpt.ru/gb.php?bid=4838&mid=1145395)
You may answer directly there.

Thanks, Vassili.

P.S. He was not able to register here because BF does not accept ...@mail.ru as e-mail address.
P.P.S. He is war journalist.
 
I just finished putting a shaving sharp edge on my AK bayo and it dose make a fairly decent slicer now that it has an edge. I don’t much like the chisel grind/edge though.


Dose anyone know what steel they used to make these bayonets?





- Frank
 
Alexy -

Thanks! Lived in the area at the al Hyatt then the Sinbad. Favorite place to eat is the Ramaya on River Road.

Know where you are talking about -

Yes, it takes a good "fixer" a week at least to find the right thing for the right price.

The first AK site emailed back - the SVD new GEN bayonet is out of stock but they recommended EBAY as they say you can find them there.

Picking up my 74 bayonet as sharpened up by Andy Prisco -

Hopefully this week.

GW
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top