Mystery Improvised Spike Bayonet with No.5 Hilt and Crossguard

[Peter Laidler]

No5 (and L1A1) crosspieces and pommels were never available as spare parts through the Ordnance system. They did split occasionally and at Field or Base workshops, they'd be welded up, test fitted, phosphated and returned to service.

[Flying10uk]

But can anyone identify what bayonet the cruciform blade is originally from as it doesn't appear to be No.4?

[browningautorifle]

the cruciform blade is originally from

No, not a #4 or any other common cruciform. I wish we could measure it at both ends as it doesn't appear to have any taper. All the cruciform bayonets I can conjure up have distinct taper.

[Surpmil]

"Blade" looks like a piece of hot rolled mild steel bar stock; all sorts of shapes used to be available. The name impressed in the surface being a typical method of marking the maker's name. Out here we see lots of structural bar stock with "...Canada..." this or that impressed in it. Presumably intended to give the impression it was made here.

[Aragorn243]

I don't know what it is but I like it. Like everyone says, it's most likely a fantasy piece put together by someone with a lot of time on their hands.

[oldfoneguy]

I'm going to take a guess and say the blade is a part of some type of machinery. Perhaps part of a frame or guide bar. In the past when working with machinery and having machine shop tools and equipment available I made several "creations".

Not actual weapons but plenty of good quality steel parts from printing and associated letter shop equipment. This example was my first work, it came home with me some 40+ years ago. There was something supplied for every shop vehicle that had to travel into the NYC 5 boroughs in the 70's and 80's.

This version was a stabbing type. From a legal standpoint this was a weapon so that had to be changed. Also it was found to be impractical in speed to bare. Future iterations were a bashing type which was infinitely more practical from the drivers seat of a truck. Of course those qualified as "spare parts for the equipment in the back, officer" should any questions be raised. All other "creations" were left behind when I moved on from that job.

[Surpmil]

Started out as a triangular file? N.Y. in the good old days?

[oldfoneguy]

Started out as a triangular file? N.Y. in the good old days?

All press parts, ground to a point guide bar from the register tray of a sheetfed offset press screwed into a section of blanket cylinder shaft with an impression cylinder locator as the pommel, some EL tape added for grip. This thing would puncture 1/2" plywood shipping crate sides with very little effort.

[Peter Laidler]

What's impressed me about this thread is the breadth of knowledge that the forumers have. Who'd have known that someone - oldfoneguy - would recognise the spike ised to make the home-made bayonet/dagger. TOP MARKS oldfoneguy