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Just got an advert from Sportmans Guide for spike bayonets. Advertized as British WWII spike bayonets, looked in my books and they look like they will fit a No4, with scabbard for under $20.00.
Used British Wwii - Era Spike Bayonet / Scabbard, Military Surplus, Brand Not Specified at Sportsman's Guide
I laughed when I read in the ad that they are "seldom seen".... where I live there are so many of these spike bayonets that you can't give them away.
It's true that you can often find heaps of them here at shows, in some cases without scabbards, and there are enough variations to keep people busy trying to get them all.
WOW, those are worth $20, I'm rich!
I remember when you could get these in Army-Navy stores for .50 cents each and they called them tent stakes.
What is suprising, apart from the sheer volume of them, is that there are so many variables. I think that it's only the original Mk1 and 3's that don't vary. the trials types, Mk2's and Mk2/1's come in a zillion variablesIs there anyone in forumland who collects the different types? Exactly hpow many variables are there?
For those truly interested in the spike bayonet, get "The Spirit of the Pike," by Graham priest. Brian of BDL has them in stock. The book may seem pricey, but it is worth it. Peter, the Mk 3 has 3 known variations, all very minor, but to the "true" collector variations nonetheless.
A friend of mine once told me he had in his spike collection, 48 different examples. At the time I thought that a bit excessive. My collection now has over 70 examples, and I am still looking for other variations. Go figure.
70 spike bayonets.......................jeeeeees! Are they all different? Surely not!
When I was an apprentice we used to use the blades to make tools because the steel was so tough and could be hardened to a high degree. The apprentices at the big REME Base Workshops used to do all sorts of things with them too, such as skeletonise them because it involved different techniques with the milling machines....... Once again, due to the toughness of the blades. Mind you, it wasn't always the case as occasionally a real crap/useless material blade would come through and fox them!
My sons school Cadet Corps had about 20 DP Mk2 type spike bayonets for many many years with white catch housings and the letter DP stencilled on the side and rounded points. I took a couple but wish I'd taken the rest when they got their SA80's
You'd occasionally find a fluted blade among them.
I seem to have 25 here with sufficient variation of lettering etc. to make it worth keeping them.
Most of the differences are minor, for instance, Singer had 3 different markings on their spike, and Savage had 4. Just another thing to collect. Besides, they are cheap!
"Besides, they are cheap!"
Unless you buy them from Sportsman's Guide.
-----krinko