Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. These are most uncommon today but were essential equipment for the hardhat "heavy" divers of the WWII era into Vietnam. They would be lowered down in the heavy suit, and all of the needed equipment needed to be both accessible but also strongly secured to the suit to avoid being lost. They also needed to work well with the heavy gloves that the divers had to wear due to the cold temperatures at depth.
This example was acquired from a collector, and shows signs of faithful use. This type was first fielded in the 1960s, and given the Soviet propensity for getting as much use out of a design as possible, they were probably in service for decades. Like with most dive knives, the handle and scabbard are made of brass and are relatively heavy. The brass was much more resistant to the corrosion from sea water, and the heavy construction would keep the knife and scabbard weighed down. We have seen several different designs of these knives, which mainly differ in blade material.
This is the most common type, with a carbon steel blade, but there was a bronze bladed version used when mines were involved, to avoid setting off magnetic detonators. The knife features a large ribbed rubber handle, and clip point blade. The included scabbard is heavy brass, and features a locking lip on one side, with what looks to be a bronze spring on the other side to hold it in place. The leather securing strap is still present, complete with the non-magnetic end clip used to attach it to the dive suit.
Condition is good, with a lovely aged patina on the brass, and the blade showing use and cleaning, but not to an extreme amount. The leather strap on the scabbard is still in very good shape, with a functional buckle and spring clip.
A lovely example of a hard to find Cold War era Heavy Divers knife, ready to display!
Specifications:
Blade Length: 7 5/8"
Blade Style: Single Edge Clip Point
Overall length: 12 1/8"
Scabbard Length: 8 1/2" + Leather Strap / Clip
- This product is available for international shipping.
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