Spetsnaz saperka

[topknot]

My brother brought a Russian army / Spetsnaz saperka . Light weight, 50cm long, well made and cheap as chips . It looks like what the kids play with at the seaside at first, but after using at the Moot i was impressed with it . This little spade will be going in my kit.

Topknot

 

[spamel]

I believe it was used as a weapon in its own right. Seems the Spetznaz were rpetty handy with it too!

 

[saddle_tramp]

so is that different to what the normal russian soldiers are issued?

*reaches for my sas plate for another cookie*

 

[sapling]

Ive recently acquired one too. They are really good. I have seen videos of them being used to chop wood and sharpened to make very effective weapons. So much so that as far as im aware due to ammo and equipment shortages during the second world war in the battle of Stallingrad (excuse the spelling) the shovel caused more fatalities to axis forces than any other weapon including guns etc. Also good for digging although i wouldnt like to dig anything bigger than a latrine.

 

[korvin karbon]

so is that different to what the normal russian soldiers are issued?

*reaches for my sas plate for another cookie*

if i remember correctly, the spetsnaz actually had their own form of martial art using the spade. I am sure i have seen pictures of chinese weapons that look like spades but are not.

Either way, give me a nice and chunky 7.62x51mm round over a spade anyday.

 

[crazydave]

lopatka uses the spade a lot and is a cross between akaido, krav maga and body popping from what I've managed to study on it - apparently the officers in order to prove their ability to fight and more importantly kill used to be stuck in a pit with a half starved attack dog and only a spade if thats of interest.

most combat arms around the world have techniques for ET fighting.

 

[korvin karbon]

waste of a good dog.

 

[lavrentyuk]

"nice and chunky 7.62x51mm round"

Not much use without the gun to go with it mind.

In which case I'll take the shovel.

Richard

 

[helixpteron]

so is that different to what the normal russian soldiers are issued?

1: If I tell you, I'll have to kill you! (said in deep russian accent).

2: It's on a need to know basis!

3: Submit request for information in triplicate to the Spade Advisory Delegation.

4:Er'...... that's it!

 

[helixpteron]

lopatka uses the spade a lot and is a cross between akaido, krav maga and body popping from what I've managed to study on it - apparently the officers in order to prove their ability to fight and more importantly kill used to be stuck in a pit with a half starved attack dog and only a spade if thats of interest.

The dog was extremely interested, but only for a brutally short time...........

 

[Minotaur]

My brother brought a Russian army / Spetsnaz saperka . Light weight, 50cm long, well made and cheap as chips . It looks like what the kids play with at the seaside at first, but after using at the Moot i was impressed with it . This little spade will be going in my kit.

Topknot

Is that a Cold Steel one?

Once had a conversation with a Mountain Rescue person, who had sharpened the edge of his entrenching tool, for use as a light machete. By light, he used it to cut fern for bedding, and that sort of thing.

What possible use could you have for one? Digging stick, 30 seconds. Posh digging stick, a little longer. Trying to work out, what holes you dig, that need something like that?

On the other hand, looks left, and right - No Mods about, the other uses, well an axe might get you grief, but your latrine shovel..........:swordfigh

 

[tombear]

It's something like that but with a flatter end that I'm looking for to shovel coals/ashes with. How cheep are they?

Cheers

Tom

 

[Tourist]

Since WW2 all Russian soldiers have been issued with a spade. It is expected during field training that if a section, platoon or company comes to a stop that they will dig in, even if only a shell scrape to be occupied for an hour or two.

During WW2 the Russians at times suffered a severe shortage of ammunition so had to resort to hand to hand combat in urban areas. As many of them had spades they used these as weapons sharpening the edges using stones, a practice that is still continued nowadays. There are pics and films of contemparary Russian squaddies / VDV / Spetsnaz performing unarmed combat kata with spades, which lets face it, has more reach than a fighting knife.

As for Russian Officers taking out dogs with spades. Well, yes and no. The officers in question were/are GRU Officers - Military Intelligence, along the lines of the SAS - not your ordinary Ivan REME or Catering Corps Officer. And, in that line of work, regardless of nationality, being able to deal with a dog is a pre-requisite.

 

[topknot]

With the coating burnt off the spade it can be used for cooking on and eating from.
Can you cook fried eggs on a digging stick. Many uses from one little light spade.
Topknot.

 

[NatG]

With the coating burnt off the spade it can be used for cooking on and eating from.
Can you cook fried eggs on a digging stick. Many uses from one little light spade.
Topknot.

might there not be some dangers of contaminating food by eating it off of something you recently used to dig and cover your own latrine?

 

[sharp88]

Isn't that what most call the Spetsnaz throwing shovel? One of the better designs of a range of weird unarmed combat weapons like the 4 shot .22 combat knife or spring launched knife blade.

Cold steel were making them I think. Not sure if there cheap though.

 

[spamel]

might there not be some dangers of contaminating food by eating it off of something you recently used to dig and cover your own latrine?

The idea isn't to stir your poo with the shovel, but to sprinkle some soil from the pile you dug out on top of your poo! And so what if there is a bit of muck on the shovel. It's just mud, rotten leaf mould and dead bugs. Bung it over your fire for a minute and anything that was gonna harm you will be fried to death. Then you can pop your eggs and bacon on, bit of black pudding if you like!

 

[saddle_tramp]

alternatively, you could dig a ****pit with a frying pan. And maybe fend off a savage spaniel or two

 

[topknot]

Thanks Spam for that.
Topknot

 

[korvin karbon]

make shift cricket bat?