Wz98a

[Reibert]

Hello, Andy,

From the www. I have translated excerpts of this text from a Polish site and have already brought it to your attention in the German forum:

Assault knife wz. 98
1
Description:
Assault knife wz. 98Z is a further development and improvement of the previously used solutions of the
knife wz. 98
The change that has taken place compared to the original concerns the equipment of the blade.
This resulted from the experience reports and hints of its users.


The purpose of this mod was to increase it
Versatility that adds sawing capability to existing cutting capabilities.
Assault knife wz. 98 - Pattern used in the Polish Army since the late 90s
Further development of the cult knife wz. 92

The wz98 knives were originally produced by Gerlach.
Then it was taken over by SANITAS s.c. Manufactured and since 2009 with the company Militaria Łódź, which agreed the production with GERLACH S.A. to continue.

At the same time, the knife's dismountable construction, as used in previous designs, allows for the regeneration and replacement of worn and damaged parts.
On the basis of the knife 98 "nz" for reconnaissance and special forces, a model called 98 "z" was produced.

It is clearly expressed here that knives of this model could be ordered in different versions from the respective manufacturer due to the respective requirements, and that a model with the designation "Pattern 98 z" was produced for reconnaissance and special units.

I also showed you excerpts from the book for import by the company MIL-TEC in the German forum.
These pieces cannot be compared to the ones shown in this thread anyway because of the lower quality.

Best regards,
R.

[Reibert]

That was i wrote You the question, the important note is how many ordered polish army of the various models Wz.98?. In official listing is reported that 500 pcs of this model were buyed even we assume each of Wz.98,Wz98A and Wz98Z was mentioned per modell, this brings it to 1500 pcs overall max. Maybe its something more ... ?
...

As mentioned i was going on Prague shows since 2002 to 2012 by polish dealers which was many there, were saled various items, old CS and polish staff like Wz.55, AKM bayonets CS Vz.58 with new reproduction of Glock and Wz.98 knives, as mentioned similar were observed in hundreds there, so it could be not from polish army storages,(when real contract was around 1500pcs in 1998-2000)

Yes, I would also be interested in this:
How many knives does the Polish army originally order ???

you write:
"In official listing is reported that 500 pcs of this model were bought..."
Do you have this "Official listing" in front of you?
You continue to write:
"when real contract was around 1500pcs in 1998-2000"

Are you assuming the troop strength of the special units that you know, or do you have an official source that states that 1500 knives were ordered from 1998 to 2000.

Best regards,
R.

[AndyB]

List of equipment of the Polish Land Forces - Wikipedia
The listing speaks for 500 but i dont known as all version are listed there, but not any with chromed finish also NZ. So personally i doubt the polish book mainly by listing of Sanitas firm as they designate the versions of knife total different as the pieces on other sites and in internet.
Similary i doubt the inox NZ version would be basic and then developed the Z version which is blackened, personally i believe a special army units used only blackened versions.
Questionable are too the table with pictures of Wz.98 which on one side is one Gerlach and serialed but other side is there a wz98 NZ marked one, for me is too question is the translate of polish language by google translator corectly.
Personally i doubt that Sanitas would made so quality products as Gerlach which is long time knife producer, the quality of army order is allways higher standards as normal commerzial outdoor production. The production traces typical on crossguard are visible i assume different on Gerlach and on Sanitas, when its the knives that are on major internet pages avialable now.
There exist when You look closely evidently two version of crown and Gerlach stamp, one more sofisticated and one simpler, by Your piece was the stamp evidently damaged in middle of maker by letters l so i went to opinion from that thats a problematic stamp.

[Reibert]

...
There exist when You look closely evidently two version of crown and Gerlach stamp, one more sofisticated and one simpler, by Your piece was the stamp evidently damaged in middle of maker by letters l so i went to opinion from that thats a problematic stamp.

Yes, I have already explained to you in the German forum what could be the reason for this and also showed exactly the same stamping on one of my combat knives in comparison to the photos in the book by the Polish author.

Andy, I've known you for many years (I've also met you personally, which I'm still really happy about today!), and I appreciate you as a very experienced, competent colleague.
But if you have a fixed opinion then you are so convinced that you don't want to deviate a yard from it and you don't allow any other arguments either!

The Polish companies I spoke to made the various versions of these combat knife models not only exclusively for the military and its various, very specific units, but, without a doubt, also after the change in the form of government in Poland, also for the civilian market .

Nevertheless, you cannot rule out that the various models in their very special designs were not used in units of the Polish army, even if by no means to the extent in which these companies later continued to manufacture these knives for civilian use have made market.
In my opinion, some of these pattern knives were used not only exclusively in the Polish army, but also in law enforcement units.

Polish police units, for example, also use the "wz. 55", probably even today, as documented by pictures from the world wide web.

Your link to the "List of equipment of the Polish Land Forces"
refers in my opinion to the estimated number of special forces soldiers of the Polish armed forces who have been equipped with this knife, but not to the number of these combat knives, which were pre-produced as a precaution and for the mobilization of such units and also in its various models, due to the wide variety Operational requirements within the special units.

Best regards,
R.

[AndyB]

As mentioned before we are other opinions evidently, i wrote You a mail. Personally i dont believe the knives of polish army were marked with wz98, similar to opinion of polish member on AK forum. same as the deliveries were most real serialed and proofed, majority of these knives on internet are commerzial products are only copies of this special unit knife. I would say this thema is for me already fullfilled.

[Reibert]

...
Your link to the "List of equipment of the Polish Land Forces"
refers in my opinion to the estimated number of special forces soldiers of the Polish armed forces who have been equipped with this knife, but not to the number of these combat knives, which were pre-produced as a precaution and for the mobilization of such units and also in its various models, due to the wide variety Operational requirements within the special units.
...

Andy, just for example:

The NVA (Nationale Volksarmee) (National People's Army) of the former DDR (GDR) had a (theoretical) strength of 683 soldiers in their air assault regiment, the "Luftsturmregiment 40" "Willi Sänger".

At least according to the book "Vom Himmel auf die Erde ins Gefecht" ("From Heaven to Earth into Combat"), which is probably not doubted either.
On page 83 you will find the "Soll-Zahlen Frieden" ("Target figures for peace") for the air assault regiment.
As a rule, the "Soll-Zahlen in der NVA" in the "Luftsturmregiment Willi Sänger" were not reached.


A former member of the Air Assault Regiment of the NVA wrote to me as follows:

"Hi R,

I seem to remember a maximum of 450 real soldiers.
The Luftsturmregiment was probably blown up a bit on paper.

In August/September 1990 I only met a maximum of 100 soldiers in Lehnin.
I also had the impression that everyone there knew each other personally. "



Andy, only, for example, the "Kampfmesser 66" provided and produced for the members of the Air Assault Regiment 40 (LStR-40) was made at least (at least !!!) in a number of 14244 copies!
In any case, there is a "Kampfmesser 66" in my collection with this number, referred to in the NVA as "Laufende Nummer", which is equivalent to a "serial number".

Do you know what this means ?
At least 14,244 (minimum / at least !) manufactured knives for a unit that had a "current" strength of, (very likely), 450 soldiers!

Yes, the "KM66" was also issued in "reconnaissance" units, (bei den "Aufklärern"), as well as in combat divers, but only in certain small numbers, due to the small number of soldiers in these units.

Conversely, this means:
The "KM66" was produced "as a precaution" and "in stock" in order to be available in sufficient numbers in the event of mobilization.
I can well imagine the same with the "vzor 92/98" combat knife.
In addition, there were also a wide variety of modifications, which you shouldn't ignore either!

When the world political / geopolitical situation changed, the Polish manufacturing companies then switched to "peace production", i.e., continued to manufacture for the "civil market"!

Best regards,
R.

[Reibert]

... I would say this thema is for me already fullfilled.

OK, no problem for me!

[AndyB]

The listing of polish equipment within link, there are new items listed of 2022, same as new buys for polish army, i assume the polish infantry used instead a similar combat knife a new type of bayonet within new arms configuration.
Comparing german kampfmesser for various combat units with extra specialised knife for commando units ( i dont known is comparing a 80 million of Germany with 40 million of Poland is probably hard), which Wz.92 /98 should be from the designation in polish book? and in various sources is the Wz.92 ammount corectly mentioned by 3000 pcs, so similar numbers could be made for Wz98 number??. The army order should be certainly different quality as the commerzial Sanitas or other firm production. Maybe in Your books will find definitive numbers ordered by WP.
Here a report from Militaria Lodz site:
"Excellent "Gerlach" wz. 98 knife, popular among the soldiers of the Polish Army, scouts and fans of survival.
Blade with a length of 173 mm and a thickness of 5 mm is made ​​of 3H13 tempered spring steel with hardness of 46-52RC. To prevent light reflections and corrosion is chemically blackened. Against slipping hand on a blade protects 60 mm long hilt made of hardened steel. The handle is covered with non-slip, oil-resistant rubber. It keeps well, regardless of weather conditions, even in wet or dirty hands. Black-oxide steel head can fulfill the role of glass breaker or hammer.
The sheath is made of high impact plastic in black color. It has two lugs for mounting up to 32 mm or 60 mm wide belts and two holes for paracord or tape at the bottom. Knife plugs into the sheath through spring latch passing through the hole in the handguard. The set includes a nylon cord wrapped around the sheath."
You could made the hardening test of Your Gerlach piece compare to wz98 marked piece, probably a normal commerzial production is in all pages marked blade as made from 3H13 PN , which should be inox steel.