Interesting P1907 Adaptation

[Warren]

The ones on the yellow background are mine and if anyone wants a close up photo, just PM me
cheers
Warren

[Alan de Enfield]

The ones on the yellow background are mine and if anyone wants a close up photo, just PM me
cheers
Warren

That's the problem with finding pictures on google, you are seldom able to find whose they are so are unabe to make them attributable

Ownership noted for future.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Bullet-powered wire cutters?

Subtle as a train smash.

Then again, the artillery types promised much wire cutting but consistently "under-delivered", as many a headstone will attest.

Vast quantities of "shrapnel" were expended in "wire-cutting" operations. The results were "sketchy" to say the least.

The invention of the Bangalore Torpedo was at least an advance in functionality. Essentially an "above-ground, manually propelled "pipe-pusher".

Still in use well after WW2.

[Roger Payne]

Yup, Bangalores were a great positive development. Mind you, they did eventually get instantaneous fuses that did what they were supposed to.........they just didn't have them in time for the Somme. And later on we also had tanks to crush the wire, which was another big help.

[Flying10uk]

One of my WW1 dated ordinary plier/shear type wire cutters that I have got somewhere has got the cutting edge chipped. I had assumed that the damage was done post WW1 by inappropriate use/abuse but after reading this thread it seems more likely that the damage was done to the tool during WW1 on German barbed wire.

[RCS]

I found the photo that I was looking for that show a French Lebel rifle with a wire cutter using the fired bullet. This appears to be a very easy to manufacture device

[Alan de Enfield]

I found the photo that I was looking for that show a French Lebel rifle with a wire cutter using the fired bullet. This appears to be a very easy to manufacture deviceAttachment 128621

That could amost be a mK1 SMLE Grenade launcher

[Surpmil]

Like so many bright ideas borne of the times, it is probable that the inventor of the wire-breaker never actually had to apply his idea in practice. One can only imagine the futility of attempting to break through barbed entanglements using this method whilst under enemy fire.

Yes, but imagine the force-multiplication as you stand there popping away at strands of wire prompting Jerry to send a half belt of 7.92mm through the wire towards you. Bound to cut many of their own strands eh what?!

To be serious one might wonder why they didn't make a cutter that mounted on the bayonet lugs and used the blade of the P1907 slid in as the second lever or handle. Or perhaps just an entrenching tool handle as everyone seems to have had one... How many must have cursed freezing cold steel wire cutter handles in winter... And of course longer handles give better leverage, reach and control which means less exposure and less snap and clatter as the wire parts and the cutters and handles come together.