View source for KM2000

{{Short description|German Army standard combat knife}}
{{no footnotes|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name               = KM2000
| origin             = [[Germany]]
| type               = [[Combat knife]]
| is_bladed          = Yes
| wars               = [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]], [[United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali]]
| designer           = Eickhorn-Solingen GmbH
| manufacturer       = Eickhorn-Solingen GmbH
}}
[[File:Km2000-2.jpg|thumb|KM2000]]
The '''KM2000 ''' (''KM'' designates ''Kampfmesser'', literally "combat knife") is the standard [[combat knife]] of the German [[Bundeswehr]].

== Production ==
The knife is manufactured in Germany by the Eickhorn-Solingen company (aka "Original Eickhorn").

The knife is produced according to NATO regulations by the German company Eickhorn-Solingen GmbH.

== Design ==
[[File:New KM2000.jpg|thumbnail|New Model of KM2000]]The assembly consists of three components: the [[Laser cutting|laser cut]] 172 mm Black Kalgard coated, forged X55CrMo14 or 1.4110 [[blade steel|(440A)]] [[stainless steel]] [[Tantō|Westernized tantō]] blade, the ergonomic ambidextrous [[polyamide]] handle and screw. 

The entire knife weighs approximately {{convert|320|g|oz}}. The sheath for the KM2000 is turnable, and includes an adapter to allow it to be mounted onto the [[MOLLE (military)|MOLLE]]/[[Pouch Attachment Ladder System|PALS]] load bearing system(s).

Later revisions of the KM2000 (as of 2008) use a different stainless [[blade steel]] alloy with better edge-holding properties, X105CrMo17 or 1.4125 [[blade steel|(440C)]] Böhler N695 (HRC 57). 

Apart from the hard polyamide sheath, a special leather sheath is available from Eickhorn. 

The newer version of the KM2000 has a modified tip for greater strength and stability while thrusting and prying windows and containers open. 

The blade of both models has two versions: plain and partially serrated. The serrations are used for cutting ropes and fabric fibers for survival techniques. The scabbard has a strip of diamond sharpener used for field sharpening of the knife. 

The handle end has a glass breaker tip which is actually the end of the knife blade tang and a lanyard hole. 

The scabbard is MOLLE and IDZ military vest compatible.

== Variants ==
Based on the popularity of the design, Eickhorn has developed the line-up introducing many variations in shape, material used, colors. 

Models other than KM2000 are also introduced by Eickhorn such as Para-Commando, KM5000, FS knife etc. Most of these variations are not actually issued in the German Army. 

=== KM1000 ===
KM2000 without blade-coating. Available with sand-colored grips and scabbards intended in desert environments like Afghanistan.

=== KM3000 ===
KM2000 with a spear-point blade instead of the KM2000's westernized-tanto point. Available with sand-colored grips and scabbards intended in desert environments like Afghanistan.

=== Desert Command I ===
KM2000 variant for desert environment.

=== Desert Command II ===
KM3000 variant for desert environment.

== Users ==

* {{Flag|Germany}}
** [[German Army]]

== Legacy ==
The KM2000 owes a lot of its fame to the fact that it is among the few (if not the only) "[[tantō]]"-style military knives actually issued in significant numbers.

== See also ==

* [[Bayonet]]
* [[M9 bayonet]]

==External links==
{{commonscat-inline}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110210033805/http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/heer/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP3I5EyrpHK9jNTUIr2S1OSMvMxsvYzEvJTyxLS01Dy97FwjAwMD_YJsR0UA08YWnw!!/ the homepage of the Bundeswehr (German)]
* [http://www.eickhorn-solingen.de/KM-2000 KM2000 on the Eickhorn-Solingen site (German)]
* Pictures of the [http://www.bimbel.de/artikel/artikel-30.html Kampfmesser 2000]

[[Category:Military knives]]
[[Category:Post–Cold War weapons of Germany]]