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Hated doing it but RTI had a flash sale on these yesterday and I pulled the trigger. Can't find much of anything on them and only available copies seem to be selling for $250 and they are rare. Apparently, the only ones in the US were bring backs from Panama which explains the high prices.
Takes them forever to ship so likely will be a month before I get it. $149, coming out of Ethiopia like everything else so likely in rough condition.
I see that they put them back on sale again. I'm on the fence about it. It is a very rare bayonet. I worry about the condition. For an extra $50, they offer hand select, but that's too steep for me.
LOL,
RTI's hand select means they pick it up out of the pile by hand and pack it up. I have heard from numerous individuals that have said they got worse from hand select than others have gotten by the crap shoot.
Personally, I have had good luck with them so far but that could very well be against me on this one. This is my fourth purchase. Each time I went in expecting the worst and was pleasantly surprised. Mannlicher Steyr rifle, Berdan rifle and No 5 British bayonet. All worn and dirty but all cleaned up nice and I was very happy with them.
I think the bayonet will be fine, I'm more concerned with the scabbard and attachment with this one.
They actually shipped it today so I might have it a lot quicker than expected.
A guy posted a Steyr rifle he got from them today in a facebook group I belong too and was super happy with it. I looked at it and thought it was pretty bad compared to the one I got but I didn't say anything.
Ok, bayonet arrived today, faster than expected. No photos yet but this is what I got. It is the filthiest bayonet I've ever gotten, greasy dirt. There was some light rust like they show in the photos but it came off with one or two passes with steel wool. Easiest rust removal I've had in a long time. The finish is thin, maybe 80% on the bayonet and 50% on the scabbard. The scabbard has some very small dents in the tip portion but otherwise just scratches in the finish. Rust slightly heavier on the scabbard but again, came off with steel wool. The blade looks heavily stained but I steel wooled that also and it got rid of nearly all of it, I suspect with a little more effort it will all come off. The blade has seen use but it was never sharpened. Some very minor dings here and there, mostly in the tip area. The bakelight handles have one tiny chip that does not really impact the bayonet much, it's less than an 8th inch in size and not deep at all.
My main issue was the frog, it is complete which I'm pleased with, it again is filthy and I have done nothing with it yet. Dawn dish liquid and a toothbrush when I get more time. Leather wrap around it also intact and not worn out, cracked or torn. Just dirty.
So again, I went with the crap shoot, I did OK so I'm four for four with RTI. Can't promise what you'll get but I'm happy with the purchase. Not many left, around 16 last time I was on their site checking.
I just checked their website, they have 15 left. condition of mine is better than those in their video but you can see the dirt. I got the reddish brown handle version.
Finished cleaning it. The frog needs to dry but it looks and feels a lot better. It's a green color. I guess these come in several different shades. Blade is a pretty uniform white. I'll get some photos up tomorrow after it dries and I get home from work.
Nice and clean now. Looks good.
I think that all of the North Korean Type 68 bayonets, seen in the video, look pretty good for the money considering how rare they are.
North Korean Type 68 Bayonets Now Available at Royal Tiger Imports! - YouTube
Yes, the stuff on the blade is the hardest to get off and that took 5-10 minutes. The rust was less than a minute. Scrubbing the fabric with a toothbrush took 10 minutes or so but for half an hours effort, it's a nice bayonet.
They do admit that some do not have the fabric attachments which would stink if you were one that got one without.