In 1947, Mikhail Kalashnikov presented the AK-47 assault rifle he had designed to the Red Army and immediately convinced the decision-making bodies of its development. Only two years later, the now famous AK-47 was officially put into service as the "7.62 mm Awtomat Kalasshnikova obraztsa 1947". Even then, the simple and reliable design with a gas-pressure magazine with a swivel-head breech, the consistent use of stamped plates that could be produced quickly and cheaply, and the adherence to a class of cartridges introduced by the Wehrmacht with the StG 44 with an average performance between machine gun and rifle ammunition set the trend to this day. These characteristics have made the Kalashnikov system the most built and replicated weapon in history, with an estimated 100 million manufactured worldwide.
Introduced in 1959 along with the AKM, the revised variant of the AK-47, the bayonet was no less revolutionary and formative for later designs than the famous assault rifle itself. The concept was based on a knife originally developed by R. Todorov for combat swimmers. It marked a move away from long bayonets, which were used purely as cutting weapons, to a short, mountable knife with insulated shears and a multifunctional rear saw.
Mikhail Kalashnikov personally visited the Boker manufacture in Solingen in 2002 and officially introduced the Boker Kalashnikov knife line to the public. More than 70 years after the AK-47 entered service, we now present a truly exceptional special edition model of the knife line and once again honor its brilliant engineering achievement. The Boker Kalashnikov Bayonet Damascus features a unique Damascus steel blade, made from 6Ch3 and 6Ch4 bayonet steel according to the GRAU index of the former Soviet Army and decorated with General Kalashnikov's signature. The stainless Damascus, handcrafted by Chad Nichols, has 80 layers and is hand forged in the Virus pattern. It features an unusually intricate pattern that is the result of a very controlled forging process.
The handle is CNC machined from a block of 6061-T6 aluminum and then black anodized. The stabilized inlays are made of domestic hornbeam wood, reminiscent of the wood in the stock of the famous assault rifle, and together they form the shape of the characteristic vents on the fore-end. The Russian amber shellac color of the original stocks has been accurately reproduced. They are also CNC milled from solid and inserted by hand. All screws and clip are also black anodized. Made in the Boker knife factory in Solingen, it is delivered with transparent floating display, certificate of authenticity and individual serial number.
Intended Use: Collection
Type of production: Semi - Industrial
Country of Production: Germany - Solingen
Blade: 80 ply stainless damask steel, handcrafted by Chad Nichols, from former Soviet Army 6Ch3 and 6Ch4 bayonets
Handle: aluminum 6061-T6 and hornbeam wood
Blade length: 96mm.
Blade thickness: 3.8mm.
Total length: 228mm.
Weight: 158g.
Clip: removable, PVD stainless steel.
Closure: Liner Lock
Package: PVC expositive case that let the knife "float" inside, making it visible from every side
Notes: Certificate of Guarantee - Grey cotton case - Numbered piece on the blade
