No.5 Bayonet Scabbards with Brass Throats

[peregrinvs]

Hi,

Having just acquired one, could someone let me know when they switched from brass to steel throats for the No.5 / L1A3 / etc. scabbards?

Thanks,
Mark

[Peter Laidler]

I seem to recall that while there were steel and brass mouthpieces, they both came with the same part number and it was pot luck whichever type turned up from Ordnance. Both types were still coming through right up until the last L1 bayonets were withdrawn

[peregrinvs]

Thanks. I had assumed that brass predated steel, but it sounds like its just a production variation.

On another matter, am I right in thinking the scabbards were finished in phosphate + suncorite?

[Peter Laidler]

Yep, dead right!

[marysdad]

I would havee thought that steel throats would have come first, due to wartime need for brass. Once both were in service, it makes sense that they made no distinction.

[Peter Laidler]

Valid point Mary's dad. Maybe you could interrogate the No5 and Sten (for the No7 of course) and No4 (for the No9) parts list and confirm one way or the other. Even if the part numbers are the same or just continued on, the drawing numbers should identify a difference. This would happen occasionally with other items and you'd see an annotation by the original part with WSE alongside - indicating to Armourers 'when stocks exhausted'

I opened a small pack of 5 mouthpoieces a year or so ago, packed in 1978 or 88 (the old package is ripped across the label) and they were steel - which I still have. They were most common

Sarah and Roberts dad!

[peregrinvs]

Yep, dead right!

Not that I have any phosphate or suncorite of course... The original finish is almost completely gone, so I'm planning to re-finish it in satin black metal paint as a more or less visually correct substitute.

[Peter Laidler]

If you bead blast to get a good key and paint and keep baking with a few thin coats of engine exhaust paint to build up the thickness a bit, I understand that this is pretty good. It hasn't got the protection of the phosphate of course but then again, you're not on guard or doing your bayonet drills at Nee Soon Camp either!

Anyone tried barbeque paint..................? I could never understand why anyone would want to paint their barbeque thinggy!

[bigduke6]

so I'm planning to re-finish it in satin black metal paint as a more or less visually correct substitute.

Hammerite smooth black satin (in the spray can) , this can produce a good finish, like Peter says, thin coats will do the trick, without a primer a good key is needed, have used it a few times with good results.

[ArizonaBeagle]

There was a company in Utah that made a British Black Gun Spray paint that works very well. I don't know if they still make it but I have used this can for touch-ups for years.





Way better than Bar B Cue spray paint......

AZB