Chrome plated L1A1 SLR bayonet

[browningautorifle]

not sure about whether the pommel is chromed as well?

You'd have to strip it to be sure. Then as it's done already to some end...why not a refresh? Then it's perfect. Wait till your parts are complete.

---------- Post added at 03:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:44 PM ----------

way too much bull.#@it.

My brother was Arty, and told me all about the bull.#@it...even he considered it to be such.

[porterkids]

Well gentlemen, it appears that my memory is not what it used to be. The blade is polished, not plated. But the press stud does appear to be plated.

Attachment 79342Attachment 79343Attachment 79344Attachment 79345Attachment 79346Attachment 79347

[tankhunter]

Retention catches were also polished as well as some blades. I know, I have done a 'Few' over the years in Service!........

The polished catch against the colour of the black grips, makes a pleasing contrast. & makes it stand out aesthetically as well.
Scabbard Frog Buttons were also polished bright to match.

My Own Personal SLR Bayonet had the Scabbard throat chromed as well. This saved Me from having to polish the brass!

[Peter Laidler]

Thinking on my feet but I would imagine that the mouthpiece spring would just tear any chrome plating on the blade to shreds

[Flying10uk]

Does this "C" on the cross piece mean anything, does anyone happen to know, please? The only thing that I can think of is it standing for is Chrome?

Thanks for the information chaps.

[browningautorifle]

the mouthpiece spring would just tear any chrome plating on the blade to shreds

We had no scabbards, just those little short ones to keep the colors from catching on the blade point. The rest of the Bn just cleaned their bayonets and left them as was. The worst that happened was the RSM ordering us to spit shine the handles and scabbards with black boot polish like the rifle regts used to for the trooping.

[peregrinvs]

I have one of these semi-official SLR parade bayonets. Picked up for a very reasonable price at Stoneleigh a few years ago. I initially thought it was all chromed, but a clean up (it had been halfheartedly repainted with black paint) revealed the scabbard had been chromed, but the bayonet itself had just been polished. There were still traces of the original finish lurking in nooks and crannies. It's since gone to live in a white plastic parade frog.

[peregrinvs]

Found some pictures.
Attachment 79462Attachment 79463Attachment 79464
Faulty memory - the frog is buff leather. I do have a plastic one in the frog collection though.

[Peter Laidler]

If that was mine I'd strip it and get it bead blasted and through the phosphating tank as fast as I could. Where do these people come from and why on earth do they do it. Reminds me of an MG show many years ago where someone had cuyt a large section out of his MG Midget bonnet (the hood) and inserted (nicely done I should add - unlike this bayonet.....) a sheet of perspex/oroglass so you could see the shiny engine. Yep........ destroyed the original bonnet to show the engine off. But he could have just lifted the bonnet and showed the WHOLE engine off or better still, albeit a bit more work, detached the bonnet with quick release bolts for the duration of the show!

Or is it me?

[Brian Dick]

It's not just you Peter.