Hi, everyone what we have here is a spingfield bayonet by markings but made like a fighting knife plus note at handle no lug slot or button release or machining for spring release.I have never seen anything like this. blade length 8" overall 12",the scabard is 8 and 1/2" blued steel top and tip leather body bass and steel fasteners wood inserts marked MS.
Through time it's been the practice of soldiers to carry cut down bayonets for knives. This ones made from our favorite 1905 blade with it's 1917 scabbard. It was apparently done at source because it carries the acceptance marks and no mortice slot. This one's a new on here It was never actually a bayonet. Although we've seen the ones made by Kutmaster, this isn't one. Beautiful piece that I'd love to have in my (small) collection.
It's very well shaped and uniform my wife bought this for me as a surprise witch it was.I have several other bayonets from springfield but have never seen this type of modification.
She had a good eye for unusual. It sometimes pays to keep showing them the things you're interested in. She definitely knew this was one that would be accepted well.
I believe if you look closely you can see where the barrel mounting band and the cut for the lug were welded up and polished off.
Ya,all it took after many years was putting my m1 garand in hands at the range she was hooked.
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That,my be i did notice the difference in the metal their if it was who ever did that took great care in doing it.
Ya ,noticed that there was a difference in the metal but if so they took care in doing so.
Maybe so Johhny, I've never seen one quite like it. I'm just fairily sure it's not the type Kutmaster used. It appears to have been done a VERY long time ago. I agree the muzzle ring was probably cut off in the beginning but I'm not so sure about the weld filling of the mortise slot. Sure would like to get it right under my nose though. Is the locking catch hole filled underneath?Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Peppers
Added two more pics of that area.
You can bet it wasn't done by Springfield. If you notice you can see the little diamond imprints on the blade and guard where it has been clamped in a bench vise.
quote=Johnny Peppers;212707]you can see the little diamond imprints on the blade and guard[/quote]
Yes, I saw those. I'll agree that would be too ham handed for those people to have done.
Hi,maybe i should have posted my fist post differently as i am the novice here just never seen a dated bayonet modified this way maybe it was a field mod by a resourceful soldier or someone at springfield for their own creative reasons but buy whoever they took care in doing it .
It would be highly unusual for a soldier in the field to have access to the equipment it would have taken to cut, grind, weld, and polish the bayonet. Except for the ones that escaped by being taken home, most of the Model 1905 bayonets were cut back to 10 inches in WWII. That would have been a prime candidate for making a knife, as following WWII they were sold in huge quantities.