New Soviet Shashka

[Yuri D.]

This was one of those impulse buys that I could not hold myself back from making. I was just blown away with this piece:

[Yuri D.]

Another angle:

[Yuri D.]

The hilt artwork:

[Yuri D.]

More hilt artwork (it says "C.C.C.P" on the hilt):

[Yuri D.]

The shashka together with the bayonet:

[Yuri D.]

Some marks on the blade:

[Yuri D.]

Some more marks on the blade:

[kiwicollector]

Congradulations on such a nice sword!

I made the mistake of passing one of those over, several years ago and still regret it. Good to see others not making the same mistake

[HuliganRS]

The marks tell a story too!

It was manufactured in the famous ZIK factory in 1940.

[Yuri D.]

What was the "ZIK" factory?

Yuri

[HuliganRS]

What was the "ZIK" factory?

Yuri

http://www.zik.ru/

Rusty.

[Rick Research]

Is it correct that these "with bayonet" were only worn by Cossack cavalry units? I seem to remember eons ago hearing that the lugs for the Moisin-Nagant rifle bayonets were almost all ground off as the swords were used, and re-used, and passed on and on in active use.

I've never encountered one of this type still intact, let alone with the bayonet!

[Yuri D.]

Thanks Rick! Again, I was really blown away by this shashka, and had to have it. It really has that "Stalinistic" feel to it. Really well put together, and the blade was made to be used in battle. This is no parade sword.

[NavyFCO]

Using swords in combat...

Junior Sergeant Mikhail Petrovich Smadik was a ‘classic’ Soviet soldier. He was nineteen years old, and had been in the Soviet army for just one year. Being a Cossack, a traditional horseman-warrior, he was a natural choice for selection into the 22<SUP>nd</SUP> Guards Cavalry Regiment, 5<SUP>th</SUP> Guards Cavalry Division. The end of the War was near, and to date, he had killed over fifty-six German soldiers and officers single-handedly.
On May 1<SUP>st</SUP> 1945, he earned this Order of Glory Third Class for the following:

"…while attacking the front line of the enemy’s defense, in the ranks of a mounted platoon, Comrade Smadik demonstrated courage and bravery. During an attack in the area of the village Tsulen, he chased after the retreating enemy and with his sword killed four soldiers, and took two German officers prisoner…"

[bnz. 42]

Wow Scary weapon.

Nice addition! Congrats, Yur!