Type 30 Bayonet

[Jet Fixer]

I picked up this bayonet the other day at a small antique store. While not in perfect condition, it does have some interesting markings, including the three notches in the grip, that I am hoping someone can help me with. These are the questions I have about it.

1) Any ideas on what the stamping on the grip means? They were not carved in to the handle. They appear to have been stamped mechanically. (WU 8(?)47)
2) Any idea what the stamping on the hilt beside the release button means? It appears to be a line over a circle beside the number 1.
3) There is red paint in the arsenal mark. I seem to remember that there was some significance to that, but don't remember what it is.
4) Approximate date of manufacture. I know it's prior to 1940, but that's about it.
5) Value estimate? They were asking $100. I paid less.
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Information

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[Singer B]

Great find at a great price! Congrats!

[Aragorn243]

Markings are unlikely Japanese due to western letters. Possibly post war South Korean rack number as a lot of these were used by them and reworked under US supervision.

As for value, low end for bayonets. Hard sell due to the damage to the hilt. The stampings don't hurt it so much but the rot does. The hook is also bent too far in and the muzzle ring is out of round. Both these can be fixed with a little care and the right tools. Kokura is the most common manufacturer also so that also limits it. I'd say between $50-$60 without a scabbard.

[Jet Fixer]

Been doing some further research and believe this may be from Finland. Stamping on the grip is very similar to another example that I have found that is supposed to represent British regimental marking. Apparently the British bought around 150,000 rifles and bayonets in the 1915-1916 time frame and then sold them when they no longer needed them. From what I understand they went to Russia and were used in the war with Finland where many were then captured by the Finns. That makes it considerably older than I originally thought. Still looking for more data though.

[Gaijin]

Just some basic observations, and my best deductions:
Tokyo/Kokura arsenal stamp
blued fullered blade
hooked quillon
contoured bird's head pommel
contoured wood grips with screws

Just this combination limits the possibilities significantly. Using LaBar as my reference, I see this as being one of the following:
LB-74, or LB-76.
I am leaning toward the LB-76. The OAL should be just under 20". If you could measure the overall length, it might help to confirm this.

Aragorn243 is correct in that the hook has been bent and is deformed. From the photo, it also appears that the muzzle ring is also deformed out of round. Both of these can be fixed by someone that knows what they are doing, but in the current state detract from its value.

Based on what we can see of the serial number (and the apparent lack of a kanji), I would venture to put this into the 39th series. That is the only series of the possibilities that used a 7 digit serial number with no kanji. 313#### fits in with the known serial numbers that have been observed.

This was one of the more common bayonets produced by the Japanese, but I am certainly not discounting the possibility that it was sold to another country. The English style text in the stamp into the wood would lead to that conclusion.
For whatever it is worth, I believe that the number stamped is an "047".

[Jet Fixer]

I have posted this on a European collectors thread and the concensus there seems to be that it is a pre WW1 manufactured blade. The lettering on the grip may be indicating it belonged to the school program at Wakeda University at some point. Hence the WU. The explanation for the western style lettering was that it was easier to apply than the kanji. Thoughts?

[Aragorn243]

I don't know about the letters, the numbers yes, they used western numbers. Schools generally just painted the Kanji's on.

[Jet Fixer]

Just some basic observations, and my best deductions:
Tokyo/Kokura arsenal stamp
blued fullered blade
hooked quillon
contoured bird's head pommel
contoured wood grips with screws

Just this combination limits the possibilities significantly. Using LaBar as my reference, I see this as being one of the following:
LB-74, or LB-76.
I am leaning toward the LB-76. The OAL should be just under 20". If you could measure the overall length, it might help to confirm this.

Aragorn243 is correct in that the hook has been bent and is deformed. From the photo, it also appears that the muzzle ring is also deformed out of round. Both of these can be fixed by someone that knows what they are doing, but in the current state detract from its value.

Based on what we can see of the serial number (and the apparent lack of a kanji), I would venture to put this into the 39th series. That is the only series of the possibilities that used a 7 digit serial number with no kanji. 313#### fits in with the known serial numbers that have been observed.

This was one of the more common bayonets produced by the Japanese, but I am certainly not discounting the possibility that it was sold to another country. The English style text in the stamp into the wood would lead to that conclusion.
For whatever it is worth, I believe that the number stamped is an "047".

The OAL is 19 and 11/16 inches. I do not know what the LB-74 and LB-76 refer to so I am not familiar with those references but I take your word for it. As for the bent quillion and muzzle ring, both of those are now fixed. This is the other stamp that I have questions on:
Attachment 116077

A European collectors forum puts the markings as possibly coming from Wakeda University which apparently was part of the schooling program for the Japanese and dates the bayonet to sometime prior to WW1. This would indicate that it was not part of a foreign military sale program.

[Gaijin]

I am certainly not going to say that the 'WU' is not signifying Wakeda University. But I have seen several photos of bayonets with the 'school' kanji (kind of a a curved "X" with a bar on top), that the symbols for the school were stamped into the wood of the handle or into the pommel. Both were common.

I am unfortunately unfamiliar with the circle and the "1" on the pommel. I cannot find anything in my reference that is similar.

Prior to the (1897) T30 design of bayonet, the Japanese were experimenting with the Murata Type. This had a completely different style handle and hooked quillon.
So this is definitely a T30.

The first period of bayonet production (1897 thru 1923) was done solely at the Tokyo Hohei Kosho Arsenal, and they made about 3.1 million during that time frame.
The second period (1924 thru 1935), production was moved to the Kokura Rikugun Zoheisho Arsenal. This was largely due to the earthquake in 1922.

I think that the 39th series I mentioned was produced somewhere around 1906 or 1907. This would align with your other source's assertion that it was made prior to WWI.

Other arsenals did not come into play until 1936.

<EDIT> you have yourself a really nice puzzle! Thank you for sharing it with us!

[Gaijin]

I did happen to find a reference to a circle. It indicated that the bayonet underwent a second class, special wartime inspection.
Unfortunately, I do not know much of anything about this special inspection.
I do not know enough about it to make a definitive statement that this IS what that circle is... but it is a possibility.

I am still at a loss on the "1". Sorry!