Chrome plated L1A1 SLR bayonet

[Flying10uk]

I recently noticed this L1A1 bayonet advertised for sale at a reduce price because the button/catch is missing. No mention was made, in the advert, that the blade is clearly chrome plated, indicating ceremonial use and I noticed the chrome from the vendor's pictures. I didn't have a ceremonial L1A1 SLR bayonet in my collection and because they don't turn up often I though that this would be a good purchase, even with no button/catch.

N.B. The condition seen here is how I have received it with no restoration or cleaning.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Peter Laidler]

Are you SURE that is chromed? Looks like very poor quality chrome if it is! There was never an officially designated ceremonial bayonet so far as I recall. They were done on the whim of the OC - whom nobody would argue with anyway and the ones I saw were chromed at the local Base Workshop where they'd have been chromed properly, over copper or nickel all over. With black (or chrome) grips replaced. To be really honest, a tad brutal but frank, I think someones 'done' that. It would never got out of the blocks with a coat of grey primer and a quick blow-job with a can of Halfords aerosol gloss from a spray can

[Flying10uk]

Peter, with my very limited I.T. skills they are not likely to be the best digital photos ever published on the Milserps Forum. In reality the chrome is a lot better than it looks from my pictures and after reading your post the grips do appear to have been chromed under the paint, which I hadn't noticed before. It does need cleaning up a certain amount and I'm not sure with the scabbard whether a "bare metal respray" will be the order of the day here, if I can't make it look reasonable.

[porterkids]

I have a couple of these. Can't say for sure if the blade is chromed or nickle plated, but it is bright and shiny. The hilt is black and the press stud is bright. Somewhere I have a postcard that clearly shows the bayonet in use. I'll see if I can get some photos posted over the weekend.

[Peter Laidler]

We KNOW that they were definitely used when tarted up for ceremonials but it wasn't an approved thing. Talking of which, the MoD would not permit tyres on staff cars to be painted with that black tyre paint (that's tires to you colonials over there......!) for reasons best known to themselves. I had to make sets of wood grips for 12 of them but the bayonets themselves remained black/grey. But, being about 20 at the time and keen on my freedom and life generally, I wasn't too keen to tell the RSM to get a bit of a life and stop all the bullshixe just for some half-wit passing dignitary. So he and his precious Quarter Guard got his/their 12 shiny wood handled bayonets

[browningautorifle]

You'll probably be able to find a catch hereabouts though... Ours for color party were chromed completely, it would be much harder and too finicky to just do part. We did the whole thing.

Here's a color party pic from 1982, I'm the much younger Sgt there in front of the colors...although the handles aren't as clear as they could be, you can see mine's not black at all.

[skiprat]

We had many requests from the RSM, or Drill bloke, while at he Guards Depot to get their bayonets plated. ( We had many....Many... Royal visits ) We pointed out the regulations regarding NOT plating and they always excepted our point.
If you knew your job and knew the regulations even a Craftsman / Private could stand (politely) up to the RSM. They respected our trade/knowledge
( it was my best assignment )

BUT... the Royal Artillery...... They requested their whole rifles re painting and chrome plating bayonets, even for low level visits.
When the regulations were pointed out to them (50% of the whole rifle needs to be bare metal before re painting)
They would get out the spray paint and paint their own..

( SA 80 bayonets do not take chrome well. But they do polish up well .... No plating needed)

I spent 14 years of a 24 year career with the Artillery...........What did I do wrong?.....

[browningautorifle]

What did I do wrong?

Nothing, once they find someone they like, they keep 'em...

[Flying10uk]

Ok thanks Jim, I think that the grips are chromed under the black paint but not sure about whether the pommel is chromed as well?

to get a bit of a life and stop all the bullshixe just for some half-wit passing dignitary. So he and his precious Quarter Guard got his/their 12 shiny wood handled bayonets

One of my Uncles was doing his National Service in the RAF, not long after the queen had come to the throne and for some reason an official visit was arranged to the RAF base where my Uncle was stationed. Everyone on camp was looking forward to the visit, my Uncle included, until shortly before the visit when my Uncle was told that he was not smart enough to meet the queen and therefore had to keep out of the way while the visit was in progress. Some of us in the family find this story slightly amusing especially since he still feels aggrieved about it to this day and does, on occasions, still mention it.

---------- Post added at 11:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:38 PM ----------

I have seen pictures of Royal Navy personnel on Ceremonial duty with SA80 rifles plus shiny bayonets and just assumed that they were chromed; I hadn't thought about the possibility of them being simply a highly polished base metal.

[skiprat]

I hope not.!!!!!!
I was always small guns ....Never the big stuff !

But I have heard that a few times from our (REME) HQ. Many REME did not get on well with the Gunners .. way too much bull.#@it. even more than the Guards.