Ross bayo made into a theatre knife

[boltaction]

There is a good discussion of items like this int he Ross Rifle Story. In about 1942, the Cdn gov't sent several thousand Ross bayonets to PAL cutlery to be converted into fighting knives. They show up quite frequently. They are to a specific pattern, though. A lot of other Ross bayonets were ground down or modified here between the wars, and after, for personal hunting use. I think it's a bit of a stretch to claim that these ones being sold by this vendor are 'theatre" conversions. Unless there was documentation by a serviceman stating he did this and carried it and personally killed 5 Jerries with it or something I wouldn't pay that kind of money! An original uncut Ross bayonet in excellent condition with original scabbard MIGHT now fetch about 250-275 in the right setting on a good day, but usually are in the $175 range. This example is just a cut up bayonet--no button catch, no muzzle loop. Just a knife, nothing more. The scabbards look very new, too. I'd pay maybe 95 or so, if I was in a super good mood! Probably about $50 actually, and that as just a hunting knife. An original PAL cutlery would command more maybe, but I'm not sure of their current value either.

Ed