Handfull of East German Daggers - KM66

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SchwarzStock
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2022 11:20 am

Handfull of East German Daggers - KM66

Post by SchwarzStock »

I got these years ago and all are new in box. They are often mistaken called V500 daggers because of the V500 on the handles. That marking signifies they are supposed to be insulated for 500 volts. The actual designation is KM66
KM66-800x600.JPG
KM66-800x600.JPG (82.61 KiB) Viewed 2924 times
KM66 Boxes-800x600.jpg
KM66 Boxes-800x600.jpg (74.52 KiB) Viewed 2924 times
Last edited by SchwarzStock on Sun Nov 06, 2022 2:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
SchwarzStock
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2022 11:20 am

Re: Handfull of Daggers - KM66

Post by SchwarzStock »

The following is a translation from a German language paper on the KM66 Combat knife.

The combat knife (dagger) M 1966 / KM66

First manufacturer designation: combat knife TGL 108 - 64 019

The first pure combat knife from the VEB vehicle and hunting weapons factory Ernst Thälmann in Suhl was issued in 1966 for reconnaissance and paratroopers. It was used in units of the NVA, the VP and the MfS.

The combat knife was given the designation M 1966 (1966 - year of introduction) and had a lens-shaped, dagger-shaped blade with an additional fuller. To protect against reflections, the entire blade is matt phosphated. The handle, made of dark red to dark brown plastic, should have a dielectric strength of 500 V, which is also indicated by an inserted black label.

A hand strap attached to the end of the handle secured the knife against loss during use. There are knives with "blunt" and sharpened blades. Both blades can be considered contemporary. The M 1966 could be used both on the paddock and on the specially
designed pants of the newer battle dress for jumping units are worn. The longitudinal eyelets of the metal scabbard were used to attach it to the pants of the newer combat suit.

Many reconnaissance officers and paratroopers of the NVA were never handed the knife themselves during their military service, some only knew it from "hearsay". The knives were stored in the armories for use.

Knife fighting was practiced with training knives and with other knives or sidearms.

Some collectors own combat knives with black handles. However, there were no mass-produced knives with black handles in GDR times. Some older paratroopers in their day had painted the red grips with black "blackboard paint". These are the only knives with a (subsequently manufactured) black handle, made in the GDR.

There are three proven models of the KM1966. The distinguishing features can be listed as follows:

on the 1st model: - at the transition from the blade to the grip there is an additional eyelet on the parrying element, to which the fist strap (additional) could be attached.

on the 2nd model: - this eyelet was cut off again (probably for safety reasons). The recess remained visible.

on the 3rd model: - the grip (parrying piece) was completely “cast out” again.

You would assume that one can assign the models like this:

1 - 999 = 1st model
1000 - 9999 = 2nd model
10000 - XXX = 3rd model ...

That's a huge mistake!

For example, there is the 2nd model with a three-digit serial number (e.g. 805) and the 3rd model with a four-digit serial number (e.g. 9689).

On the collectors' market there are still models without any numbering, these are referred to as "pilot series". There should be 2 variants. According to the first edition of the book "Vom Himmel auf die Erde ins Gefecht", about the NVA paratroopers (page 207), there was a combat knife without any numbering. This one had a plastic handle (not Bakelite). This handle should not be as brittle as with the models mentioned above. The book also emphasizes that there were no combat knives with a standard black handle.

The other variant of the "pilot series" was made from leftover stock (individual parts) from the production plant after 1990. Here the handle material made of a kind of black to dark gray hard rubber has been "cast" / vulcanized onto the blade and partly painted over / sprayed red.
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Jackalope
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Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2004 3:13 am

Re: Handfull of East German Daggers - KM66

Post by Jackalope »

Are these for sale?
SchwarzStock
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2022 11:20 am

Re: Handfull of East German Daggers - KM66

Post by SchwarzStock »

One, two, or three might be. Depends on the offer. Of course it must be either the three lowest numbers or the three highest.

I will make a post in the sell/buy forum.
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