MPL-50

thumb|1917 and 1939 MPL-50 models. Note that the 1917 model has a double-headed eagle. thumb|Post-World War II|WWII design. The blade cover to the left allows the MPL-50 to be worn on the belt in a blade-up manner. The MPL-50 (, malaya pekhotnaya lopata-50, small infantry spade-50) is a small spade ( length) invented by Danish officer in 1869. It has been used by rank and file military personnel in the Russian Empire, Soviet Union and its successor states since the late 19th century. While nominally an entrenching tool, the MPL-50 has seen wide-ranging wartime applications, from a close-quarters combat weapon to a cooking utensil. ==History== The MPL-50 was invented in 1869 by the Danish officer Mads Johan Buch Linnemann. In 1870 it was patented and supplied to the Danish Army. The next year it was adopted by the much bigger Austrian Army, and Linnemann founded a factory in Vienna to produce his spade. It was later introduced to Germany, France, Romania and Russia, though only Russia recognized Linnemann's patent rights, and paid him 30,000 rubles and ordered 60,000 spades. The MPL-50 remains almost unchanged through its history in Russia and the Soviet Union; attempts to introduce a folded-handle design were not approved.

==Design== The MPL-50 has a total length of ; the steel blade is wide and long. It is sharpened on its working edge and often on one side, for use as an axe. The wooden handle is not painted, but polished with sandpaper and fire singed to create a smooth surface that doesn't slide off the user's hand. The blade carries the manufacturer's seal, which indicates the production year and distinguishes original products from forgeries.