NR-40
The NR-40 (from Russian: нож разведчика, НР-40 nozh razvedchika meaning "scout's knife" or Finka) was a Soviet combat knife introduced in 1940 and used throughout World War II.
History
The Winter War revealed a number of deficiencies in Soviet weaponry; among other issues, the Soviet infantry lacked a good combat knife.
As a result, in 1940, the Soviet Army adopted the NR-40.
"Black knife" division
NR-40 was mostly produced at the ZiK (ЗиК) factory in Zlatoust, Urals.
Once the Ural Volunteer Tank Corps was formed in 1943, all its soldiers and officers were supplied with a special issue of NR-40 (also known as "black knife").
The formation was later named by Germans as «Schwarzmesser Panzer-Division». The unofficial divisional anthem mentioned the nickname as well ("Дивизия черных ножей", Black Knife Division).
Design
The NR-40 has a 152 mm (6.0 in) blade with a clip point, a large ricasso, a black wooden handle, and an S-shaped guard.
The guard is "inverted" (unlike most S-shaped guards, it curves towards the edge) because standard Soviet Army grips called for holding the knife with the edge upwards.
Modern variants
NR-40 is no longer used by the army, but modern remakes and almost exact replicas of NR-40 are produced in Zlatoust to this day. A knife of exactly the same proportions would be legally a weapon, thus prohibiting free sale. To circumvent that, producers either use a thinner blade or remove the guard.
