Czech VZ58 Bayonets with Vinyl NBC Scabbards

[Mr. B.]

Recently there has been some discussion about these vinyl bayonet scabbards They were created for use during possible NBC warfare during the Cold War period in the 1970's to replace the standard leather scabbards. The leather items absorbed and retained Nuclear, Biological and Chemical agents that were a health hazard, The Czechs also created matching vinyl magazine pouches and other non-porous equipment as well. The bayonet scabbards and single magazine pouches came in both a light grey and medium green color. I have a green scabbard and have seen a grey plus pictures of both colors in several references. Recently someone thought that they also made them in brown. Anyone have any additional pictures or information? Mike

[porterkids]

No follow up information on the alleged brown scabbard. A dealer and member of a Facebook group (Lee Cousens) in the UK made the statement and was adamant that there are brown ones. My multiple requests for additional information have gone unanswered.

[Mr. B.]

I just noticed that something was missing here. The Czech VZ58 vinyl NBC scabbards came in two different colors. Green seems to be most common color, but there were also grey ones made. The picture bellow shows both colors and a standard natural tan scabbard for comparison. Mike

[MDIvie]

Have had two or three of the green ones over the years but always seem to miss the gray ones, get outbid, etc.

Nice set.

Martin

[Mr. B.]

Unfortunately not mine either, borrowed picture. I have also been unable to find one. Bill Porter posted a picture here with two grey ones. I tried to buy or trade for one with no luck. Any idea what's happening with his collection? Mike

[MDIvie]

No word on Bill's collection. I think I used one of Bill's gray scabbards for my book. Wouldn't sell or trade one to me either .

[Mr. B.]

Here are a few more pictures of the GREEN VZ58 bayonet NBC scabbards along with a matching mag pouches and a belt/sling. One picture shows an assortment of markings and dates. Note that the oldest date, (1975), scabbard has slightly different stitching on the hilt strap.
I have found very little information on the GREY NBC gear. I would be very interested in any information and/or pictures of the GREY scabbard markings. One reference states the GREY ones were first ones made. A different reference states they were the last and still in use or held in reserve and that is why they are scarce. Mike

VZ58 bayonet with NBC scabbard and sling.jpeg (59.75 KiB) Viewed 29720 times

VZ58 bayonet with NBC scabbard and mag pouch 3.jpeg (35.25 KiB) Viewed 29720 times

[Mr. B.]

Another picture showing details and military acceptance markings of the grey and green NBC scabbards. Mike

[buchtas]

VZ 58 scabbards for OPCH 70 and 90 suit and others
Chemická pochva - chemical scabbard, in english so called "vinil NBS scabbards" are made of rubberized canvas with simple stitching without any added supports
The mentioned "sling" is not a sling but a belt you hang the scabbard and pouch on. There are few different markings present, they represent the manufacture date and acceptance to service, acceptance numbers can range from 1 to 8 (significance of this number is unknown)
Currently there are 4 known variants
Green scabbard for ČSLA (Czechoslovak people´s army) 4 know dates
Grey scabbard currently of unknown usage, best guess given the grey color is they might belong to civil defence which had grey chemical suits or peoples militia (this is even more of a wild guess than civil defence, which is more believeable)
Yellow scabbard from transitional era of ČSFR to ČR (from Czechoslovak federative republic to Czech Republic) for OPCH 90 pressurized suit
Green scabbard for AČR (Army of Czech Republic) 4 known dates and only 5 known examples so far!

[buchtas]

ČSLA 1975 scabbard
first variant recognisable by the square stiching for the secure strap

1975 502M

1975 502M

First variant with same marking as the suit, this is not observed on any other scabbards but it is still present on the suits of different years, but still not a rule

1975 - 2

csla-stare-gumove-pochvy-na-bajonet-k-sa-58-pro-chemiky-3-ks-od-1-111352157.jpeg (17.24 KiB) Viewed 4301 times

example of the marking without 502M mark but bears number 2 after year of manufacture

[buchtas]

ČSLA 1976 scabbard
second and final manufacture variant with the circle stitching for the secure strap

1976

1976

different types of lettering

csla-stare-gumove-pochvy-na-bajonet-k-sa-58-pro-chemiky-3-ks-od-1-111352157.jpeg (33.52 KiB) Viewed 4301 times

There might be different sizes of letters observed

[buchtas]

ČSLA 1977 scabbard

1977-1

1977-1

1977-6

1.jpg (46.36 KiB) Viewed 4301 times

1977-6

1977 - 2

[buchtas]

ČSLA 1979 scabbard
somewhat uncommon variant of the standart chemical scabbard, note the different hue of the green ruberrized canvas material

1979

1979

[buchtas]

ČSLA grey scabbard
This rare scabbard is know to exist in relatively significant numbers but to what purpose is unknown, they are impossible to date since all of the stampings lack the full year date and even the 2 digit one on the acceptance mark.
My theory is, looking at the 1979 acceptance marks, is that since some of them are light/smuged the close to same way, is that it might have been mae after the 1979 and used the lefotver stamping ink and same stamp that was getting more and more worn, but that is just a theory and nothing more, take this as that.
As a side note, I was able to get in an auction lot of around 23 grey magazine pouches that were packed in sets of 10 and wrapped with 2 strps of clear tape, that would be corresponding with the ago of 80s, but againg, not much proof of that, but they were in long term storage and it shows.

grey

grey

[buchtas]

ČSFR/AČR OPCH 90 scabbard
This is among the latest discoveries regarding chemical scabbards, roughly dated beween velvet revolution and early 2000s
This was discovered in commemorative book released by Ministry of defence of Czech Republic about history of the 4th (Czech) Rapid Deployment Brigade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Rapid ... _Republic)
I have pictures from the book

It is a bright yellow colored pressurized suit including the scabard and pouch for which I found an official info page on a goverment website here: https://www.mo.gov.cz/avis/publikace/ka ... ska/20.pdf

here are somewhat quality pictures of the suit

There is also a maker mark on those suits with years of manufacture and the same acceptance marks as on the older scabbards, pouches etc.
This can lead us to believe that even the scabbards were made by this manufacturer but there is not much of a proof.

maker, Makyta Púchov

Unfortunately i have yet to examine this piece in person.
I will be visiting a military history institute collection of chemical equipement where this suit is housed and hopefully it includes the scabbard.

[buchtas]

AČR scabbard
This is a last observed variant of the chemical scabbard for the VZ 58 bayonet, there is not much proof they were actually used by soldiers (there is no photographic evidence of them being worn, even tho there is a lot and lot of pictures of our chemical units, they are quite respected and extremely skilled specialist, top tier among nato units and are photographed often, but none are shown being worn) but they 100 percent were in military storage since examples that will be shown here came from a military surplus dealer in Czech Republic last year. That was a militarysurplus.cz dealer, also one other example was sold 5 years ago by other, now defunct surplus dealer amypoint.cz
There are only 4 dates observed with only 5 examples total found so far, there were also magazine pouches but I was not able to buy those.
Each year is manufactured with slightly different color of the rubberized canvas, and are relatively crudely made compared to the earlier pieces.

AČR scabbard 2002
earliest dated example of the scababrd

2002

2002

[buchtas]

AČR scabbard 2003

[buchtas]

AČR scabbard 2004
this is the only one i have found a second example of so far aside from one I own

[buchtas]

AČR scabbard 2006
this is the last variant observed

[buchtas]

And a last piece is to compare the stamp on the mag pouches, this is the only 2 i know of

1.jpg (38.82 KiB) Viewed 4299 times

This concludes extent of he current knowledge about the chemical scabbards and even still it has a lot of unanswered questions. While writing this i also came across some grey chemical suits dated 1990 that had belt for the pouch and scabbard, and bearing the same dateless stamp as the grey scabbard, but who know, without archival or phot evidence all we can do is guess.
Hope you enjoyed this little dive, this als oserves me as a starting point since I am lending vast majority of my collection to a colleague of mine who is writting a massive book on czechoslovak & czech bayonets n fighting knives, I dont have big part but I am helping with research and physical examples where i can, so I guess I will be part of it.